America's Test Kitchen - Season 8
Season 8
Network
Episodes26
DatesJan 5, 2008 - Jun 28, 2008
Episodes
Season 8Episode 130 min
Rainy Day BBQ Pork Chops
We wanted juicy pork chops slathered with a smoky, tangy barbecue sauce. But how would we replicate the savory crust of a grilled pork chop indoors? We set out to solve this puzzle. We also make a cool, creamy macaroni salad with the perfect ratio of macaroni to dressing.
Recipe: Skillet-Barbecued Pork Chops, Cool and Creamy Macaroni Salad
Equipment: Chef's Knives
Science: The Science of Brining
Jan 5, 2008
Season 8Episode 230 min
Lemon Layer Cake
Layer cakes are desserts to be savored at birthday parties, holidays, and other celebrations. Ideally, the cake’s tender layers offset the bracing, citrusy filling, and the whole is swathed in a glossy, pale frosting. We’ll show you how to make a version that tastes as great as it looks.
Recipe: Lemon Layer Cake
Taste test: Yellow Cake Mixes
Jan 12, 2008
Season 8Episode 330 min
Italian-American Classics
Stuffed manicotti makes a hearty and delicious main course, but in most cases its preparation is best left to a practiced and patient Italian grandmother. We wanted a simpler, easier method for making manicotti.
Recipe: Baked Manicotti, Cheesy Garlic Bread
Equipment: Garlic Presses
Taste test: Supermarket Parmesan Cheese
Jan 19, 2008
Season 8Episode 430 min
More Cookie Jar Favorites
We turn our attention to two favorite cookies: a triple chocolate cookie so chocolaty it’s almost a brownie, and the humble brown sugar cookie, moist, chewy, and packed with butterscotch flavor.
Recipe: Brown Sugar Cookies, Triple-Chocolate Cookies
Equipment: Coffee Makers (Inexpensive)
Jan 26, 2008
Season 8Episode 530 min
Kansas City BBQ
It’s hard to choose a best-loved style of ribs, but we’d be willing to bet that smoky, sweet Kansas City ribs are a top contender. These meaty ribs are slow-smoked for their trademark flavor—and in traditional recipes they truly do take all day to cook. We wondered if there was a faster way.
Recipe: Kansas City Sticky Ribs on a Charcoal Grill, Smoky Kansas City BBQ Beans
Equipment: Barbecue Thermometers
Taste test: Pickles
Feb 2, 2008
Season 8Episode 630 min
French Classics
Coq au vin’s appeal is timeless, but its preparation can be intimidating for the home cook. We set out to make this dish a little less overwhelming—but just as delicious as we remembered. We also simplify the process of making pot de crème without compromising this decadent dessert’s rich flavor or ethereal texture.
Recipe: Modern Coq au Vin, Chocolate Pots de Creme
Equipment: Dutch Ovens
Science: Cooking with Alcohol
Feb 9, 2008
Season 8Episode 730 min
Coffeehouse Treats
In this episode, the test kitchen perfects two breakfast treats: blueberry scones and rich bran muffins.
Recipe: Blueberry Scones, Better Bran Muffins
Equipment: Commuter Coffee Mugs
Taste test: Strawberry Preserves
Feb 16, 2008
Season 8Episode 830 min
Asian Take-Out at Home
We develop a Thai-style chicken soup that uses supermarket ingredients without sacrificing authentic flavors, and we make a vegetarian stir-fry so hearty even carnivores will be satisfied.
Recipe: Stir-Fried Portobellos with Ginger-Oyster Sauce, Thai Chicken Soup
Equipment: Ladles
Taste test: Soy Sauce
Feb 23, 2008
Season 8Episode 930 min
Holiday Beef Tenderloin Dinner
Holiday Beef Tenderloin Dinner
Add a rich stuffing to beef tenderloin, and you’ve got the ultimate main course, at least in theory. But making a tenderloin through can be a challenge—this is an expensive piece of meat, so you don’t want to risk overcooking it. We also wanted mashed potatoes so rich and decadent, not a drop of gravy would be necessary to enjoy them.
Recipe: Roast Beef Tenderloin with Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Stuffing, Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Equipment: Electric Knife Sharpeners
Mar 1, 2008
Season 8Episode 1030 min
Pasta and Tomatoes, Reimagined
We don’t have anything against spaghetti and meatballs or pasta with marinara, but the world of pasta and tomatoes extends far beyond these popular standbys. Enter Penne alla Vodka and Pasta Caprese.
Recipe: Penne alla Vodka, Pasta Caprese
Equipment: Stockpots
Taste test: Penne
Mar 8, 2008
Season 8Episode 1130 min
A New Way with Turkey
Brining is the best way to guarantee a moist turkey, but it isn’t always the most practical way. We rethink our brine-at-all-costs philosophy and find that salting, a kind of “dry-brining” in which we rub the bird with salt and let it rest in the refrigerator for several hours, not only seasons the meat but also helps keep it moist.
Recipe: Roast Salted Turkey, Roasted Green Beans with Red Onion and Walnuts
Equipment: Roasting Pans
Taste test: Turkey
Mar 15, 2008
Season 8Episode 1230 min
White Chicken Chili Supper
Chicken chili might sound like heresy—after all, isn’t chili supposed to be made with beef?—but this Southwestern dish is a light, bright alternative to tomato-rich beef chili. The key to chicken chili is finding the right cooking method so that the white beans become tender and the chicken doesn’t dry out and turn rubbery.
Recipe: White Chicken Chili, Double-Corn Cornbread
Equipment: Cast-Iron Skillets
Taste test: Tortilla Chips
Mar 22, 2008
Season 8Episode 1330 min
French Apple Tart
A tart should be easier to prepare than the typical double-crust American pie. But developing a flaky crust sturdy enough to support the fruit is a bit tricky. And getting the apples to caramelize by the time the crust is baked is also a challenge.
Recipe: Apple Galette
Equipment: Bakeware Basics
Science: Flour Types
Mar 29, 2008
Season 8Episode 1430 min
More Chicken in a Skillet
It’s not a surprise that so many cooks turn to chicken breasts for dinner. They’re convenient, low in fat, and, when made right, juicy and satisfying. To keep boredom at bay, one of our simple skillet recipes features a flavorful drizzling sauce, another a golden Parmesan crust.
Recipe: Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets, Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Potatoes
Equipment: Inexpensive Instant-Read Thermometers
Apr 5, 2008
Season 8Episode 1530 min
Pizza Party
We set out to develop a better-than-takeout pizza in which the crust gets equal billing with the toppings and each is full of flavor—not grease.
Recipe: Pepperoni Pan Pizza, Antipasto Pasta Salad
Equipment: Toaster Ovens
Taste test: Frozen Pizza
Apr 12, 2008
Season 8Episode 1630 min
Old-Fashioned Breakfast Cakes
Bakery versions of crumb cake often fall short. The crumb topping can be skimpy or dry and brittle. And the cake can suffer too, baking up too dry or not sturdy enough, so that the crumb topping simply sinks into the cake. We tackle these issues to develop the ultimate crumb cake.
Recipe: New York-Style Crumb Cake, Blueberry Boy Bait
Equipment: Square Cake Pans
Taste test: Hot Cocoa Mix
Apr 19, 2008
Season 8Episode 1730 min
Bistro Steak Dinner
Cutting into a steak to find that the rosy meat is confined to a measly spot in the center—with the rest a thick band of overcooked gray—is a great disappointment. Our surefire method for pan-searing thick-cut steaks delivers both a flavorful crust and juicy, rosy meat throughout.
Recipe: Pan-Seared Thick-Cut Strip Steaks, Garlic and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Equipment: Slotted Spoons
Science: Tender Steaks
Apr 26, 2008
Season 8Episode 1830 min
Lightening Up Chocolate Desserts
Skipping dessert or eating a piece of fruit is an obvious way to cut calories, but where’s the fun in that? We set our sights on lowering the fat and calories in two favorite chocolate desserts—chocolate mousse and brownies.
Recipe: Low-Fat Chocolate Mousse, Fudgy Low-Fat Brownies
Taste test: Light Vanilla Ice Cream
May 3, 2008
Season 8Episode 1930 min
Fish on the Grill
Fish fillets might look innocent, but once their delicate flesh hits the grill, there’s no getting them off without a fight—simply put, fish sticks. And because fish is delicate, in comparison to meat, the flesh easily dries out. We decided to take the fear out of grilling fish by tackling these two recipes: blackened grilled snapper and glazed salmon.
Recipe: Charcoal-Grilled Blackened Red Snapper, Sweet and Saucy Charcoal-Grilled Salmon with Lime-Jalapeno Glaze
Equipment: Barbecue Mitts
May 10, 2008
Season 8Episode 2030 min
Indian Favorites, Simplified
We develop home-cook-friendly versions of two Indian favorites: vegetable curry and chicken tikka masala.
Recipe: Indian-Style Curry with Potatoes, Cauliflower, Peas, and Chickpeas, Chicken Tikka Masala
Taste test: Crushed Tomatoes
May 17, 2008
Season 8Episode 2130 min
Grilled Cornish Game Hens
We’ve always enjoyed roasting game hens and thought the grill might deliver even more flavor to the tender meat, grilling poultry is full of challenges—especially whole birds.
Recipe: Grill-Roasted Cornish Game Hens on a Charcoal Grill, Rice Salad with Oranges, Olives, and Almonds
Equipment: Chimney Starters
Taste test: Basmati Rice
May 24, 2008
Season 8Episode 2230 min
Easy Skillet Suppers
Easy Skillet Suppers
Streamlined methods for Beef Stroganoff and Baked Ziti condense all the steps into one skillet—yes, even the noodles.
Recipe: Skillet Baked Ziti, Skillet Beef Stroganoff
Equipment: Can Openers
Taste test: Supermarket Extra-Virgin Olive Oils
May 31, 2008
Season 8Episode 2330 min
Four-Cheese Lasagna
The problem with four-cheese lasagna? Too often it’s heavy, greasy, and bland. Watch as we create an elegant lasagna with the right combination of cheese and a smooth and creamy sauce.
Recipe: Four-Cheese Lasagna, Spicy Salad with Mustard and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Equipment: Box Graters
Taste test: Balsamic Vinegar
Jun 7, 2008
Season 8Episode 2430 min
Two Ways with Shrimp
We explore two elegant approaches to shrimp—one hot dish and one cold—and find the best way to prepare each.
Recipe: Garlicky Shrimp with Bread Crumbs, Shrimp Salad
Equipment: Kitchen Timers
Taste test: Tuna
Jun 14, 2008
Season 8Episode 2530 min
Drive-In Specials
Food safety concerns have many of us now grilling burgers to medium-well and beyond. Unfortunately, grilling burgers for so long results in disappointingly dense, dry meat. We weren’t yet ready to omit burgers from our backyard menu, so we set out to solve the problem.
Recipe: Oven-Fried Onion Rings, Well-Done Hamburgers on a Charcoal Grill
Taste test: Cheddar Cheese
Science: All About Panades
Jun 21, 2008
Season 8Episode 2630 min
Favorite Slow Cooker Classics
Most of us think of the slow cooker as a kitchen workhorse best reserved for weeknight simple stews, hearty soups, and the like. But what about pulling the slow cooker out for entertaining?
Recipe: Beef Burgundy, Beer-Braised Short Ribs
Equipment: Slow Cookers
Jun 28, 2008
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