The Importance of Patience

When I'm hungry, I'm not a very patient person. I tend to undercook food (especially pasta) and sometimes forget steps, especially ones that add that extra-something to a dish. Which is all a real bummer when you are trying to make a yummy dish. By the time you are half done you think "Doh! Pine nuts would've been amazing on this!" or "Erg, i forgot to add a splash of lemon juice!" Or, worst of all, you cook meat in a way that leaves it a little less tasteful and a little less appetizing than it could be, a smidge below your expectations and you think to yourself "I can do better than that."

I'm trying to get better. Cooking takes time, and it is important to give food the chance to do its thing. Last night really helped for future endeavors;it proves that patience pays off. I made two pork tenderloins, one with a Moroccan spice rub, the other with a Jamaican jerk rub. After a generous rubbing of the spices, I browned them on the stove top on all sides and then roasted in the oven for 20 minutes to finish them off. The most important part of this cooking process is the browning because that is where the meat caramelizes and forms a crispy exterior. It also helps keep in moisture while it is cooking through in the oven. Generally, I have a tough time waiting until the pork is browned before flipping it. It gets cooked, certainly, but it doesn't have that extra tasty brown goodness. But last night, I waited. And when I would normally flip it over, I waited a minute longer. The meat released itself from the pan, and "viola!"

And it was amazing. Meaty-sweet in the way that only can happen when the sugars in the muscle caramelize. Slightly crispy in a way that adds a bit if texture to an otherwise homogeneous piece of meat. And it just looks delicious.

Now, don't misunderstand, I'm not condoning overcooking. That is a egregious, horrible, and depending on the food, sinful mistake. But, food should be cooked an appropriate amount of time in order for it to caramelize and brown. If, like me, you have trouble with this, let me give you a piece of advice. DON'T TOUCH IT! If you a recipe says to cook 5 minutes on each side, that doesn't mean that you flip your meat ten times, once a minute. Put it on then leave it alone. Just don't touch it. Don't even sneak a peak underneath. Just let it be. I know you can do it. Resist the urge, and I promise you will be rewarded.