Hm, I do find some of the CI recipes to be unreasonably fussy. Grating frozen butter for a freaking shortcake? Um, I don't think so.
BUT THAT SAID, the Cooks Illustrated Corollary is that you aren't allowed to complain about the recipe if you don't actually follow it. A lot of their apparent omissions and fussy steps actually do matter, and when they omit something you think should be there, it's usually a case of "less is more".
If there were one general complaint I might make its that some of their recipes are unforgiving, and the magic balance they obtain in the test kitchen can be upset by things like variation in ingredients, not getting just the right cooking time, or whatnot. I bet that pork stew is pretty good if you do it in exactly the way they intend.
no subject
BUT THAT SAID, the Cooks Illustrated Corollary is that you aren't allowed to complain about the recipe if you don't actually follow it. A lot of their apparent omissions and fussy steps actually do matter, and when they omit something you think should be there, it's usually a case of "less is more".
If there were one general complaint I might make its that some of their recipes are unforgiving, and the magic balance they obtain in the test kitchen can be upset by things like variation in ingredients, not getting just the right cooking time, or whatnot. I bet that pork stew is pretty good if you do it in exactly the way they intend.