Recipe Timings

[julia-mag]

Does anyone else find that the 'times' for perparation and time for cooking are ever true? I made some Spicy Apple chutney to-day and it said preparation time was 8 minutes, but it took me nearly 30 minutes ! Cooking time was suppoeto be 20 minutes but mine took nearly an hour to reach right 'stage'. Must confess the end result tastes YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY. I would like to see the cooks do it int the so called time , unless of course someone else has already prepared the ingredients for them first !

[ladyalex]

I. have never yet prepared a recipe in anything even remotely similar to the times given.
It always takes me ages longer than they say.
Then I have to wash up....
(I find them much mire accurate with cooking times.)

[woofgang]

it depends. Provided that your oven temperature is more or less accurate, meat roast, other roast items and things like bread and cakes should take more or less the time stated. Things like chutneys are so variable because much of the cooking time is to evaporate liquid from the pan so juicier veg and fruit will take longer than more densely textured stuff. You can also do a faster simmer on a heavier bottomed pot without it catching and chutney in a wider pan will thicken faster than chutney in a taller narrower pan.
Prep time depends on how fast you are at prepping.....

[ELVIS68]

Most people make the mistake of putting things in the oven as soon as the oven is switched on rather than wait until it's reached cooking temperature.

A classic example is Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals, you have to have the food prepped, the oven ready and pans of boiling water boiling or you'll be doing it in 30 mins

[julia-mag]

Thanks for your comments, I enjoy making jams, chutneys, curds,pickles etc., as and when the fruit or veg are ready, for many a year now and am preparing some for Xmas gifts, I do have the wide saucepan with thick copper bottom that I always use, and agree nobody times the 'washing up' or time for jars etc to be washed and put into the oven to heat!, or the amount of time I need when chopping the onion very small to wipe my eyes ! Oh well, only a couple more types of chutney/pickle to make this year