Making pastrami is a time-intensive process that can take nearly two weeks, so only a few delis bother to do it by hand. In our fairly traditional version, a whole brisket is cured with sugar, spices, and salt for a week, then oven-smoked using an easy technique the CHOW Test Kitchen developed for making bacon.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
Flavored salts add oomph to food or the rim of your Bloody Mary glass, and they're easy to make. They are also lovely hostess or holiday gifts. Here are four versions that put Lawry's to shame.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011
There are two steps to makin' bacon. The first is easy: Rub a cure on some pork belly and forget about it for a week. After that, you have to smoke the pork for it to taste like bacon. Typically, you'd need a smoker and the outdoor space to use it. But here CHOW shows you how to make an indoor smoker by simply using a roasting pan, a roasting rack, aluminum foil, and wood chips.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Pixy Stix don't naturally jump out as something to make at home, but it turns out they really are just flavored sugar in a straw. So we decided to make over the old-school candy for Halloween, taking inspiration from the ingredients pastry chefs are using around the country in their desserts.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
Cracker Jack debuted at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and a few years later it had moved into the ballpark as a concession selling for five cents. We can't say whether the snack's century-long run is because of that association with America's favorite pastime—cemented in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"—or the once-cool prizes in every box. But we can say that the molasses-y, caramel-coated popcorn-and-peanut treat is delicious.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
Remember fruit leather? The Fruit Roll-Ups brand popularized the sticky, flat sheets of puréed fruit in the early ̕80s, marketing them as fun, healthy snacks for kids. Now, the popular commercial brands are sugary, artificially colored and flavored, and often don't even contain the fruits they're supposed to be flavored with. But the good news is you can make your own fruit leather, and you don't need a food dehydrator to do it.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
Fried Kool-Aid, fried butter, and fried mashed-potatoes-on-a-stick may get more press, but let's be real: Corn dogs are still the tastiest fried food at state fairs and boardwalks. That said, even the best could be better; very few people make corn dogs from scratch anymore, instead just tossing premade frozen dogs into the fryer. Fortunately, making them fresh is pretty easy.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Monday, August 1st, 2011
These seven ice pop recipes are like a mini summer vacation, frozen on a stick. (As if that were possible. But still ...) They're inspired by cool treats from the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, China, Korea, and India, yet require no more effort to make than frozen juice pops. Pack your bags.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Monday, July 25th, 2011
Mustard: ketchup's slightly less popular sidekick. When it comes to burgers, we still stick by this condiment duo. But mustard can also stand alone. And while some fancy store-bought mustards might seem artfully handcrafted and complex, it's quite easy—and arguably tastier—to make your own.
READ MORE Edit Post / Posted
on Thursday, June 9th, 2011
Making your own vanilla extract couldn't be simpler: Fill up a jar with booze, and soak some vanilla beans in it for about a month. Start some now and you'll have easy holiday gifts and a nice stash for baking through the winter. READ MORE 
