Tier 2 source20 answers cite this
America's Test Kitchen, "The Science of Good Cooking"
America's Test Kitchen, "The Science of Good Cooking" is a tier 2 source on AskedWell — Established editorial reference. Cook’s Illustrated, King Arthur, Serious Eats class. It's cited in 20 cooking, fermentation, and baking answers. Click any answer below to read the cited claim in context.
Every answer citing this source
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how long does… · cooking
How long does a hard-boiled egg take?
Hard-boiled eggs need 9–12 minutes total. The classic method: bring eggs to boil, then 9 min for soft-set yolk, 11 min for classic hard-boiled, 13 min for fully-firm yolk.
Why we cite it here: Boil-from-hot method with detailed timing chart
how long does… · cooking
How long does pasta take to cook al dente?
Dry pasta cooks al dente 8–12 minutes in boiling salted water. Always check 1–2 min before the box time — packaging tends to overestimate. Fresh pasta: 2–4 minutes.
Why we cite it here: Pasta cooking science: salt, water ratio, starch release
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for butter in baking?
Best butter substitutes: olive oil (use 3/4 the amount, reduce liquid) · coconut oil (1:1) · Greek yogurt (1:1 for moister result) · vegetable shortening (1:1, flakier in pies) · applesauce (1:1 for healthier cookies). Choice depends on recipe role.
Why we cite it here: Tested butter substitutes across cookies, cakes, pies
what substitute for… · cooking
What can I substitute for vegetable oil?
Best vegetable oil substitutes by use: melted butter (1:1, richer flavor) · olive oil (1:1, savory flavor) · coconut oil (1:1, sweet baking) · applesauce (1:1, lower calorie cookies) · avocado oil (1:1, neutral). All work depending on what the recipe needs.
Why we cite it here: Tested oil substitutes across cookies, cakes, frying
how long does… · cooking
How long do dried beans need to soak?
Overnight soak (8-12 hours, cold water) is standard. Quick-soak: boil 2 minutes, cover, rest 1 hour. Or skip soaking — pressure cooking unsoaked beans works (35-50 minutes depending on type). Salt the soak water (1 Tbsp per 4 cups) for faster, more even cooking.
Why we cite it here: Tested salted-vs-unsalted soak; confirmed salted produces better texture
how to convert… · baking
How do I convert cups to grams for flour?
1 cup all-purpose flour = 120 grams (King Arthur standard). Bread: 120g. Whole wheat: 113g. Cake: 114g. Almond: 96g. Coconut: 130g. Always weigh — scoop-and-sweep cups vary 25%+ between bakers, ruining recipes.
Why we cite it here: Tested cup-vs-weight variability; documented 25-30% variance
how to convert… · baking
How many cups is a stick of butter?
1 US butter stick = 1/2 cup = 8 Tbsp = 4 oz = 113g. 2 sticks = 1 cup = 1/2 lb = 227g. 4 sticks = 1 lb = 454g. European butter blocks (250g) = 1.1 cups; convert by weight when possible.
Why we cite it here: Tested butter measurement methods + impact on baked goods
what substitute for… · cooking
What can I substitute for sour cream?
Best 1:1 subs: full-fat Greek yogurt (most common, identical tang). Plain whole-milk yogurt (slightly thinner). For baking: buttermilk (3/4 cup buttermilk per 1 cup sour cream). For thicker: cream cheese thinned with milk. Vegan: cashew sour cream (blend soaked cashews + lemon + salt).
Why we cite it here: Tested sour cream substitutions across applications
what ratio of… · cooking
What is the ratio of rice to water?
White long-grain (basmati, jasmine): 1 cup rice : 1.5 cups water. Brown: 1 : 2-2.25. Short-grain (sushi, arborio): 1 : 1.25. Wild rice: 1 : 3. Older rice needs ~10% more water. Always cold water; rinse for clearer cooked grain.
Why we cite it here: Tested rice variety + ratio + cook method combinations
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for buttermilk?
Best DIY 1:1: 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, rest 5-10 min until curdled. Other 1:1 subs: full-fat yogurt thinned with milk (3/4 + 1/4), kefir straight. Vegan: 1 cup soy milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Why we cite it here: Tested 8 buttermilk substitutes across pancakes, biscuits, cake
how long does… · cooking
How long should you marinate chicken?
Sweet spot: 30 min - 4 hours for acid-based marinades (lemon, vinegar, yogurt). Up to 8 hours for low-acid herb-oil. NEVER over 24h for acid marinades — meat turns mushy. Dry brine (salt only) safely lasts 24-48h with similar flavor.
Why we cite it here: Tested marinades across times; documented over-marinating texture damage
what temperature for… · cooking
What temperature should water be for poaching eggs?
Water at 180-190°F (82-88°C) — barely simmering, NEVER boiling. Surface should show small bubbles rising occasionally but not a rolling boil. At rolling boil (212°F / 100°C), egg whites disperse into strings. At simmer, whites coagulate cleanly around yolk in 3-4 minutes.
Why we cite it here: Tested poaching temperatures + methods across egg freshness levels
what temperature for… · cooking
What internal temperature for chicken?
USDA mandatory: 165°F (74°C) for all poultry, at the thickest thigh part (not breast). Dark meat is better above 175°F (79°C). Breast: pull at 160°F — carryover takes it to 165°F. NEVER below 165°F final — salmonella risk.
Why we cite it here: Pull-temperatures + carryover testing for breast vs thigh
what temperature for… · cooking
What temperature for soft-boiled eggs?
Rolling boil at 212°F (100°C). Times from boiling: 4-5 min runny yolk · 6-7 min set white runny yolk · 8 min jammy yolk · 9-10 min just-set. Start cold eggs from fridge; lower gently into boiling water.
Why we cite it here: Tested egg cooking methods with precision timing
how long does… · cooking
How long should steak rest before cutting?
Thin (1/2 inch): 3-5 min. Standard (1 inch): 5-10 min. Thick (1.5+ inch): 10-15 min. Roasts (3-5 lb): 15-20 min. Whole tenderloin: 20-30 min. Tent loose foil — never sealed (steams crust). Rest = juice retention.
Why we cite it here: Quantified juice loss with vs without rest across cuts
how long does… · cooking
How long should chicken brine?
Whole chicken: 4-12h wet OR 12-48h dry brine. Bone-in parts: 2-4h wet, 6-24h dry. Boneless breast: 30min-2h wet, 2-12h dry. DRY brine (salt only) is canonical for crispy skin; wet brine adds moisture. NEVER over 24h wet — meat becomes spongy.
Why we cite it here: Wet-vs-dry brine comparison + tested ratios
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for baking powder?
For 1 tsp baking powder, use 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar + 1/4 tsp cornstarch. Or 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 cup buttermilk (replace 1/2 cup liquid).
Why we cite it here: Why baking powder works + when substitutes fail
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for baking soda?
For 1 tsp baking soda, use 3 tsp (1 tbsp) baking powder — but you may need to reduce other acidic ingredients. Or 2 tsp potassium bicarbonate + 1/4 tsp salt (sodium-free option).
Why we cite it here: When + why baking soda is calibrated for specific acid content
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for brown sugar?
For 1 cup brown sugar, mix 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (light) or 2 tbsp molasses (dark). Or use 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp maple syrup as a fallback when molasses is unavailable.
Why we cite it here: Why molasses content matters in cookies (chewiness science)
how to convert… · cooking
How many tablespoons in a cup?
1 US cup = 16 tablespoons (tbsp). 1 tbsp = 3 teaspoons (tsp). 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp, 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp, 3/4 cup = 12 tbsp. For metric: 1 cup ≈ 237 mL, 1 tbsp ≈ 14.8 mL.
Why we cite it here: Why volume measurement varies + when to weigh
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