Quote:
Originally Posted by Deborah
I'm reading these responses with great interest and I know I'll go through them again to "study" what you've all said. I miss my Mom, her cooking, her love and everything about her and so you can imagine how much I appreciate your kindness.
My Mom DID use cast iron ! I hadn't thought of that. And good Russet potatoes. She didn't soak or rinse other than the after peeling rinse.
Editing to add: My Mom always used Crisco. Remember, this was in the 1960's.
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I understand about missing your Mom, I still miss mine and it's been a very long time.
My Mom used Cast iron, always Burbank Russets as she said red potatoes were waxy, and often Crisco or bacon grease. Onions went in there too and became carmelized as the potatoes cooked. She cut the slices about 1/4 inch or less, after scrubbing the potatoes, mostly left the skins on ( if anything, including kids, were scrubbed by my mother, your skin was thin afterwards!). She'd cook them slowly, though the grease was hot enough to sizzle when you first put in the raw slices. She would let the bottom layer brown, and turn several times.
Crisco gives a crisp finish, bacon grease a bit softer and butter the softest finish on fried foods. Oils are crisp to very crisp.
Bacon grease was saved up and re-used in our house for cooking. I still like eggs cooked in bacon fat.
Gravy is easy if started from a roux, less chance for lumping if you add the liquid in a slow steady stream while stirring.