Chef’s cook. They don’t exactly teach. I am routinely shooed from the kitchen so he can work at warp speed. I am a great observer, though, and what I’ve learned from Jordan is this…
Understand the food you’re cooking.
Temperatures for meat and poultry.
What it should feel like when done.
What kind of apparatus it should be cooked in.
How it should be seasoned at the most basic level.
Seasonings matter.
The right salt or marinade can elevate your dish so that even the kids are like damn fine it’s not mac ‘n’ cheese but I’ll eat it.
Have fun. You screw up, you make a PB and J and a mental note of what you probably screwed up. You do something cool, WRITE IT DOWN. You will not remember.
This is why Jordan LOVES making ingredients for other people.
Because he wants y’all to experience making food and enjoying it.
If I can do this, I promise you can, too.
I first trimmed the pork loin then poked some holes in the top to aid tenderization.
I then took a heaping tablespoon of walnut cashew miso and split it between two loins, rubbing both sides.
The paste will warm and be easier to spread as you go along. So if it feels clunky at first, don’t fret.
I let it sit for about an hour while the oven heated to 375. I cooked it for 20 minutes at that temp, then increased to 425 for the final 10 minutes.
This toasts the nuts that are in the miso!
Your best friend is a meat thermometer. Check consistently throughout the process and take it out of the oven when it’s hit 143. It will continue to cook while at rest and won’t be overdone.
My best advice
Use a timer set to shorter intervals so you can check the doneness as you go. It's easy to add a few minutes. Not so easy to save overcooked food.
Can you use different types of miso?
Yes! And the outcome will be different with each. If you've bought a jar of miso from us, shoot us an email and Jordan will happily explain what the defined flavors will be.
Enjoy!
-Sarah
