Disc Cooking Basics - Plow Disk Cooker | Disco | Outdoor Wokcottleco.com › downloads › CottleCo_DiscCookingBasics_rev3_20141… · you will be able to generate a shopping list

Disc Cooking Basics

Disc Cooking Skills and Tips for Beginners

© 2014 CottleCo LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Disc Cooking Basics

2 | Page © 2014 CottleCo LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cooking Outdoors Has Never Been So Enjoyable!

Disc Cooking Basics

© 2014 CottleCo LLC. All Rights Reserved. 3 | P a g e

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sections Page INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................4

Menus: ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Cooking Preparation: ........................................................................................................................ 4

Containers: .......................................................................................................................................... 5

Remember! .......................................................................................................................................... 5

ESSENTIALS..................................................................................................................................6

Basic Disc Cooking Equipment ......................................................................................................... 6

Packing the Cooler: ............................................................................................................................ 7

Other Essential Equipment: .............................................................................................................. 8

DISC COOKING SAFETY .............................................................................................................9

Deep Frying: ....................................................................................................................................... 9

DISC COOKING BASICS ............................................................................................................11

Cooking Hints ................................................................................................................................... 11

TIPS ...............................................................................................................................................13

Using the Lid: ................................................................................................................................... 13

Using Water Instead of Oil: ............................................................................................................. 13

Working with Potatoes: ................................................................................................................... 13

Cooking with Bacon and Ground Meat: ........................................................................................ 13

Frying: ............................................................................................................................................... 14

Additional Tips ................................................................................................................................. 14

DISC SEASONING ......................................................................................................................15

CARE AND CLEANING ..............................................................................................................16

CLEANING WITH SALT PASTE ................................................................................................. 16

Disc Cooking Basics


INTRODUCTION The intent of this book is to teach you basic techniques for cooking food with a Disc.

Hopefully, this book will help you catch the fire of Disc cooking. After cooking a couple of recipes, you will begin to understand the many uses for a Disc cooker that will take your outdoor cooking skills to higher level.

Though there are many different methods you could use when Disc cooking, this manual cover one type in detail. You may already be familiar with Disc cooking and have a method that you use at home. This manual will focus on Disc cooking away from home, which could be one of the most difficult to learn. A lot of planning and preparation is required for you to be prepared to cook away from home.

Menus: One of the most important things that you can do before any outdoor cooking

adventure is planning and preparation. After you've planned a time and place, start by planning a menu. A basic menu should consider the number of people you will be serving, any food allergies, and (if camping) the day each meal will be served on. (See the example food menu at the end of this cookbook. An electronic version of the menu can also be downloaded at CottleCo.Com, under the Support page.) From your menu, you will be able to generate a shopping list for the necessary food and supplies needed. For example, you may need potatoes, eggs, bacon, and tortillas for a few different meals. With this shopping list, you can complete your shopping quickly and ensure you have every item you need. Sit down and spend a little time planning.

Cooking Preparation: As you looking through the meals that you will be serving, think of the different ways

that the food needs to be prepared. Use re-sealable bags to store cut vegetables and meats. Complete any of the preparation you can at home. For example, for fajitas:

• Precut the meat and place it in a gallon re-sealable bag with a marinade. • Precut the vegetables and place them in a gallon re-sealable bag. • If use mushrooms, bag the pre cut slices in another bag to keep them separated, but

store them in the vegetables gallon bag.

These preparations make Disc cooking simpler and faster. This removes the lengthy preparation time when cooking. To continue our fajitas example, all the planning and preparation is done. You only need to preheat the Disc, brown the meat for a few minutes, then add the vegetables, and cook for a few more minutes. You meal is cooked in minutes and all of your planning and preparation pays off.

The amount preparation you do is at your Discretion and may be simply in the food you buy. For example, buying frozen shredded/cubed potatoes for instead of buying whole potatoes. Preparation includes two parts: first, preparing the food; second, storing the food.

Disc Cooking Basics


Containers: Storing prepared food in containers

applies more to cooking away from home then at home.

As mentioned with the fajita example, using a plastic re-sealable bag type of container is preferable, except when food can bruise or break easily. Then store the food in a hard container. A plastic re-sealable bag allows you to store and pack food more easily. While you might store rice, ham, and vegetables in plastic re-sealable bags, store food such as eggs in a hard container.

You can re-use the re-sealable bags to store any leftovers or to use items for another meal.

Remember! The purpose of this planning and preparation is to allow you more time to enjoy

good food with your family and friends.

Disc Cooking Basics


ESSENTIALS Basic Disc Cooking Equipment

Large Cutting Board A cutting board at least 18 x 12

inches, but preferably 20 x 15 inches. Do not try to cut your vegetables on a little cutting board. This robs you of time by forcing you to cut one vegetable at a time. A large cutting board gives you more room to work, allowing you to prepare multiple foods. And a larger cutting board is safer. With a large cutting board, you can cut your food on one side and slide it over to the other side to store until you are ready to use them. You can have several vegetables lined up in rows across the cutting board, ready to go into the Disc cooker. This makes it unnecessary to have bowls to store the food after it is cut. 10-Inch Chef Knife

Always keep the chef knife sharp. If the knife is not sharp, it will not cut the vegetables, but smash them. You will not be able to cleanly slice through meat. This robs you of time because you cannot chop quickly. In general, using a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one. So, make sure you always bring a sharpener. Can Opener

Do not go to the dollar store and get a can opener. You want to make sure that the can opener is heavy duty and that the handle for turning the cutting blade and drive wheel is larger. This will make opening cans a lot easier.

Disc Cooking Basics


Mandalay All-in-One Slicer The Mandalay Slicer we prefer is the

Swissmar Borner V slicer. This is by far the best Mandalay Slicer on the market. Do not waste your money on any others. If you are not sure, what a Mandalay Slicer is or how to use one, do some research. This tool will reduce a lot of your prep time when working with vegetables, and is an absolute must have when cooking outdoors away from home. Spatula

Use a metal, curved utensil with a wood handle. A standard flat-end turner is not ideal for stir-frying, deep frying or simmering in a Disc. The flat end of the turner will not be able to reach into the concave area at the bottom of the wok.

For stir-frying, use a wok spatula or a long, wooden spoon. For simmering or braising, use a wok ladle. For deep frying, use a round, slotted basting spoon or a perforated wok ladle.

Avoid flat, metal spatulas with sharp corners because they will scratch the surface of your Disc. With a wood handle, you can rest your drippy spatula in the pan and the handle will not melt or get hot. Do not use plastic spatulas because they will melt and fray) in the Disc

Packing the Cooler: It is most important when packing the cooler to pack the food so it arrives safe and

undamaged. Take some thought on the order the food is packed. The order used often depends on the weight of the food and how easily it can bruise or break.

• Start with the ice, broken up but still remaining in its bag on the bottom of the cooler. • Next, place the heavier objects like meat, liquids, condiments and all other heavier

container items such as sour cream and chip dip. • Then start placing the vegetables in this same type of order, but also taking into account

how easily a vegetable or fruit can bruise. For example, do not place lettuce underneath onions and bell peppers. This is also the same level to pack the eggs and shredded cheese.

• Above that level is your lightest and easiest bruised foods such as mushrooms and lettuce.

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/asian-restaurant/wok-spatulas/c16996.aspx

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/kitchen/wooden-spoons/c2010.aspx

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/asian-restaurant/wok-ladles/c16998.aspx

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/Basting-Spoons-Slotted/c2009_244-1174.aspx

Disc Cooking Basics


Other Essential Equipment: Other equipment that you might take depends on the number of nights you will be

staying and how many meals you'll be cooking. For outdoor events such as a birthday party, family reunion, or a tailgating party where you will be cooking at the most two meals, the additional equipment needed is considerably less than camping.

For a cookout at the park, all you might need is the Disc cooker and a cooler with all the food precut. At a park that already has picnic tables, you do not have to bring a lot of other stuff.

Often it is handy to bring a 2 foot by 4 foot foldable table. That size of table works well with the Disc and doesn't take up a lot of room within a vehicle.

For camping, the equipment required all depends upon the number of meals and the location that you will be camping at. Will it be at a park with picnic tables and a canopy? Or will it be at a campsite with no facilities? Generally, you will know this in advance so that you can prepare for the camping adventure. Spend time considering and preparing for cooking at campsite to ensure you have all the equipment you need. Supplies for Consideration

• Folding Table • Plastic Utensils, Paper Plates, Napkins, Plastic Cups, etc. • Lantern for Cooking after Dark • Canopy for Cooking in Inclement Weather • Garbage Bags for Disposing of Waste

Cooler (Top to Bottom) (Fragile) Mushrooms, Lettuce, etc.

Vegetables, Egg Container, Shredded Cheese.

(Heavy) Meat, Liquids, Condiments, etc.

Broken Ice in Bag

Disc Cooking Basics


DISC COOKING SAFETY The owner’s manual provided and which is available online for the Voyager Disc

Cooker contains all the necessary information for proper assembly and safe use of this appliance. This section cover specific safety Guideline for Disc cooking, other basic rules for kitchen safety should be followed and applied to cooking.

WARNING DO NOT operate this cooker until you have read and understand ALL of the warnings and

instructions in this manual. Property damage, bodily harm, severe burns and death could result from failure to follow these safety steps. These steps should be performed after the cooker has been assembled, stored, moved, cleaned, or repaired.

1. Insure that the cooker is properly assembled and connected to propane cylinder. 2. Position the cooker on level ground in a well-ventilated location, a safe distance from

flammable materials, buildings and overhangs. Propane cylinder should be positioned upwind from cooker so the heat of cooker does not reach cylinder. See Positioning the Cooker on page Error! Bookmark not defined. of the Owner’s Manual.

3. Inspect the gas supply hose for burns, chaffing, kinks and proper routing before each use. Hose should be positioned at least 3 inches away from hot surfaces.

4. Leak check all gas connections on regulator hose assembly, LP cylinder valve and weld seams. See Gas Leak Testing on page Error! Bookmark not defined. of the Owner’s Manual.

5. Insure that all electrical supply cords are properly grounded and are kept away from this appliance, water and hot surfaces. DO NOT use external electrical sources with this appliance.

6. When frying, test your cooking thermometer to insure that it is working properly. See section for Thermometer Testing and Placement on page Error! Bookmark not defined. of the Owner’s Manual.

7. Determine proper amount of cooking liquid to use. See Frying Oil/Grease Level Determination on page Error! Bookmark not defined. of the Owner’s Manual.

8. Follow Lighting Instructions on page Error! Bookmark not defined. of the Owner’s Manual. 9. Read, understand, and follow all cooker operating instructions and cooking/frying

instructions.

Deep Frying: The Disc required a lot less oil than a standard fry pan. The curved, narrowed

bottom of the Disc creates extra depth with less oil to submerge the pieces you are frying, making deep-frying more efficient. Below are a few more safety precautions that need to be followed when you fry food in the Voyager Disc Cooker. • Follow all safety precautions outlined in the operating instructions of the Owner’s Manual,

when frying with cooking oil/grease. • Use the proper amount of cooking liquid when frying, and test your cooking thermometer.

Refer to pages 26-27 of the Owner’s Manual. • Less is best when frying with oil. • Never allow the oil/ grease temperature to be heated above 400°F (200°C)

Disc Cooking Basics


• Always allow oil to cool to 115°F (45°C) before moving or storing in a container. • Never place food directly in oil with hands. Use an oil/grease strainer.

Disc Cooking Basics


DISC COOKING BASICS Whether in the backyard or on an adventure, ensure you have the basic Disc

cooking skills to utilize the Voyager to the best advantage. Proper Disc cooking will impart a unique flavor to your meals that cannot be replicated with any other kind of pan. By following the suggested tips, you can use your Disc to create a variety of delicious meals. There is very little that cannot be cooked in a Disc cooker. The versatility of the Disc cooker is unrivaled.

The starting and stopping process of Disc cooking is always the same, even when frying you just add more oil at the start. The middle is what varies depending upon the recipe.

Remember- Apply a thin coat of solid vegetable shortening after each time the cookware is used. Improperly seasoned cookware can cause food to stick.

Cooking Hints • Prepare Ingredients Before Cooking:

Before you heat your Voyager Disc, prepare the ingredients you plan to use to cook. The cooking area heats quickly and food cooks faster in the Voyage Disc. Pre-cut veggies and meats into bite-sized pieces. Measure out liquid ingredients and spices. Have all the ingredients within reach so you can easily add them while continuously stirring.

• Pre-Heat Before Oil: Before you add oil to the Voyager Disc, allow it to pre-heat for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Then, drizzle the oil down the dished cooking surface, swirling to coat the entire surface.

• Adding Ingredients: When adding ingredients use a large spatula with sufficient length to ensure you can continuously stir the ingredients. Cook foods like garlic and onions for a minute before adding meat in the Disc. This will ensure they will permeate the oil, spreading flavor throughout the other ingredients. Hardier vegetables such as peppers, carrots, eggplants, or potatoes should be allowed time to cook prior to adding meat. You should add delicate and leafy vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, and zucchini toward the end of cooking so they don't turn mushy.

• Group and Cook Vegetables, from longest to shortest cook time, as follows: 1. Hard vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and potatoes. 2. Medium-hard vegetables such as zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers. 3. Soft/Leafy vegetables such as leafy greens and tomatoes

• Stay Organized: With a quick, multi-part cooking process, like a stir-fry, organization is key. Have all ingredients prepped in easy-to-reach-for bowls, and have all necessary utensils, bowls, and serving plates immediately on hand.

• Acidic Items: Acidic items, like tomato sauces, will be darker from iron leaching out. Never store acidic products in cast iron cookware. Never ever use your Disc for storing any foods.

Disc Cooking Basics


• Choose Oil Carefully: For wok cooking, it’s best to use oils with a high smoke point and low polyunsaturated fat content. These include grapeseed oil, peanut oil, and semi-refined sesame oil. Never use unrefined sesame oil, or it could burn. Also, avoid oils with high polyunsaturated fat contents such as soybean or fish oil. This will help keep your seasoning from growing gooey.

• Stir the Food: Stir frying gets its name from the motion of “stir” the food inside. Whenever you are cooking things at high temperatures in your wok, it is important to frequently stir the food so it will not burn or stick.

• Discs and Bacon: Some bacons leave petrified goo on the skillet. This is actually sugar that is used to cure the bacon. The heat causes it to cook out and turn into a sort of caramel/candy. Some people call it "bacon brownies" and they fight over who gets to eat it. Boil some water in the Disc to remove all of the bacon sugar.

Disc Cooking Basics


TIPS Using the Lid:

If your Disc currently doesn't have a lid, you need to get one. A lid adds a lot of versatility in Disc cooking. Add a little water with your vegetables, put a lid on, and you can steam them to perfection. Using a lid keeps the moisture in the Disc, requiring less oil to keep food from sticking. A lid will also help you cut your cooking times in half. A lid will protect your food and keep it warm when you are finished cooking. A lid will also keep the Disc cooking surface clean and free of dirt until your next use. If your Disc comes with walls, get a flat stock pot lid. With these lids, you can flip the Disc onto the lid, and not have to worry about the wind blowing the lid away.

Using Water Instead of Oil: Buy a couple 16-ounce plastic squeeze bottles. These

bottles are great to hold your cooking liquids such as water, oil, or any other type of sauce you may be using. Using a squeeze bottle to drizzle oil in your Disc is easier than trying to drizzle it out of the container. This also works great with the water. Generally, keep two or three squeeze bottles by your Disc cooker; one oil and the other water. Use a permanent marker to label the bottles to avoid confusion. Water is a great alternative to use in the place of oil to help keep food from sticking, and also to steam the vegetables.

A third bottle of soy sauce or some type of liquid seasoning is also handy.

Working with Potatoes: Potatoes can be used in breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Potatoes that come frozen

and shredded with the peppers and onions included are a great to use. You just add water to use them. In most cases, you may like to cut and prepare potatoes onsite. For lunch, potatoes can be served as French fries, or thinly sliced and fried as chips. For dinner, potatoes can be served in stews, vegetable hash, or finely diced and added to meat. When preparing potatoes, use the Mandalay slicer. This cutting tool can quickly create hash browns, slices, or cubed potatoes. It can also be used for preparing a number of vegetables. This is definitely a tool that you want to include in your equipment list.

Cooking with Bacon and Ground Meat: Bacon

When cooking bacon in a Disc, you can move it to the side of the Disc and let the grease drain off of the bacon when it is done cooking.

However, when you finish cooking bacon, your Disc is left with a large amount of oil at the bottom. This next tip will only work with one package of bacon, and you will have

Disc Cooking Basics


to remove the extra oil if you cooked a couple of packages. You can reclaim this oil for seasoning. 1. Take six paper towels, and fold them in half and then into quarters. 2. Use them to absorb most of the bacon oil. 3. Then fold them one more time, so they take up less room in the Disc, and move

them to the wall until needed. 4. You can then use the saturated paper towels to oil the Disc for next time. This will

help build up the seasoning patina. Ground Meat

When you are working with ground meat, like hamburger or sausage, the best way to cook this in a Disc is to smash the ground meat flat to the bottom of the Disc about 3/8" to a 1/2" thick. When it is cooking on one side, start scoring that side apart. Do not break the meat apart. When the meat is cooked halfway through, flip over large sections at a time, and then start scoring with the spatula on this side as well. Do not break the meat apart. Keeping the meat together like this speeds up the cooking process.

Frying: When frying a meal, cook your items that do not require frying, beforehand. Save

frying for last in the Disc, so the oil can be left to cool down. For example, if you cooked mushrooms as an appetizer, a lot of hot oil remains in

the Disc. The Disc retains a lot of heat, keeping the oil warm for a long time. This is a benefit that helps keep the temperature from dropping when adding large quantities of food. But after frying something, you will have to wait an hour or more before you are able to remove the oil from the Disc. Cook the food in the right order. Read the frying instructions in the Voyager Owner's Manual. The manual explains a lot of the dangers and precautions needed to be taken when frying.

Additional Tips • Plan menus and use them to complete shopping.

• Prepare food beforehand and store in plastic re-sealable bags.

• Scramble eggs inside the Disc instead of dirtying another bowl or container.

• Use proper tools.

• Plan and prepare all equipment you will need.

• After cooking, always clean and care for Disc properly.

Disc Cooking Basics


DISC SEASONING A well-seasoned Disc create a distinctively taste; only a Disc made out of iron or

steel can be seasoned. A seasoned Disc has the same attributes as modern non-stick cooking surfaces, and can be heated to temperatures well above what is considered safe for non-stick pans. This protective coating of oil will help keep the Disc resistant to rust.

Learning how to keep a perfectly season Disc requires just a little bit of knowledge and practice. After reading this section, it may sound like a Disc will require a lot of high maintenance; but much of this becomes simply routine.

Breaking in your new Voyager Disc starts by "seasoning" it. Seasoning is a process of cooking on a protective coating of oil (as you would treat a cast-iron skillet). When seasoned properly, it prevents rust and keeps food from sticking. 5. Clean cooking area with hot water and soap to remove the factory coating. 6. Rinse and dry thoroughly 7. Heat to 300°F over gas grill for 30 minutes. 8. Coat the entire surface of the cookware with solid vegetable shortening (Lard, Crisco, or

bacon drippings are best). DO NOT season with margarine, butter, or salted fat. 9. Rub the oil off with a thick wad of paper towels. The cooking surface should look wet but not

glistening with oil.

CAUTION Cookware and oil is HOT, handle with care.

10. For best results, season the cookware two or three times before use.

NOTE: Apply a thin coat of solid vegetable shortening after each time the

cookware is used. Improperly seasoned cookware can cause food to stick.

The best way to gain a seasoning patina is from use. At the beginning, a little more oil/grease is required than normal. Once you have some seasoning layers built up, less oil/grease will be required. That's it! Your Disc seasoning needs is taken care of, just by simply using the Disc.

Disc Cooking Basics


CARE AND CLEANING WARNING

DO NOT place Voyager Disc in a dishwasher. The detergents and humid environment will remove the seasoning and cause rusting to occur.

1. Allow cookware to cool below 115°F (45°C) before cleaning. 2. Scrape out remaining food particles with a spatula. 3. Rinse cooking surface with hot water and scrub with a food brush.

Alternatively, you may fill cookware with water and boil

NOTE: Avoid using detergents as they remove the seasoning from cooking

surface. If detergents must be used, re-season the Voyage Disc following the instructions above

4. Once cleaned, use a burner to thoroughly dry the Voyage Disc. The Disc surface will appear dry, and not glisten with oil.

5. After each time the Disc is cleaned, apply a thin coat of solid vegetable shortening with several paper towels.

NOTE: Properly seasoned, cookware will turn black after repeated uses. This is normal.

CLEANING WITH SALT PASTE If heavy cleaning is necessary to remove food particles, CottleCo recommends

using a salt paste, as described below, before cleaning the cooking surface with water. 1. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the cooking surface bottom heavily. 2. Add approximately 2 to 4 tablespoons coarse salt to form a paste. The salt will act as an

abrasive. 3. While wearing a glove, scrub using several paper towels. 4. Scrub any cooking residue off the surface. 5. Make sure to covering all cooking surfaces with the cleaning paste. Add more as needed. 6. Once finished, wipe out all excess oil and salt paste. The cooking surface of the Disc should

appear wet but not glisten with oil. 7. Rinse cooking surface with hot water and scrub with a food brush. 8. Once cleaned, use a burner to thoroughly dry the Voyage Disc. The Disc surface will appear

dry and not glisten with oil. 9. After each time the Disc is cleaned, apply a thin coat of solid vegetable shortening with

several paper towels.

Disc Cooking 101

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CAMPING OR EVENT FOOD PLANNER

Name Attn: Allergies:

1. Y / N 2. Y / N 3. Y / N 4. Y / N 5. Y / N 6. Y / N 7. Y / N 8. Y / N 9. Y / N 10. Y / N 11. Y / N 12. Y / N 13. Y / N 14. Y / N 15. Y / N

Thursday Dinner Drinks Notes Friday Breakfast Drinks Notes Lunch Drinks Notes Dinner Drinks Notes

SHOPPING LIST

Have | Need Paper towels |

Aluminum Foil | Salt | Matches |

PropaneFuel |

GROCERY LIST QTY Items

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Page 2 of 2

CAMPING OR EVENT FOOD PLANNER CONTINUATION

Saturday Breakfast Drinks Notes Lunch Drinks Notes Dinner Drinks Notes Sunday Breakfast Drinks Notes Lunch Drinks Notes Dinner Drinks Notes

Monday Breakfast Drinks Notes Lunch Drinks Notes Dinner Drinks Notes Tuesday Breakfast Drinks Notes Lunch Drinks Notes Dinner Drinks Notes

Documents

Disc Cooking Basics - Plow Disk Cooker | Disco | Outdoor Wokcottleco.com › downloads › CottleCo_DiscCookingBasics_rev3_20141… · you will be able to generate a shopping list