Experiment
My experiment was to test the different amounts of sausage in gravy and how this would affect the gravy viscosity.
Viscosity was measured taking ½ cup of gravy and setting it on a 60-degree slope, then measuring distance traveled after one minute.
The distance required for the standard viscosity was 4.75 inches of travel.
I used the same gravy recipe, same heat source, but changed the volume of sausage used.
My first batch had one pound of sausage in it (A).
The second batch had one-half pound of sausage in it (B).
The third batch had 1.5 pounds of sausage in it (C).
I heated batch A to the desired viscosity in 5 minutes. Batch B at half the time (2.5 minutes) had reached what appeared to be the same viscosity. I predicted that batch C would take about 1.5 times as long as batch A. Batch C cooked for 7.5 minutes.
With these time parameters batch, A traveled 4.75 inches in one minute, batch B and C both traveled 4.5 inches in one minute.
I determined that the amount of sausage in the gravy does not seem to affect the viscosity of the gravy. Instead, it altered the amount of time need to cook gravy to provide the essentially the same viscosity.
In conclusion, I determined that if I am very hungry or in a hurry, I will use less sausage. However, if time is not an issue then I will use the most sausage I can because that improved the taste
Viscosity was measured taking ½ cup of gravy and setting it on a 60-degree slope, then measuring distance traveled after one minute.
The distance required for the standard viscosity was 4.75 inches of travel.
I used the same gravy recipe, same heat source, but changed the volume of sausage used.
My first batch had one pound of sausage in it (A).
The second batch had one-half pound of sausage in it (B).
The third batch had 1.5 pounds of sausage in it (C).
I heated batch A to the desired viscosity in 5 minutes. Batch B at half the time (2.5 minutes) had reached what appeared to be the same viscosity. I predicted that batch C would take about 1.5 times as long as batch A. Batch C cooked for 7.5 minutes.
With these time parameters batch, A traveled 4.75 inches in one minute, batch B and C both traveled 4.5 inches in one minute.
I determined that the amount of sausage in the gravy does not seem to affect the viscosity of the gravy. Instead, it altered the amount of time need to cook gravy to provide the essentially the same viscosity.
In conclusion, I determined that if I am very hungry or in a hurry, I will use less sausage. However, if time is not an issue then I will use the most sausage I can because that improved the taste
Reflection
Chemistry of Food & Cooking: Sausage Gravy
The cooking process transforms food macroscopically. In my experiment the longer I cooked my gravy the more viscous it became. With this, I learned that a fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it increased internal friction. When I heated the flour-water mixture, the water evaporated causing the starch in the flour to cling together more vigorously.
I made three mixtures each with equal amounts of flour and water, and each with a different amount of sausage. The more sausage I added, the longer I had to cook the mixture to achieve the same viscosity. This is because the sausage added mass to the mixture, and this increased mass required more thermal energy to evaporate enough water to achieve the same viscosity.
Cooking is essentially doing science in that you are using heat to cause chemical reactions within foods or between ingredients. The chemical reactions, in theory, improve the overall taste of the food and can make it easier to digest and utilize the nutrients. In my house sometimes these chemical reactions do not result in better taste, similar to poorly designed or executed science experiments that do not have a beneficial result or are dangerous. Sometimes the food I cook is on the verge of being classified as a dangerous science experiment.
The cook and the food scientist are similar in that they both work with food. These careers are different in that a food scientist’s job is to determine the nutritional content of food and to determine what can make processed foods taste good. A cook combines various ingredients to enhance the taste of foods and make the eating experience enjoyable.
The cooking process transforms food macroscopically. In my experiment the longer I cooked my gravy the more viscous it became. With this, I learned that a fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it increased internal friction. When I heated the flour-water mixture, the water evaporated causing the starch in the flour to cling together more vigorously.
I made three mixtures each with equal amounts of flour and water, and each with a different amount of sausage. The more sausage I added, the longer I had to cook the mixture to achieve the same viscosity. This is because the sausage added mass to the mixture, and this increased mass required more thermal energy to evaporate enough water to achieve the same viscosity.
Cooking is essentially doing science in that you are using heat to cause chemical reactions within foods or between ingredients. The chemical reactions, in theory, improve the overall taste of the food and can make it easier to digest and utilize the nutrients. In my house sometimes these chemical reactions do not result in better taste, similar to poorly designed or executed science experiments that do not have a beneficial result or are dangerous. Sometimes the food I cook is on the verge of being classified as a dangerous science experiment.
The cook and the food scientist are similar in that they both work with food. These careers are different in that a food scientist’s job is to determine the nutritional content of food and to determine what can make processed foods taste good. A cook combines various ingredients to enhance the taste of foods and make the eating experience enjoyable.