30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS

Dorothy Reiser Premium 3 years ago

True--takes loads of patience to get it caramelized and not burnt.

8points

rumade 3 years ago

But you can brown onions much quicker than that, which still releases some flavour. I work in a diner and fry onions for hotdogs every day. We have frozen pre sliced onions that take 3 minutes to thaw and brown on the griddle

4points

Tawnya Hubbard 3 years ago

Browning and carmelizing are very different things.

3points

Jo Davies 3 years ago

Tooany people turn the heat way too high. This makes the sugars in the onion burn, not caramelise.

3points

Lola 3 years ago

Same thing with boiled eggs, 5 minutes my behind.

2points

Vicky Zar 3 years ago

The water must be cooking already. Only then you put the eggs in the boiling water. If you use medium sized eggs, it is 6-7 minutes for soft/ medium eggs. Cool them immediately afterwards with cold water or they will be too hard. Let them be for around 10 minutes to be hard boiled. No need to cool them afterwards.

1point

Tawnya Hubbard 3 years ago (edited)

Idk I use my instant pot. 2-3 minutes on high then immediately into an icebath and fabulous! Easy to peel too. Even with boiling them though- the time is from when the water is boiling, not the time to get the water to boiling and then cooking them. Then you also need to have an ice bath ready no matter how you cook them. Otherwise you get dry/overcooked eggs with green edges on the yolks. If you get green edges etc I recommend slowly taking down the time until you have them done to your liking. Ice bath after is essential no matter the technique 💜

0points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

I boil mine for 3 1/2 mins. Not sure what you are doing wrong...

0points

Elsker 3 years ago

I believe that depends on when you start counting. Bring them to a boil, then your five minutes starts for medium boiled eggs.

0points

Suzi Q 3 years ago

I always heard 10 minutes for hard boiled, and 3 minutes for soft boiled.

0points

David Brown 3 years ago

Oh so delicious french onion soup.

1point

Monica Moss 3 years ago

correct, low and slow

1point

Sue User 3 years ago

Thanks. I love them, tried for years, but after 10 minutes , i give up and figure i did something wrong

1point

Piet Puk 3 years ago

Put your unions in the oven with some salt and butter. Stir every 5 minutes until done to preference.

1point

Mary Loftus 3 years ago

Solve this problem by buying caramelized onions from Amazon.

0points

#2

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Starting to saute onion and garlic at the same time. Onion takes a lot longer to cook and adding the garlic too early can burn it which can ruin the entire flavour of the dish. So many recipes tell you to do this and I just don't get it!

hbwd , Kukuvaja Feinkost Report

Final score:

157points

POST

Hedgeh og 3 years ago

Yes, it's weird to me how many recipes do this. I save garlic and add it right at the end. Just beyond raw is fine with me.

36points

Roxy Eastland 3 years ago

Me too, what is going on. Once the onion is ready, I stir through the crushed garlic and then immediately add the wet ingredients.

3points

Mark Waters 3 years ago

I add garlic twice to a dish; raw after the onions and then granulated towards then end for intense flavor.

1point

Jo Davies 3 years ago

The later you add the garlic the more you will taste it

1point

Tawnya Hubbard 3 years ago

Definitely! Towards the beginning is the worst burnt garlic. Middle is mild and sweeter, end is flavorful and spicier. Idk that is how I explain it 🤣

0points

David Brown 3 years ago

You're always supposed to start with the stuff that takes the longest to cook. And yes, burnt garlic tastes like dumpster juice.

1point

Dad 3 years ago

Also if you're making a tomato based sauce with onion and garlic, throw in the tomato puree as soon as you smell the garlic. Because you either flavour the house with the smell or the sauce, you can't do both.

0points

Keisha 3 years ago

Mmmmmm,garlic.

0points

Tawnya Hubbard 3 years ago (edited)

I don't understand it either. I never add my garlic at the same time as onions. The opposite as the closer to the end a different garlic taste - spicier i guess?... towards the middle with more room to work, the sweeter. At the begginging or near- just burnt and gross.

0points

Heather Glomb 3 years ago

I add the garlic about 30 seconds before any liquid - enough time to get the garlic fragrant, not enough time to burn it and make it bitter.

0points

Monica Moss 3 years ago

correct, garlic in the last 30 seconds

0points

#3

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS The prep/cooking time in that recipe you're using is a bald-faced lie.

Frigguggi , Chitokan Report

Final score:

156points

POST

Ace Girl 3 years ago

I usually double it, especially if I'm making that particular recipe for the first time!

44points

2x4b523p 3 years ago

And triple if my husband was the last one to cook - to locate herbs, spices, and utensils randomly thrown back into the cupboards everywhere except where they belong.

2points

Abby Harrison 3 years ago

i just turn on music when i cook, n zone out. so i never notice how long It takes me to make food.

3points

Cassie 3 years ago

My mom died when I was a kid and I had to teach myself to cook. For the longest time, I thought I was just really slow and terrible at cooking because of stuff like this.

3points

Tawnya Hubbard 3 years ago

I have faith in the future. I'm sure not every relationship is this way, but my husband constantly is wanting to know how I do things and experimenting. One day I hope it is normal to expect your mother or father to teach how to cook. It shouldn't be expected to be a gender based skill. I have included my son as much as I can, so he knows how it's done too 🤣

1point

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

So much this! It depend on so many factors - the freshness of the ingredients, the weather outside, your elevation from sea level, the kind of pan you’re using - I would go by the ear on this one.

2points

GoldfishCrackers 3 years ago

YES. Thank you. I knew it had to be more than just me.

1point

Andrea Purzycki 3 years ago

True for me. But I have a friend (not professional or an exceptionally talented cook) that can make recipes quickly. She just has her s**t together.

1point

Bubba 3 years ago

For cooking, use a recipe as a recommendation only. One spoon of this, one spoon of that, cook for 10 minutes. Nope! Add whatever is needed and cook until is all cooked. Taste regularly and add more if needed during cooking and all will be OK.

1point

Tawnya Hubbard 3 years ago

You can add but you can't take away! Cooking is an art 💜

0points

A C 3 years ago

What's up with "bald faced lying" I don't understand the correlation between bald+face+lying......please help!!

1point

Zero 3 years ago

Originally brazen/bold lie -> barefaced (coined during a time when a man shaving face was a brazen/bold act, so bareface = brazen/bold) -> bald faced (took awhile for "hairless" to get its own term)

2points

Ohoi! 3 years ago

And with kids it takes the whole day.

0points

Keisha 3 years ago

Isn't that the truth.

0points

#4

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS "Don't cook with a wine you wouldn't drink." I swear this is a rule made up by lushes planning on drinking the wine and using cooking as an excuse to buy it. What I want in a wine to drink is very different than I want in a wine to cook with.

DanTheTerrible , Breakingpic Report

Final score:

147points

POST

Akalvin 3 years ago

I always cook with a good wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.

192points

olx 3 years ago

oh my gran has that written on a mug !!

4points

Lady Goldberry 3 years ago

I just mainly whine that I have to cook.

3points

Michael Brekke 3 years ago

Sometimes I just skip dinner and drink the bottle.

2points

Giles McArdell 3 years ago

Is that you W.C.Fields? :)

2points

PotatoGirl31 3 years ago

I see what you did there! LOL

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

classic!

0points

JuniorCJ82 3 years ago

Hiyooooo!!!

0points

Catarina 3 years ago

👍👏

0points

Justme 3 years ago

- Julia Child

0points

Adrian 3 years ago

The point is, not to put cheap bad wine in food as it will impart flavors you won't like.

10points

Brian Michael 3 years ago

Yeah no on this one. Fundamentally you should only cook with a good tasting wine otherwise you may have a flavor you don't want in your food. There are strictly "cooking wines" and they make my food taste so off I stopped and would buy just a simple wine.

6points

Honu 3 years ago

I think it should be drinkable, but I wouldn't necessarily want to put something with strong oakey, dusty, musky flavors in my dish where I might enjoy drinking a wine with them.

6points

meo meotian 3 years ago

If you don't like a wine in a glass, why do you think you'll like it on a plate?

5points

Dorothy Reiser Premium 3 years ago

Cooking wine is seasoned for a reason. Good booze does not equal good food.

5points

Becky Samuel 3 years ago

You're right that there is a reason for cooking wine being seasoned. That reason is *not* to make it better for cooking with, but to make it undrinkable, so that it gets a different legal status and you pay less taxation on it.

14points

Lauri Ceriani 3 years ago

I hate to drink dry wines, but they are the best for cooking!

4points

wickbits 3 years ago

I always thought that meant not to use old “spoiled” wine to cook with. Wine aficionados might not drink a $12 bottle of wine, but I don’t think it means they should cook with a $60 bottle.

2points

Robert T 3 years ago

Possibly this is derived from the idea of not taking food from a person who drinks turps!

2points

Daniel LaDue 3 years ago

I always thought that rule seemed off. It's not like the wine is going to taste the same after being cooked anyways.

1point

CreepyAssociation173 Report

#5

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Rinsing off chicken. I know you don't want to get salmonella, but rinsing off chicken just spreads it. Cooking it solves the problem automatically.

Final score:

140points

POST

rumade 3 years ago

Nowadays campylobacter is as much of a threat. Something like 1 in 3 UK chicken carcasses were found to have it. I got an infection years ago from a chicken tender and it was awful. Always cook your chicken well!

55points

dieFledermaus 3 years ago

Always ALWAYS wash your hands after handling raw chicken. And chuck any utensils that touched that chicken straight in the dishwasher.

18points

Evil Little Thing 3 years ago

I got campylobacter from a *burger* last fall (apparently the prep cook didn't wash his hands after handling raw chicken). It was terrible and I'm still recovering from the anemia it caused. I was hospitalized for days and nearly needed a blood transfusion.

8points

Premislaus de Colo 3 years ago

Indeed, FSA estimates that campylobacteriosis cases outnumber salmonellosis cases by 300% probably due to the fact that less CFU is needed to cause illness. Another thing is that samonellosis very often ends in death or serious illness, whilst campylobacteriosis may end in just painful stomach problems, so very often it goes unreported

2points

Bobby Edler 3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Claire Bee 3 years ago

Right, don't rinse off the chicken. But DO wash your hands after handling raw chicken, and watch what utensils you are using. Food poisoning often comes from cross-contamination.

15points

Zero 3 years ago

"Wash those chicken hands!" - A.B.

2points

Tatiana Kouzmanoff 3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

PokeK7NG 3 years ago

Rinse the chicken bc of the slime under the skin and from packaging. Water doesn't get rid of bacteria, idk who thinks that made sense lol

14points

Tatiana Kouzmanoff 3 years ago

Washing chicken is to remove the slimy coating that develops, not to remove germs. As for spreading germs, you understand I can wash my sink afterwards right?

13points

Kimi Tomminello 3 years ago

😉 retired farmer here. Your chicken should not be slimy. That has something to do with additives used to make it look fresh longer- part of the packaging process. A lot of places don't allow chicken products that are processed like this into their countries.

27points

bob bruce 3 years ago

Do you wash the rest of the kitchen to get rid of the aerosolized salmonella that 's on everything within 8 feet of the sink?

6points

Tatiana Kouzmanoff 3 years ago

I don't power wash the chicken so there isn't salmonella everywhere. Why is this so difficult to understand? People don't fit into your predetermined narrative.

1point

Helderder 3 years ago

I think washing chicken is a cultural thing. I know many people from Caribbean or Surinam origin who wash their chicken.

10points

Nubianqueen931 Liesdek 3 years ago

Lol I was raised in Suriname. I can taste when someone hasn’t cleaned the chicken

4points

Vesna 3 years ago

I don't get this new rule - I wash everything I'm about to cook. Things get stuck on that chicken from packaging for example. If you wash it directly in the sink and then clean your hands and sink then it's all good. Think about other meat and fish that chefs prepping. They always clean like crazy after handling any meat/sea food.

9points

Tiny TT 3 years ago

Do u wash your hamburger meat?

2points

Ein Steinbeck 3 years ago

People who are dealtly afraid of washing your chicken because your sink might get germs: do you not wash your sinks either? FFS.

7points

Tracy Hutchinson 3 years ago

It's not for salmonella but bone bits, blood and debris from the processing. Nobody's shooting water on the chicken ok...stop that.

6points

More! 3 years ago

Yuck, have you seen the milky liquid that comes off when it’s rinsed? I’d rather that goes down the plug hole than into my mouth. And who knows how meat has been handled before packing, I rinse all raw meat.

6points

Kimi Tomminello 3 years ago

That milky crap is used to keep your chicken parts looking fresh longer and is added during packaging. It's not allowed in a lot of countries. It also leads to slimy chicken.

13points

May 3 years ago

What milky liquid? I've never seen a milky liquid. Are you in the US? I've heard they do weird stuff to chicken in the US

11points

Brian Clark 3 years ago

Y’all need to by fresh, better quality meat or not eat meat at all…

0points

Tiny TT 3 years ago

Hamburger too?

0points

Helderder 3 years ago

Isn't that just protein? Or fat?

0points

Lace Neil 3 years ago

I never wash chicken. Instead, I wash my hands before and after touching it.

4points

Caramel_Cappucino , Isaac Quesada Report

#6

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Break the spaghetti to cook it faster. All you’re doing is breaking someone’s Italian nana’s heart.

Final score:

139points

POST

Jo Johannsen 3 years ago

I never heard the cook it faster reasoning. I break it for convenience, easier both to submerge and to eat.

165points

Suzi Q 3 years ago

I was told by cooks that you should never cut spaghetti noodles but you twirl it on your fork. I went to a spaghetti feed with my 100% Sicilian Grandma and then first thing she did was cut the spaghetti. However Grandma was always a rebel.

30points

Honu 3 years ago

Yes. I remember people doing this when I was a kid because they wanted to cook their pasta in a saucepan rather than a proper large pot. Nothing about it speeding up the cooking, though.

14points

Tim S 3 years ago

Same here. I've never heard that it has anything to do with faster cooking. It's just a pain to fit in a pot without breaking it (unless you have a really tall pot and waste a lot of water filling it up most of the way).

9points

Martha Meyer 3 years ago

It's the weirdest idea to me to eat spaghetti that are only half length. That's too short to wrap around your fork! How do you even eat them that way?

3points

Michael Baessler 3 years ago

Yeah, I don't like long noodles.

1point

Marco Conti 3 years ago

For submerging it takes second for the spaghetti to bend. Longer ones are also easier to eat if you know how to use a fork and twirl it. No spoon necessary.

1point

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago

Same. Only I break it 2 or 3 times.

1point

Taylor Carroll 3 years ago

I feel like this one is more of a personal preference. I agree with you on both counts, I have a tiny pot because I use a hot plate so ya I'm gonna have to break that pasta lol

0points

Skull in Sky 3 years ago

ooh, a double length spaghettio on the image!

20points

Michelle Brandt 3 years ago

I break my spaghetti(and someone's Italian nana's heart, sorry) because it's easier to eat in my opinion. Definitely does not cook faster.

15points

Alexis Draskinis 3 years ago

I do it so it can fit in my pot but thats just me

12points

Wilko Lunenburg 3 years ago

I'm really sorry for all those nana's but if I do not break it, it doesn't fit my pan. No, I'm not going to buy another pan just for spaghetti!

11points

Sharon A. Kaufmann 3 years ago

Well, just the fact you call it a PAN and not a POT shows what kind of a master chef you are! 🤣

-3points

Hedgeh og 3 years ago

It doesn't actually change anything about the dish other than having shorter strands. Sometimes shorter strands are more practical. I don't think this one is quite the same as many of the others.

8points

Donna Webber 3 years ago

Oh nooo , who gives a fűck? Break the fűcking noodles to fit in the pan if you fűcking want to. Break the dead Italian nanas heart if you want to

8points

Diane Bryce 3 years ago

why so nasty?

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

Break the spaghetti if you are cooking for small children. Or seniors. They are going to cut it anyway and so it saves time.

6points

More! 3 years ago

I’ve broken it in half since my children were toddlers just so they had less chance of choking. I still break it now, every time before throwing in the pot, but nowadays it’s more so that I don’t choke.

5points

RJ 3 years ago

She ain't the one eating it!

3points

#7

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Not washing/cleaning after you cook because of X amount of reasons. Clean as you cook is the way.

Pochusaurus , Tina Dawson Report

Final score:

129points

POST

Ace Girl 3 years ago

This is the way.

56points

Maik Unshelm 3 years ago

Mando approved

1point

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago

I've seen this tip countless times on BP, but when I cook, there's no time for washing up before something else needs my attention.

7points

Lynx Maser 3 years ago

Not really a myth or rule...just kinda preference

6points

Rainy Day Wolf 3 years ago

I'll wash my dishes when I run out of dishes, this is my way

5points

Zona Garcia 3 years ago

I'm lucky. My hubby likes to feel useful when I cook, so he washes dishes for me as I go. But I try to wash as I cook anyway. It's funny to see us argue about who's "got the dishes".

5points

M Rob 3 years ago

Never ever put water in a hot pan to "soak". Let the equipment come to room temp or you chance warping them.

3points

Tatiana Kouzmanoff 3 years ago

Not at the expense of the food. #1 job of a chef is to serve good food. Cleaning is secondary.

3points

Bob Cakin 3 years ago

Well to be fair... most actual chefs also have people who are cleaning the dishes as they go.

1point

Daniel LaDue 3 years ago

Maybe I don't want a bunch of dishes leftover as I'm digesting. Washing during is a great idea if you can.

2points

Channon Doughty 3 years ago

Thank you for the "if you can". I can't and that is just fine, too.

0points

Channo Sagara 3 years ago

"clean as you cook" is the biggest lie in cooking history. It's a housecleaning tips, not a cooking tips. It won't make your food taste better. Do you ever see gordon ramsay or marco pierre wash dishes? No, if you cook, you cook. Don't distract yourself by doing something else. You can burn something important in that extra 5 seconds you took to wash something. Also, water is number one enemy of frying. Don't do anything involving water when you're especially deep frying. Even the slightest of splash can cause major accidents.

2points

Jimmy Lewis 3 years ago

Not always possible

2points

#8

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Not a cooking tip but a drinking one: Don’t put too many ice cubes in your drink because it will melt and you will end up with too much water. Wrong, the more ice cubes you put the longer the ice will stay and not melt. If you put only one or two, they will melt VERY quickly. (Ofc exceptions has to be made for “on the rocks” spirits)

Navajo__ , Isabella Mendes Report

Final score:

122points

POST

Zaza 3 years ago (edited)

Me and my re-usable ice cubes never have this problem :D ETA: double bonus because you can stick them in every nook and cranny of the freezer that is empty. Freezing empty air costs a fortune -and is bad for the environment- Putting some bottles of water in and sticking re-usable ice cubes in small empty spaces really helps

59points

ultravioletmaglite 3 years ago

Frozen raspberries in rhum or whiskey do the job too

13points

Zero 3 years ago

Ding ding ding... whiskey stones FTW. Side note... I've tried the refreezable cubes (like ice packs) and actual stones and prefer the stone ones. They also make a glass that you freeze the whole thing and it works decently well.

5points

Christiane Roberge 3 years ago

No but if made from plastic, they will leach toxins.

2points

Anjelika 3 years ago

High five 🙌

2points

Linda Lou Jett 3 years ago

Reusable ice cubes always made my drinks taste like plastic.

1point

Larry Thompson 3 years ago

They taste like plastic. Sorry. I'll raw dog my cubes. Better yet just chill the glass or the drink ... Or even better yet drink it at room temp so you can actually taste what you're drinking. If something tastes nasty at room temp thats because.... Well.... It tastes nasty. Cold numbs your tongue and deadens your taste buds. America is one of the few places that put ice in EVERYTHING

1point

Isa Trip 3 years ago

AMEN! Samesies

1point

Keisha 3 years ago

I thought I was the only one who used them.

0points

Charles MAjor 3 years ago

Freezing air costs nothing. Considering the energy potential of water.

0points

Richard A Petro 3 years ago

Wait a minute, you mean the ice cubes melt before you finish the drink? I guess I'm not the "sip slowly type" when it comes to imbibing.

6points

Shortstuff 3 years ago

Ever taken all the ice out of a bought drink from a cafe or bar...say, tomato juice. Left with a quarter glass of drink. Absolute rip off. I ask for a cold drink with no ice.

3points

Adrian 3 years ago

We have some of the stainless steel ice cubes. Definitely recommend.

3points

Johnny 3 years ago

Whether you have one ice cube that melts completely, or 4 ice cubes that melt by 25%, does it really make a difference in diluting your drink?

2points

Zaza 3 years ago

That's a very interesting question. I would love to know the science behind it. Sounds logical, could be the same, who knows

0points

Datsuyama 3 years ago

Former bartender here... Folks often think when we put a lot of ice in the drink, it will water it down/make a weaker drink. It's actually the opposite. When we pack in a ton of ice, it reduces the space in the glass. You will still get the 1,1.5,2 ounces of booze (whatever is called for in the drink) but you will get less mixer in the overall mixture, thus making a stronger drink. This applies to mixed drinks.... if you're just drinking something on the rocks, obviously, this doesn't apply.

1point

Magical Carp God 3 years ago

You aren't drinking fast enough if you're worried about the ice cubes melting.

1point

Bob Cakin 3 years ago

Never really heard this one... I don't like getting ice in my drinks because it takes up space. Meaning I get less drink than I paid for at some places. Like for soda and s**t.

1point

marianne eliza 3 years ago

Folks, folks, folks. Keep your booze in the freezer! It won't freeze solid unless very low alcohol content. In that case, put it in the fridge.

1point

Denise Lewis 3 years ago

depends on how fast you drink it

1point

#9

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Myth: high heat is like fast-forward for cooking. Still working to get my dad to understand this one.

EatLard , Prince Photos Report

Final score:

115points

POST

Zero 3 years ago

High heat will do a lot of amazing things that low heat can't, but also means you can screw things up faster.

82points

Giles McArdell 3 years ago

Like baked Alaska, you can't slow cook that.

8points

Tristan J 3 years ago

I do a lot of Chinese cooking. The wok needs to be really hot a lot of the time. I see people buying non stick woks that are coated in chemicals that burn off at those temperatures and I both worry for their health and their awful cooking if they don't damage their pans.

11points

Wintermute 3 years ago

It should be criminal. I always knew that non-stick became toxic at certain temps, but thought they were like in the thousands of degrees. Nope, some as low as 500. That's not unusual cooking temp. Ridiculous.

7points

Hedgeh og 3 years ago

Yeah, understanding what different heats accomplish - and how both high and low heat can be good, and bad - is a great things to understand in cooking. It can really alter the results.

6points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

This is literally the first cooking correction you learn in school... Yet another thing that nobody has ever said... As a meme that everyone says on the panda ...

2points

David Brown 3 years ago

Using high heat is the fastest way to having to order takeout.

2points

Anjelika 3 years ago

I use high heat to heat up the oil but then I lower it to medium or whatever it needs

2points

Jaybird3939 3 years ago

That's like people who turn the heater all the way up to get the room warm faster. It doesn't work that way.

1point

Bradley Hart 3 years ago

Here is the real difference. Cooking shows and cookbooks talk about high heat which in a commercial kitchen runs well over 100k BTU. High heat out of most home ranges, even pro models, runs less than 20k BTU. If you want high heat get a wok burner on Amazon and use it outdoors on your patio, these can go as high as 200k BTU

1point

Carrie Smigla-Didier 3 years ago

Hi heart to sear in the yum of pan fried steak, both sides, then medium to cook it thru.

1point

Christian Edwards 3 years ago

Yeah I'm iffy in this one. Sure it can do wonders, it can also speed up ruining a dish. I like to start off on high heat, and swiftly move to a more medium heat, or a low if it needs to simmer. It all depends on the dish.

1point

#10

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS "Add seasoning to taste" is a great tip to someone who's already a competent and experienced cook (i.e. a person who doesn't need that tip to begin with). It is a TERRIBLE tip for an inexperienced and/or infrequent cook. Give a suggested amount of seasoning in your recipe or description.

Clapperoth , Calum Lewis Report

Final score:

110points

POST

Zaza 3 years ago

And sometimes it doesn't need seasoning to taste. You can toss in a pound of salt and still not have the food taste like it's properly seasoned, it could just need a drop of lemon juice or vinegar

32points

Zero 3 years ago

A lot of people forget about that acid bit. If it's missing something but you can't figure out what specifically, it's probably the acid.

5points

shodokai 3 years ago

Yes, often acid instead of salt! Took me years to comprehend this one, but what a game changer!

4points

Ozzie Ogawa 3 years ago

Yup, remember the basic tastes. Salty (salt, obviously), sweet (sugar), acidic (vinegar, lime, etc), and savory (fat). But there are bitter & spicy as well, adding them can make your dish even better.

3points

Xander Kurtz 3 years ago

Acid/vinegar is still seasoning imo. It's mostly used for flavor enhancement and used in moderation the vast majority of the time. It is under utilized though.

1point

AniLiquorice 3 years ago

Me who would use paprika :)

0points

John 3 years ago

You realise this means season to your own personal taste

4points

Mistralok 3 years ago

One should generally add less than suggested. You can always add more but can never remove too much.

4points

Sam Neenan 3 years ago

This is great tip for home cooks. Season to taste means this recipe does not take into account how much SALT is in the other ingredients.

1point

Heather Glomb 3 years ago

Except most suggested amounts are still too little. I like actual flavor and spice, not the "hint" or "whisper" or "suggestion" of said flavor or spice.

1point

Elaine Lombardi 3 years ago

That's cool, add more if you like. The point is, if you've gone too far you can't "add less."

1point

christine buckley 3 years ago

Don't forget umsmi. A few drops of soy or Worchestershire sauce can be marvelous.

1point

Xander Kurtz 3 years ago

Prefer to just put in some msg. Much healthier/lower sodium and less likely to impart an off taste (depends on the recipe and if the soy sauce flavor would be overpowering, like in a soup, or fits well, like a stir fry or marinade)

1point

Londo Cotto 3 years ago

And WHICH seasoning please . . . .

0points

Monica Moss 3 years ago

true

0points

Denise Lewis 3 years ago

i do everything by eye it helps that i have been cooking for 45 years and can do this the one thing i don't cook with out measuring is baking

0points

christine buckley 3 years ago

Cooking is an adventure. Baking is chemistry.

1point

Lynx Maser 3 years ago

That isn't what add seasoning to taste means.

0points

eacherRepulsive3942 , Kevin McCutcheon Report

#11

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS "Cook until it's ready" IF I AM NOT PROFESSIONAL HOW CAN I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS READY? WTF? PLEASE GIVE ME INFORMATION HOW LONG SHOUD I COOK IT

Final score:

102points

POST

May 3 years ago

Don't think I've ever seen 'cook until it's ready' in a recipe, usually it's cook until it's a certain colour or consistency, with approximate times. Timings will vary because of equipment and quality of ingredients, you can't go by a set time

21points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

Yep never seen this myself either. To be honest fifteen if these are "if your moron friend thinks he can cook he might say X or Y". I've honestly never met anyone or seen anyone make any of the "recommendations" in this article at all.

1point

Tim S 3 years ago

Sadly, I've come across "cook until ready" before, and it's infuriating. Luckily, it's not very common.

1point

Nujoie Roberts 3 years ago

I've seen it AND variations!! Cook til done is more popular ofc!!

0points

Mindy Keys 3 years ago

Invest in a decent, reliable meat thermometer and a temperature chart magnet for the fridge. At least if you cook meat, it will always come out perfectly. I cook constantly - for everyone it seems - and I could not live without my meat thermometer. They don't cost a ton, usually under $15 or so US.

2points

Rochelle S 3 years ago

this. if you know what the components of the recipe are like when fully cooked, you CAN recognize "ready". Meat, rice, veggies, potatoes. If there's a complicated caveat to the recipe that'll usually be clearly stated.

0points

Mistralok 3 years ago

To cook properly one needs to learn the basics. There are many variations on things such as temperature, the type of pan being used, and the size and mass of what one is cooking. Once one learns the basics then these can be used for most all recipes.

2points

Michael Baessler 3 years ago

Has no one ever watched Good Eats? I learned more from that show than anywhere else, though I make the extra effort to constantly learn new cooking info when I can.

1point

Bubba 3 years ago

Do you know that you will be able to taste food during cooking?

1point

Mike Beck 3 years ago

And how do I know what it's supposed to taste like?

0points

Molly Block 3 years ago

My husband and mom always ask, 'how long does it need to cook?' and I always say, "I don't know---I just cook it until it's finished." This poor info from me comes from being an experienced cook though. I can just tell when food is ready by looking at it, or poking it.... experience is how I know. I don't really ever go by a recipes suggested cooking time anymore....

1point

Xander Kurtz 3 years ago

My mom cooked the same way and had pretty bad ADHD so basically incapable of keeping track of many details past when they're relevant. We ended up actually measuring out the base ingredients we started with plus any adjustments to flavor, and i kept track of timings and colors. We got some good notes for core recipes down. Unfortunately my phone broke before i could transfer it to paper or even email a better organized list. Broke us both so down we gave up on that project

0points

Helderder 3 years ago

Uhm taste?

1point

MissMePhoenix 3 years ago

Yup, been there. I've been cooking for going on 15 years, so i like to try new things, and I've come across several recipes that i completely skipped or found a different one for just because it said something along those lines.

0points

ira Soucie 3 years ago

If you're not a professional how can you understand? Easy experience. I'm not a professional and i am still able to understand when something is ready. This reeks of incompetence

0points

Sam Neenan 3 years ago

I let my olfactory senses tell me. If it smells burnt then I cooked it too long.

0points

ramblingamblinamblin , RODNAE Productions Report

#12

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Using extra virgin olive oil to cook. EVOO has a lower smoke point than regular olive oil, so regular olive oil is better for cooking.

Final score:

102points

POST

Robert T 3 years ago

Rapeseed oil is better for frying as it has a much higer smoke point.

26points

Zero 3 years ago (edited)

Which is also called Canola (short for CANada Oil Low Acidity). And though it's all from the same plant, in most of the world Canola has a higher standard of quality to meet than rapeseed. Smoke point of that stuff is about 415 (average) while EVOO is about 375. Avocado has the highest at about 520, Sunflower a little below that, and Peanut about 450.

9points

Avinor 3 years ago

Grapeseed i think because rapeseed it s a bit frightening 😨

3points

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

Safflower or sunflower - preferably cold pressed. I do a lot of Indian food so temperatures are usually high. These neutral oils work beautifully to preserve flavour while having a high smoking point. Bonus: also good for health with the lowest amount of saturated fats etc.

2points

Suzi Q 3 years ago

Or avocado oil

2points

Martha Meyer 3 years ago

It depends on if it is refined or not. There is unrefined canola oil. EVOO is also unrefined.

1point

Bunzilla 3 years ago

Sunflower oil is also great for frying and has a very high smoke point. As far as I know, only Avocado oil and Safflower oil have higher smoke points.

0points

Bobby Edler 3 years ago

Avocado oil is the best, high smoke point and no nasty olive flavor.

5points

CandyAndyPandy 3 years ago

Agree! Was so glad to find out about it.

1point

D Lively 3 years ago

Ghee for everything.

4points

Christiane Roberge 3 years ago

Avocado oil will take a high heat.

2points

Peter Schneider 3 years ago

In Spain they have treated olive oils just for frying at high temperatures

2points

Vesna 3 years ago

I cook on butter when appropriate for a dish or sunflower oil for hot heat. Olive oil for frying just feels wrong...

1point

Monica Moss 3 years ago

correct, but should temper with pat of butter

1point

Suzi Q 3 years ago

Yep it really depends on which temperature you're cooking. I use EVOO unless the temperature is higher than 300-350, then I use avocado oil or canola oil.

1point

Jane Martin 3 years ago

avocado oil has a high smoke point which is why I cook with it

1point

More! 3 years ago

EV is best for dressings and on bread. It’s fancy and expensive, use the cheap home brand of olive oil for cooking. Or rice bran oil.

1point

Terpsichorean_Wombat , Nathan Dumlao Report

#13

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS When making pie crust, rubbing the butter into the flour or using a fork/knife/pasty blender to achieve "pea-sized" crumbles. Pretty much every recipe will describe it this way, but the expanding water from the butter drives that beautiful flakiness. Use a cheese grater with moderately large holes. Use very cold butter, and handle the butter lightly so that it doesn't melt into your hands. Grate it and toss it into the flour about 1/3 of the butter at a time, tossing it to coat it with flour. Then make your dough. It will be light and flaky and heading in the direction of puff pastry. Seriously, I use the same dough recipe I always used and the results are just staggeringly better because of this technique. ETA Yep, this works for biscuits too.

Final score:

98points

POST

Allhaildi 3 years ago

So... What's the dough recipe???

24points

Monica Moss 3 years ago

2 cups flour, 1 stick of very cold butter/cutup and a few spoons of water to pull together, let rest

4points

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

I use Julia Child's recipe and it has never failed me. Link: https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/pie-dough (I just use AP flour and butter; I don't bother with cake flour and lard. And it still comes out perfect every time.)

3points

Ray Arani 3 years ago

I used to use Joy of Cooking but now I just sorta eyeball it all. It doesn't really matter which recipe you use, it's more about technique than anything.

2points

shodokai 3 years ago

Thank you for this simple tip. Easy to follow. My baking skills are no where near my cooking abilities.

2points

Piet Puk 3 years ago

Great tip!

2points

Robert Duran 3 years ago

You can also cut the butter into smaller chunks and put it in a food processor. Pulse blend until you get small chunks. If it becomes sticky and dough like, you blended it too much and made roux instead.

1point

Candis New 3 years ago

That's what I do with scones and US biscuits

1point

Sam Neenan 3 years ago

Ninja move^

1point

Me 3 years ago

A good tip when baking cookies too.

1point

Ray Arani 3 years ago

I also chill my hands before handling butter by running them under cold water as long as I can stand it. Also, I use a cold bowl. This is most important in the hottest months because I don't run my AC super cold.

1point

Kahna Wanna 3 years ago

OMG! I am so gonna try that!!

1point

Christina West 3 years ago

ETA means estimated time of arrival people, this is not an abbreviation for an “update” 🤦🏻‍♀️

1point

#14

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Cookies: "bake until golden brown" The cookie sheet will stay hot after it leaves the oven and keep baking the cookies for a minute or so. If you want soft cookies, it's better to take them out when only the edges look golden brown and let them keep cooking outside of the oven.

Celestaria , Tina Nord Report

Final score:

86points

POST

Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago

This is a good general cooking rule - food continues to cook after it's removed from heat, unless it's immediately cooled.

33points

David Brown 3 years ago

I see the quality of cookies vastly improving with this one. Hard overcooked cookies suck.

4points

Robert T 3 years ago

This is why we have such things as cooling racks...

3points

Helen Downey 3 years ago

I came to say this!

2points

Jorie 3 years ago

Another good rule of thumb is to line your baking sheet with aluminum foil, DULL side up. The cookies won't burn on the bottom.

2points

Jiminy 3 years ago

Or remove from the sheet immediately.

2points

Izzy Curer 3 years ago

Mine fall apart when I do that. Not that it stops me.

4points

Channon Doughty 3 years ago

T H I S !

1point

Keisha 3 years ago

I have never understood that on recipes. As about an 8 year old I remember following the directions exactly and they were so oooeeey goiieeey when I took the out. When they cooled and I put them on wax paper they were hard as a brick and I learned my lesson then.

1point

that.bitch.mae 3 years ago

I used to buy a lot of Pillsbury cut and bake sugar cookies (or whatever the fvck they're called) and I would always wonder why the bake times were so low (cause my dumbass liked eating them right out of the oven) but after making sugar cookies myself, I realized this. Leave em to cool like 10min and they'll be perfect.

1point

Sam Neenan 3 years ago

Crispy cookies are biscuits. Ijs

1point

Lsai Aeon 3 years ago

It has taken 20 years for me to get this through my husband's thick skull. His cookies/brownies are ALWAYS overcooked

1point

#15

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Not really a tip, but a recipe complaint. Don’t measure flour(or other compressible powders) in volume! Use weight, a cup of sifted flour can be half of a cup of compressed flour.

ThinkIGotHacked , LAUREN GRAY Report

Final score:

82points

POST

Dorothy Reiser Premium 3 years ago

Unless you want hockey pucks for cookies.

23points

badger 3 years ago

weigh then sift

3points

btaglln 3 years ago

In europe it is always in weight ... "Cups" are again an strange american unit

14points

MPS 3 years ago

Exactly, I get so frustrated when using an American recipe if I have to keep converting it into grams

5points

Elaine Lombardi 3 years ago

OMG "strange American units' are ridiculous. A 'teaspoon' of this, a 'quarter cup' of that. GAAAHHHH can we please just work with metric measures?

1point

Robert T 3 years ago

As it is ratios that matter for baking, cups is easy and works, right up to the point where you have to deal with eggs. A medium egg is about 2oz. This is why when baking I used imperial weights, as I can remember 4oz of everything plus 2 eggs more easily than the same in metric, even though I have used metric all my life!

1point

matthew owen 3 years ago

Who uses volume??

3points

KassieHamilton 3 years ago

Americans 😂

-1point

Michelle Brandt 3 years ago

I tend to "fluff" my flour before gently scooping into a measuring cup. No pushing down or shaking! Fluff, scoop, scrape. Never had any issues with my baking and I follow the recipe to a "T".

3points

Nilsen 3 years ago

If you measure by volume, never ever press anything down or tap on the table or similar.

3points

Tanya Engesser 3 years ago

Except brown sugar. That stuff is measured by packing it in.

2points

meowgie catster 3 years ago

If you don’t have a scale, the next best thing to do is make sure you ‘fluff up’ your flour, scoop it up, and level it out with a knife/spatula

2points

Jorie 3 years ago

I read once that it depends on how the recipe is worded, such as, one cup of sifted flour should equal one cup after it is sifted...one cup of flour, sifted, should be measured as one cup first, then sifted. I'm not really a baker, but it seems to make sense!

1point

P.at.J 3 years ago

There is a difference in a cup of flour sifted and a cup of sifted flour.

1point

Glirpy 3 years ago (edited)

The problem with either method is that people are always throwing more flour than that on the baking mat while they knead it. You need to use less flour than the recipe calls for because of this. You can say, “oh, it’s negligible,” but it is not.

0points

Daman dan 3 years ago

So much of this! I've tried recipes using the relative mass based on the volumes specified. They never work and then they're still hit and miss if you use their volume measurements. Some people know how to fill a measuring cup and others don't. If you're going through effort to publish a recipe, use mass so people can actually use it

0points

#16

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Leave the burger for a long time, then flip it once. Lots of people give this advice, including web sites and even chefs. But then the labs who actually test this stuff find that the burgers are better, and cook faster, if you flip more often.

kangareagle , Fiona Calisti Report

Final score:

81points

POST

Darren Fusellier 3 years ago

Yup, I flip every 3-4 mins for 15 minutes otherwise you end up with dry burnt exterior and undercooked middle.

38points

John L 3 years ago

And for the love of God, don't press down on it. You lose those wonderful juices!

7points

Skull in Sky 3 years ago

it's all the temperature and physics. For steaks, you want to keep the water in without having it boil. That is done by searing the exterior on high temperature, closing capilaries and blocking it inside. That's why steaks are best when flipped once. Burgers, however are made of minced meat that needs to heat throughout and can not have the capilaries closed that well. So it is more effective to have it heat up not that fast (so the heat can propagate through the meat), which is done easiest by flipping the meat and heating the other side up.

5points

Living Example 3 years ago

Burnt exterior and undercooked middle sounds like a good burger!

4points

Justin Anclam 3 years ago

15 minutes? For a burger? That's a recipe for a dry burt everything.

2points

Me 3 years ago

Frequent flipping seems like the opposite to me. That is, keeping the outsides of the burger hot without letting the heat penetrate the center.

1point

Jackie Lulu 3 years ago

Oh, that sounds good!

0points

Mistralok 3 years ago

Leave it for as long as it takes to make a "crust". This will seal it and keep the juices inside. Also, NEVER press, as this will force out the juices and cause it to be dry and flavorless.

4points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

Not if you flip more often just if you do it a couple of times ie: twice .. please ppl don't get cooking tips from the panda. Almost every single correction I've seen is as wrong or worse than the post itself....

2points

Callie Ge 3 years ago

They cook faster but they don’t get that crispy brown crust

1point

Monica Moss 3 years ago

if u cook them low and slow as u should...flipp once and done

1point

Bradley Hart 3 years ago

It all depends on the king of burger you are making and what you are cooking with. The advice for a thick burger on wire rack BBQ grill is coming to be much different than a smash burger in your kitchen after a night at the bar.

0points

Keisha 3 years ago

I also flip them more often. They seem juicier that way.

0points

Susann Campbell 3 years ago

The labs also love raw hamburger but I don't give it to them.

0points

Daniel LaDue 3 years ago

I'm a frequent flipper, and I'm sticking with it. Much easier to tell how done the burger is.

0points

Ray Arani 3 years ago

And don't squish them down! They'll dry out.

0points

dancingbanana123 , Fulvio Ciccolo Report

#17

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Adding oil to your pasta water to prevent it from clumping. Oil floats in water. Just stir it.

Final score:

73points

POST

Zero 3 years ago

The oil isn't for preventing clumping, it's for breaking the surface tension of the water. If your pasta has too much loose starch or you have hard water, it tends to foam up a lot. Adding a Tbsp or or 2 helps keep the foam down.

79points

Cyd Charisse 3 years ago

It also keeps the yummy sauce from sticking to the pasta. Any Italian will tell you, "don't add oil"

33points

Lsai Aeon 3 years ago

wooden spoon rested across the top of the pot...

9points

Patrice Frey 3 years ago

Another reason not to use oil is that you should add a bit of the cooking water to the tomato sauce, and this will help the sauce to "stick" to the pasta.

5points

Tim S 3 years ago

I never put oil in, and the only time I've had foaming issues is when I've had the heat set way too high.

4points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

Yet another one this writer got wrong quelle surprise...

2points

Awsomemom52 3 years ago

After adding the salt and pasta, bring the water to a boil again, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Don't put the lid back on the pot (it's better to cook pasta without the lid) ... no foaming without adding oil to the water!

2points

shodokai 3 years ago

must disagree... see sauce rebuttals as to why

2points

Taylor Carroll 3 years ago

Or slap a spoon across the top of the pan 😀

0points

Ray Arani 3 years ago

I did not know this!! Cool :)

0points

Anna Martinez 3 years ago

I was taught to add oil but never knew why. Good to know.

0points

Daman dan 3 years ago

Ok see...I didn't know this. Makes sense actually

-1point

Michael Baessler 3 years ago

This is the reason.

-1point

Lyyyy 3 years ago

I never add oil to my pasta boiling water, and it never clumps? My mom adds oil to the pasta water and then overcooks the pasta so that it clumps everytime. And how the hell is the oil even physically supposed to go to the pasta that is cooking in water? Oil is hydrophobic. Also I think this is a nice way to get your sink dirty.

5points

Raiden Prime 3 years ago

Don't add pasta until the water is boiling and don't rinse it afterward. Pasta is not a puzzlebox

5points

Vesna 3 years ago

And I would add to that- use lots of water, give your pasta some rooooom!:)

3points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

Oil in your pasta water means your sauce won't adhere to your pasta.

5points

Alexis Draskinis 3 years ago

It makes your sauces slip off the pasta. Only thing you add to the water is salt

5points

marianne eliza 3 years ago

Water needs to penetrate the pasta to cook it. A coating of oil will inhibit that. Try... TURNING DOWN THE HEAT! Stir more frequently. Or maybe your pot is too small. Not enough water. The bubbles form because of the starches from the pasta. The less water, the thicker it will be from those starches.

3points

Bobby Edler 3 years ago

Water and salt only !

2points

Carole George 3 years ago

NEVER!

2points

Molly Block 3 years ago

I always thought we added oil to keep any bubbles from forming and boiling over the edges of the pot? Am I stupid wrong?

2points

John Kremm 3 years ago

Laying a wooden spoon across the top of the pot will keep it from boiling up and over. Try it--it works!

1point

Suzi Q 3 years ago

Otherwise you have slimy noodles and sauce doesn't stay on it.

2points

says-nice-toTittyPMs Report

#18

That mayo is superior to butter for grilled cheese. It's not. Yeah, it also gets a nice crust and is easy to spread, but butter tastes way better.

Final score:

72points

POST

Lola 3 years ago

Definitely a matter of taste. Some people also think cauliflower pizza crust is better than regular flour crust. Definitely not for me.

6points

Helderder 3 years ago

Ieuwww hot mayo is a very bad idea. When heated mayonaise sifts.

3points

Anaïs Grobin 3 years ago

I've fobs that every time I use mayo, it forms a bitter crust. We prefer butter

0points

Bi-Polar Express 3 years ago

Ewwww

2points

Sophie Norton 3 years ago

Ok, side note: I have had many people say there isn't a "healthy " way to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Um, yes actually there is... Toast 2 slices of bread in your toaster When they pop up, place your slices of cheese on one of the slices, place 2nd slice on top.. Place sandwich on microwave safe plate, nuke for 30 seconds.. Slice in half, enjoy...

2points

Reinaldo Fuentes 3 years ago

Mayo? What in the name of Cthulhu...? This means somewhere someone is doing it with Miracle Whip! Get thee behind me, Satan!!!!

2points

Featherytoad 3 years ago

I've always used mayo ever since I discovered you can do that. It makes it crispier which is how I like them, not soggy.

2points

stacyh 3 years ago

Butter in the pan, not on the bread. Let it stay on each side until totally brown… it won’t be soggy.

3points

Bobby Edler 3 years ago

Both....a skiff of mayo and a skiff of butter. Best of both. 👍

1point

Vae 3 years ago

Never. Have I ever. Made a grilled cheese with mayo. Butter isn't even a hard effort. Get a butter bell and it stays spreadable.

1point

shodokai 3 years ago

They're both amazing. I use both.

1point

Irish Lad 3 years ago

I've done taste tests and many people cannot tell the difference. I was blown away by the way mayo tastes.

1point

#19

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Putting in the garlic first. That's a good way to burn it.

AnonymousRedwood Report

Final score:

68points

POST

Dorothy Reiser Premium 3 years ago

Unless you put the garlic in the oil to flavor it. You must remove the garlic though.

18points

Marco Conti 3 years ago

And you have to crush it if you are going to remove it. That's how the flavor comes out.

1point

Immortal Emperor Paradox 3 years ago (edited)

Almost every Indian household puts garlic first.

3points

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

agreed, use the onion to temper how well done the garlic should be. When it looks and smells done, add the onions.

1point

Anne Bishop 3 years ago

Saute garlic for half a minute or so. That's it.

1point

Irish Lad 3 years ago

IF you are sauteing, then the garlic goes in toward the end.

1point

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

Here's a better rule. Do what the dish requires. There is a ton of recipes for all forms of garlic including the old burnt ones.... If you don't know actual rules stfu about them... Like 80% of today's helpful hints that aren't real...

0points

#20

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS “Microwaving food will destroy nutrient molecules” Microwaves are far too long-waved to cause any molecular changes. All they do is make molecules vibrate faster. They don’t directly break up molecules. To actually split chemical bonds you need much shorter wavelengths. UV light at least. It is true that Microwaves can INDIRECTLY cause chemical reactions because they will increase the temperature of the food. But that is no different to any other heat source. Likely, microwaves preserve nutrients BETTER than boiling/steaming because the heat is delivered faster and the food spends less time in a high temperature state.

antistitute , cottonbro Report

Final score:

66points

POST

Robert T 3 years ago

Particularly for vegetables, microwaving preserves a lot more of the vitamins than boiling in water, unless you use that water to make gravy, you throw a good proportion of the vitamins away.

29points

Bunzilla 3 years ago

Steaming veggies in the microwave is a great way to cook them. We just put the veggies in a bowl with a little liquid, then partially cover the top. Most cook within 2 minutes when cut up small enough and not crowded.

3points

ohjojo (you/your's) 3 years ago

Nope. Do your own research

2points

Mistralok 3 years ago

Boiling in water will dissolve and flush out nutrients. Steaming inmho is by far the best way.

2points

Mike Loux 3 years ago

beep beep, your hot bowl of cold food is ready.

1point

PotatoGirl31 3 years ago

Is this true??!!?? My family makes me feel SO guilty when I reheat in the micro and use it to quick cook frozen veggies covered with a few Tbsp of water. So happy to know this!

1point

Suzi Q 3 years ago

Plus, you don't need as much water so the nutrients stay in the food and not leached out into the extra water.

1point

Channon Doughty 3 years ago

All I know is American chicken tastes weird when reheated in the microwave

0points

Bobby Edler 3 years ago

One day, someone is going to figure out that bombarding your food with radiation is not a good idea. I have never had one.

0points

Shawn Harte 3 years ago

Microwaves sit just below infrared on the EM radiation spectrum. You heat food in any manner and you're "bombarding [it] with radiation." It's usually a good idea, especially things like chicken. Microwaves, or just plain old heat from a gas range are doing the same thing...cooking food.

0points

Bubba 3 years ago

What bothers me more is that food is dry when is not covered with a lid.

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

well said.

0points

#21

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Great homemade salsa has to have cilantro. Half of us don’t like cilantro. You can substitute: Celery Leaves (this is pretty good) Parsley Mint Leaves Leave it out all together

GaryNOVA , Dennis Klein Report

Final score:

65points

POST

Robert T 3 years ago

You can also replace cilantro with soap and still achieve the same taste! /s

68points

shodokai 3 years ago

I used to taste soap when eating cilantro, at some point in life that shifted and now cilantro is one of my most treasured herbs to add, particularly to salsa, pico de gallo and anything mexican/spanish in nature.

11points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

Only tastes like soap to 50% same with beer it's a genetic palate issue...

6points

Tobin-Christine Butler 3 years ago

I would like this many more times if I could. Cilantro for 10% of the population tastes like eating soap. (And NO, it is not something you can aquire a taste for, it is in our genetic coding!)

3points

Ray Arani 3 years ago

I love cilantro but this comment still cracked me up!

2points

Joyce Plaate 3 years ago

Ooh that is harsh!

1point

Avinor 3 years ago

LMAO pretty fun thanks and I m thinking the same thing

1point

Jaybird3939 3 years ago

I'm the half that loves cilantro. Unfortunately, it doesn't stay fresh for very long, no matter how I store it. I learned only about 10 years ago (I'm old), that to some people, cilantro really tastes like soap.

0points

Mer☕️🧭☕️ 3 years ago

Irish Spring at that

0points

The Toast 3 years ago

what type of soap though?

0points

Bruce Dembrowski 3 years ago

Only if you have those genetically given taste buds. Not all of us have this issue. You're one of the "lucky" ones :p

0points

Mistralok 3 years ago

Not a cilantro fan eh. Use nice fresh leaves. Start with a small amount where it is barely tasted and work up from there. Imho it is well worth the effort.

0points

Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago

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christine buckley 3 years ago

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Nilsen 3 years ago

It's actually genetic. There is no way cilantro/coriander will taste good for me, it will allways be soapy. We, a couple of % of the population, over-react to a bitter substance found in corander, bell peppers (especially green ones), cucumbers, aloe, and others.

5points

Aline Cahill 3 years ago

It tastes like soap to me, but I'm ok with cucumber. My husband likes coriander but can't stand even the smell of cucumber.

1point

Maureen Holloway 3 years ago

If you don’t like cilantro that is your choice. Apparently some people taste it differently while many love the flavour. Please don’t insult the herb that is used so much in Asian foods.

3points

TJay 3 years ago

I love cilantro but I grew up eating it in most of our food(my parents are Mexican) but my MIL hates it cause it tastes like soap to her

3points

RJ 3 years ago

There are two kinds of people in the world...

3points

Chicken Chaser 3 years ago

This advice is terrible.

2points

Kady LaHaie 3 years ago

Cilantro is f****** nasty

2points

Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago

Cilantro tastes like soap...

1point

Celesta 3 years ago

Is that supposed to be salsa? Because that looks like tomato SOUP, definitely not SALSA. If anyone thinks salsa is uniformly smooth they have more to worry about than cilantro.

1point

Benita Valdez 3 years ago

I hate cilantro but it doesn't taste like soap to me. I also hate mint

1point

#22

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Myth: Using flour makes chicken the crispiest. Truth: Using Potato Starch makes it WAYYY more crispy.

OpeningPossible9614 , Eva Elijas Report

Final score:

63points

POST

Dorothy Reiser Premium 3 years ago

That's the Japanese way-potato starch.

20points

rumade 3 years ago

Yes! Karaage 😋 They also traditionally double fry it- once at a lower temperature, and then again at a higher one. Great for me too because I can't eat wheat these days

3points

Korrie Broos 3 years ago

The instant mashed potato powder works the best. Try it for crumbed prawns etc. Got the tip from a Vietnamese cook

6points

Ace Girl 3 years ago

**pulls out recipe card to take notes**

5points

Zona Garcia 3 years ago

ME TOO!

1point

Heather Talma 3 years ago

But potato starch is SO hard to find if you don't live in a gigantic city with a million fancy/foreign items in every grocery store.

2points

Tiny TT 3 years ago

Panko works too

2points

Nicole Weymann 3 years ago

Is it? Where do you live? (not being obnoxious - I'm German and here you find it in every supermarket, brand or off-brand, city or village) Usually sold in boxes standing between bread crumbs and reguar flours.

2points

Channon Doughty 3 years ago

Someone mentioned that instant mashed potato flakes work!

0points

Bayou Billy 3 years ago

Should be in every bulk food store. Like bulk Barn etc

0points

iseefractalz 3 years ago

Eh....depends on the application. If you're doing fried chicken, or karaage, and using duck fat as a frying medium, absolutely. However, i've found when making chicken wings in the oven, I would dry them off, then toss them in a bowl to season them and still end up with mixed results. Tossing them in flour after seasoning, ensures an extremely crispy skin without any flavor change. Corn starch and potato starch didn't adhere quite as well, so crispiness was uneven and burning was much more common.

2points

shodokai 3 years ago

mmmm potatoe starch! *insert homer simpson noises*

1point

Catarina 3 years ago

My thoughts exactly 👌

0points

Tristan J 3 years ago

Sweet potato starch is the one. I've tried (regular) potato starch, cornflour, rice flour, mixes etc - it's by far the best in terms of colour, texture and crispness. Also, don't waste an egg, just put a bit of soy, sugar, shaoxing wine and sesame oil over the chicken and mix (maybe some ginger garlic paste and chilli powder too) then add the sweet potato starch until all coated thoroughly and dry looking, followed by a double fry.

1point

Lesli Allen-Artz 3 years ago

Japanese bread crumbs are the best, along with allowing the breading underneath to completely hydrate.

0points

ACE DAVIS 3 years ago

The Scottish invented fried chicken and brought it to America where the slaves ran with it. They used flour and made fine fried chicken. Maybe if you people would stop soaking the chicken in buttermilk and other acids, making the skin mushy from being chemically cooked, you wouldn't need starch to compensate. I'm a southern chef and make real fried chicken, but I do enjoy Asian super crispy from time to time. Btw, crispy fast food chicken (KFC, Bojangles, Popeyes, Churches, etc) is made with flour/egg/flour, not starch...

0points

Amanda B Bench 3 years ago

Oh, glad to learn this! Can you buy potato starch like flour?

0points

#23

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS “When cooking a hamburger patty, press down on it with your spatula to make it cook more evenly/faster.” All this does beside flatten your patty is make all the juices escape, leading to a more dried out burger with less flavour.

ShinCasval , Micah Boerma Report

Final score:

61points

POST

rumade 3 years ago

Many gourmet burger places cover their burgers with a lid and squirt a little water. The steam and cover allows for a thick and juicy burger that's cooked through.

36points

Jessica Morin 3 years ago

I cook my burger with a lid, 5 minutes each side, and they are great and juicy.

3points

Jane Alexander 3 years ago

Press the burger together before you cook it to keep juices in. Do not press the juices out while cooking.

2points

Mike Loux 3 years ago

If the goal is to make smash burgers, then start with a ball and immediately smash it down onto the griddle. After that, don't touch it except to flip it. If your goal is not smash burgers, then don't touch it except to flip it.

2points

that.bitch.mae 3 years ago

The only time I press something down while cooking is my grilled cheese

0points

Glirpy 3 years ago

No, you press down on the edges to make the edges crispy and the center juicy. Smash burger.

0points

Bi-Polar Express 3 years ago

People do this? No wonder burgers are so bad some places. This is how you ruin a burger.

0points

Daman dan 3 years ago

I do this as final step to melt cheese. I even recently started doing it with grilled cheese sandwiches too.

0points

Jimmy Lewis 3 years ago

To burgers are actually juicier than thick ones.

0points

Drew Boening 3 years ago

Controversial topic. Smash burgers are always better. Period.

0points

Monica Moss 3 years ago

all wrong,, do not flatten.. you want a flat burger,then do b4 you cook

0points

#24

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Every baking recipe I've seen has you add spices with the dry ingredients. It's so much more flavorful if you add them with the butter and even more so if toast or gently fry them first. You can even use the microwave for this, cook just until fragrant. Also, all my chocolate stuff got better when I realized that cocoa is a spice. Oil-soluble flavenoids.

amb3ergris , Taylor Kiser Report

Final score:

56points

POST

Mistralok 3 years ago

Absolutely. The flavors in most spices is oil based and will come out much better with other oils.

15points

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

Adding coffee improves the flavor of chocolate baked goods. I always use brewed coffee where the recipe calls for water, then toss in some finely ground dark roast for good measure.

4points

Bunzilla 3 years ago

Mocha flavour! We've been having mocha cakes for birthdays for nearly all my life. So much better than plain chocolate. European style cakes with mocha flavoured buttercream and little chocolate coffee beans on top. 10/10 would recommend.

1point

Potato Puffin 3 years ago

Rule to remember: Spices = oil soluble. Herbs = water soluble.

2points

Channon Doughty 3 years ago

Thanks for that!

0points

Deborah Clyne 3 years ago

While it tastes better when bloomed in oil, it's about the distribution when adding to flour for baking. Most people won't even taste the difference of you add the spices to butter before baking. So unless you're melting butter and blooming spices in the melted butter, you're better off following as directed. Some techniques are not meant to be utilized for every single recipe. Lastly, keep in mind a lot of these recipes have been recreated and tried over by professional chefs and food scientists who are aware of all the techniques. They don't even say bloom your cinnamon in your creamed butter. It goes in with the flour

1point

shodokai 3 years ago

This! So much yes!

1point

christine buckley 3 years ago

Not an expert on Indian food, but they know spices. They *bloom* spices by sautéing them in ghee.

0points

bionicsarah 3 years ago

Tempering your spices! I learned this through Indian cooking and I use it for everything now. And of course, fresh spices. I didn't know spices expired!

0points

UpupaEpops 3 years ago

Let me just slide in here. Do NOT. And I mean, DO NOT do this with paprika. Paprika goes in last. Do not oil it, do not fry it and whatever you do, DO NOT BURN IT. It will make your dish practically inedible. -source: I'm Hungarian.

0points

Roxy Eastland 3 years ago

Interesting

0points

marianne eliza 3 years ago

Chocolate also has alcohol soluble flavonoids. I add a dash, 1 TSP to 1 TBSP of Grand Marnier (in addition to any required vanilla) to most of my deep chocolate stuff, brownies, fudge, frosting, pie filling. The hint of orange also intensifies the chocolate flavor

-1point

#25

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS That you can't ever have too much garlic. I’ve heard this so many times. My wife made a babaganush one time with so much garlic it burned our mouths. Too much garlic can be a thing.

dmharper , ji jiali Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago

I have never had this problem.

48points

Nicole Weymann 3 years ago

Had it once. Instead of three cloves of garlic I took the rest of the bulb - the real problem, I suspect, was that I didn't chop it but pureed it with the rest of the dip. Twice the amount of garlic and about ten million times the surface was just a tad too much

4points

Benita Valdez 3 years ago

This also depend on the type of garlic too and where it's from. I can put a head of garlic from my local store in a dish and it's perfectly normal but fresh from someone's garden I can use just a few cloves for same or better garlic flavor.

6points

Sue User 3 years ago

I also find that store garlic will be not as intense. However, it can be ild, and there will be the the beginning of a sprout inside the clove. I was taught to " core" the clove to eliminate bitterness

3points

Philler Space 3 years ago

I think they mean it like 'you can't be too thin' or 'you can't have too much money.' Like, yeah, but unless I'm a skeleton or it'll crush me under its own weight, keep adding garlic.

5points

rumade 3 years ago

I once handsliced a glut of garlic to dehydrate for storage. After slicing for an hour or so, my fingertips felt like they were burning, and had this strange numb "hole" feeling for 3 days. 😐

5points

Iga Błażejewska 3 years ago

I'm adding an entire head of garlic for 2 people dish. Unrelatable.

3points

Suzi Q 3 years ago

It depends on your taste. My Italian family loves extra garlic (I've never had it burn our mouths.

3points

Channon Doughty 3 years ago

High sulfur content in the soil causes that in onions and garlic. Your soil must be better suited to growing them.

0points

Kady LaHaie 3 years ago

People's taste for this changes over time. When I was a teenager I would put entire bulbs of garlic into1 sauce. Now that I am 40 I can't tolerate garlic at all or onions that I used to love Raw.

3points

Robert Block 3 years ago

I have trouble believing garlic burned someone's mouth... Unless it was raw garlic for some reason, this shouldn't happen (and even then, that's still not a*burn*).

2points

Subrata Pradhan 3 years ago

Too much of anything is a thing :P Is'nt it ?

2points

Kim Kermes 3 years ago

Raw garlic can be a little harsh, but sautéed or roasted garlic can be a side dish.

2points

AbbreviationsMuch511 , Nathan Dumlao Report

#26

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS This one is cooking related. Myth: never use soap on cast iron. Reality: you absolutely can use soap and scrub a well seasoned cast iron. Just don't soak it.

Final score:

47points

POST

Lance d'Boyle 3 years ago

No this is not accurate. If you use soap you lose the seasoning. Seasoning is oil that coats and gets in the crannies of the cast iron. Soap dissolves oil, ergo it will remove the seasoning. If for some reason you want or need to put in a drop of soap it will not harm your pan, but it will remove some seasoning. A properly seasoned and maintained cast iron pan will wipe clean under hot water (and a little elbow grease if needed). If you clean with soap you will need to reseason the pan regularly. I've seen this 'myth busting' claim many times here and it's BS. Follow it at your pans peril.

49points

Becky Samuel 3 years ago

Your reasoning seems rational, but it is false. The seasoned oil on a pan has undergone a chemical reaction that bonds it to the metal and stops it from being dissolved by dish soap.

36points

Zero 3 years ago

Ordinary soap won't harm it. The seasoning isn't just liquid oil; it has polymerized into a hardness that takes something more drastic to remove. Lye soap will do it, but not ordinary dish soap. You still have to coat afterwards, but you should be doing that anyway.

22points

BlackestDawn 3 years ago

In addition to what Becky and Zero has said. This stems from a time where soap had more lye in them compared to today, and thus were slightly more corrosive. This made it so that could reliably strip the polymerized oil and ruining cast iron pans. Sure you can still ruin cast iron today but now you actually have to work hard for it.

21points

Kady LaHaie 3 years ago

Disagree I cook with nothing but cast iron and have for 40 years and I wash them all every day with Dawn. Leaving it unwashed is gross because it leaves germs. I have never had a problem with the seasoning coming off either.

16points

NOLAHusker 3 years ago

Incorrect. That applied when lye was in dish soap. A gentle cleanser such as Dawn will not strip out the seasoning. Several cast iron experts who do nothing but restore cast iron on multiple social media platforms have said the same thing. I wash with soap and water and have never lost the seasoning from my pans.

13points

Molly Block 3 years ago

I have to disagree. I use soap on my cast iron skillet. It is the only skillet I have, and it is 19 years old, and well seasoned. I have never lost any of its 'seasoning' by using some Dawn or Palmolive on it. I want my skillet clean, and free from grease. I don't care what any of you say. Oh, and btw, I AM FROM THE DEEP SOUTH. Trust me, us southerners KNOW how to use cast iron!

9points

Mike Beck 3 years ago

Sorry, incorrect. "Seasoning" is polymerized oil. Unless you're using lye soap, you're not going to damage it. I regularly soak my cast iron in the same dishwater as anything else (even overnight if I'm lazy enough) and you can still cook eggs with cheese without oil/grease and it won't stick.

4points

Tristan J 3 years ago

It doesn't easily remove polymerised oil. It may reduce it slightly, but you should be regularly adding oil when you cook. For Asian wok cooking, and the temperatures involved, this generally means that the seasoning regularly gets renewed anyway. I tend to rinse with water, and either give it a quick clean with a soapy sponge or sometimes a metal scourer (which is more likely to damage seasoning) when it has cooled slightly but is still warm. You should then put it back over heat to dry it off to prevent rusting anyway, which is an ideal time to add a wipe of oil over the pan in case you think it needs a touch more seasoning.

4points

Caeli Norfoe 3 years ago

From what I've understood, cast-iron pans can be washed with soap, but you must re-season it with some oil afterwards.

3points

Andrew Jordan 3 years ago

Modern soap is not strong enough, unless you use a lot of it and often. Older soaps used lye, which would completely remove the seasoning. Occasionally using a bit of dawn dish soap will not ruin a cast iron pan.

2points

Robert Turley 3 years ago (edited)

Seasoning isn't oil. It's polymerized oil. Lye strips seasoning, soap used to have lye in it, hence the whole "don't use soap" thing. Now that most soap no longer has lye, it's not really applicable. I have several dozen pieces of cast iron abs cook every meal with at least one piece of cast iron. If soap helps clean up faster, I use soap. I will agree that with a properly used pan, soap is rarely needed, but it does no harm.

1point

Deborah Clyne 3 years ago

Soap won't ruin the pan. It will strip the seasoning. It can always be reseasoned.

0points

Aaron Chval 3 years ago

Every time I need to clean my cast iron I deglaze it by boiling water in it (at least 30 seconds) then I scour it with salt, and I re- season the pan as needed, maybe once every two months if I let the water boil too long. Boiling water will both sanitize the pan and lift off the stains left in the pan (hence why it's called deglazing) and salt will absorb oil like a sponge and scrape through carbonized food. I cook in my cast iron every day and only rarely need to maintain them more than detailed above, usually when some else improperly treats them. Lol

0points

Kim Kermes 3 years ago

Not according to Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, or my Grandmother and Nana, who would never have an unwashed pan in the house for longer than it took to eat the meal.

-1point

Isaac Green 3 years ago

Another trick I've learned to clean cast iron if you do something dumb like burn cheese in it is to put salt in it and use a clean sponge to scrub. The salt is coarse so it acts a bit like the sandy scrub soap you use in garages. You're 100% right, don't use soap on cast iron.

-2points

Frank Miller 3 years ago

Yeah, what the hell. Soap is an awesome way to destroy a perfectly seasoned cast iron pan.

-2points

Heather Glomb 3 years ago

Yep. I have to reseason my pan periodically because I sometimes use soap. It doesn't hurt my pan since I do the necessary things to keep it good - if I did not, I'd have to buy a new pan I think.

-2points

Vesna 3 years ago

You season yourself skillet after wash. Put it on heat, let the water dry, and then wipe oil everywhere in the skillet. Leaving layers of grease on your skillet with just wiping it is just disgusting.

-2points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

I have a 20 year old cast iron pan that is beautiful. I've used soap. I don't scrub it hard with soap but it helps clean it. Then I oil it. Moderation and common sense is what is needed.

6points

Charlie Birkner 3 years ago (edited)

Correct. This is an old carry over from a long time ago when soap had lye in it. Lye is very caustic, and would break down the seasoning on the pan. Since modern soap no longer has lye in it, this is a saying that just hasn't died. Like you said, don't soak it. A little soap if needed, wipe out and rinse and a nee layer of oil or preferred seasoning glaze, and done.

2points

Leslie Crittenden 3 years ago

I wash my cast iron pans with soap, dry them well, then put a tiny amount of oil in them. Use a paper towel to spread the oil and polish until you can barely see the oil. The skillet I use was my great grandmother's and I'm in my 60s and this has worked for many decades.

2points

Christopher Trott 3 years ago

Seasoning a pan is oiling and the baking it on. Soap will not remove it as it has platisized.

1point

Janelle Coleman 3 years ago

Detergent =/= soap THIS is where the issue is

1point

shodokai 3 years ago

ah the old seasoning debate still raging along. I tend to go with my personal experience on this one. It's field tested and replicable.

1point

Bradley Hart 3 years ago

All I will say is go read the instructions and myth section at Lodge. I can tell people they no nothing all day long, but I have stopped doing so, it is much easier to let them spout nonsense at the makers of their cookware.

0points

ACE DAVIS 3 years ago

I've had my inherited 1890s chicken skillet since I was 12, soap was never necessary because it wiped right out with paper towels. Left it at a buddy's while I worked on a cruise ship, got back and in 5 months he had destroyed the cure with soap and water, took me months to get it back to near normal.

0points

jBeachey 3 years ago

What about getting sick from old oil left on the pan from seasoning?

0points

#27

People think you can just use eggs and butter at fridge temp for baking but it’s so much better if you do room temp

radioloudly Report

Final score:

47points

POST

Zero 3 years ago

Depends on the recipe and your goal. Sometimes you want the butter cold, sometimes you want it melted, and everything in between. Each gives you a different result.

41points

Anaïs Grobin 3 years ago

Especially baking, sometimes cold butter is preferable. Recipes usually tell you cold/room temp/melted for a reason! Each two has a different function

2points

Robert T 3 years ago

By the time I've finished beating the crap out of it, everything WILL be the same temperature! /s

6points

Tristan J 3 years ago

Americans with their refrigerated eggs

4points

Rochelle S 3 years ago

so unnecessary.

1point

Darren Fusellier 3 years ago

Boiling a fridge cold egg usually results in the egg cracking, room temperature all the way!

3points

iseefractalz 3 years ago

If you're making pie crust, biscuits, basically anything with a flakey dough, yes you need everything to be extremely cold. To the extent that you have to put your cooking tools, bowls and pans in the fridge or freezer, and return the dough to the fridge regularly throughout the process. Baking is chemistry, follow the directions. Everything else is fair game though. Eggs aren't refrigerated in Europe (they don't have their protective coating scrubbed off) and butter is melted, browned, or turned into ghee for most every other kind of dish.

2points

Jaybird3939 3 years ago

I live in a fairly mild climate and I never refrigerate my butter. Eggs I still keep in the fridge. When I was growing up, we had this thing called "the cooler". In the kitchen, it looked like an ordinary cabinet, but the back, to the outside, was mesh. We'd put things in there that needed to be kept cool (the cooler!), but not in the fridge. Mayo, mustard, jelly, salad dressing, etc. Saved a lot of room in the fridge. I was so surprised when I started apt. living that "the cooler" wasn't an available think.

0points

that.bitch.mae 3 years ago (edited)

I especially noticed that whipping egg whites was bettee when they're room temp rather than fresh out the fridge (I separate them fresh out the fridge and whip at room temp). Yes I keep eggs in the fridge, I'm a stupid American lmao

0points

ira Soucie 3 years ago

Inaccurate

0points

Glirpy 3 years ago (edited)

You need to define “better.” I don’t know anyone that adds a brick of butter to a baking recipe. They usually melt it down first, which is warmer than room temp.

0points

Rob Williams 3 years ago

Don't keep the eggs in the fridge!

0points

#28

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Use aluminum foil shiny side in. Reynold's says the shiny side is a result of the manufacturing process and not intended to speed up cooking. The impact of having the shiny side in is so minimal and negligible you will not notice a difference.

Anon-fickleflake , Gustavo Fring Report

Final score:

43points

POST

Robert T 3 years ago

If you use non-stick foil, do make sure you put the non-stick side towards the food ;-)

19points

v 3 years ago

What if I don't want the heat to stick to the foil?

0points

Kelly Jo 3 years ago

Shiny side out

1point

Dammian 3 years ago

Well mostly has to do with the manufacturing process of the foil rather than the cooking process. To make foil so thin, 2 sheets are pressed together. Between the layers they use food friendly yet industrial lubricant. There is no actual harm but still should avoid cooking or heating food in contact with the non shining side.

0points

Monica Moss 3 years ago

totally wrong, the 2 sides are for a reason. to deflect heat-or slow baking-dull side down.. if high heat is needed-then shiny side down.

0points

Tanya Engesser 3 years ago

Your telling the makers of aluminum foil that they’re wrong about their own product??

0points

Avinor 3 years ago

Aluminium foil is not made for cooking ( it’s unhealthy and even dangerous) but to wrap or to keep your dish hot instead

0points

Featherytoad 3 years ago

I've always done it the opposite.

0points

#29

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS This one has been disappearing lately but ... Don't overcook mushrooms and don't rinse them. It's nearly impossible to overcook mushrooms. Chitin is hard to break down so just keep cooking them. Rinsing may add water, but it's just more liquid to cook off and may in fact help steam them which helps them release more water. Besides, you should wash all produce before use, especially mushrooms. Doubly so if they are wild.

korinth86 , Katerina Holmes Report

Final score:

41points

POST

More! 3 years ago

Rinsing washes away all the poop and crud. Rinse them!

29points

realbigfun 3 years ago

Agree!! That brown stuff is peat moss and poop of some kind. Horse manure is popular, so is chicken sh*t

1point

Milos Gajic 3 years ago

Well, as someone who has experience with a LOT of mushroom species, I can tell you that you can definitely overcook some mushrooms, also, washing is good, but please for the love of all that is holy, don't soak your mushrooms. It will 100% destroy the texture and they will lose some of the taste

7points

Anaïs Grobin 3 years ago

I've overcooked mushroom many times, especially the more porous kinds. They become bitter

1point

shodokai 3 years ago

This old tired debate. There's so minimal difference in my experience trying both methods over and over for decades. Do what you're comfortable with and then enjoy your nice home made meal.

7points

Grace Noyes 3 years ago

I can't not wash mushrooms. Ick. They often have mud and who knows what else stuck to them.

5points

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

You can absolutely rinse mushrooms. Alton Brown covered this on Good Eats, weighing them before and after, and the difference was minimal.

5points

Zedrapazia 3 years ago

The ink rune when you shouldn't wash a mushroom is when you want to keep it for longer because it'll get mushy. But if you intend to eat it now, wash it as much as you want, nothing bad will happen to your mushrooms.

4points

Anna Banana 3 years ago

Isn't that a rule for all fresh food?

1point

hhh cubed 3 years ago

My ex used to insulate mushroom barns and learned that they are grown in manure rich beds. You read that right. They are grown in crap. So yeah, wash them.

1point

Becky Sue Anderson 3 years ago

I have a friend who owns and runs a successful mushroom grow-op and yes, they are grown in chicken poop, if that doesn't make people wash their mushrooms, I don't know what will!

0points

D Lively 3 years ago

My MIL taught me to wash mushrooms in a salad spinner. Absolutely Life Changing!

1point

Jackie Lulu 3 years ago

Mushrooms still need rinsing, but don't until right before you use them.

1point

Jaybird3939 3 years ago

I peel them.

0points

#30

More heat cooks things faster. Used to believe it but found out the hard way when shallow frying chicken schnitzels. The outside was burnt and the inside was raw. Now I cook them at the lowest heat and always perfectly cook them.

n123breaker2 Report

Final score:

37points

POST

Robert T 3 years ago

More heat cooks the OUTSIDE of things faster. There fixed that for you.

25points

Mike Beck 3 years ago

Enough more heat will cook it through. Of course, you probably have a different problem at that point...

1point

Stephen Dickson 3 years ago

Thinner the meat higher the heat

1point

Tadd S 3 years ago

If now you fry food at LOW heat then you overcorrected, I dont think things would even fry in low on most stoves, it would just be an oil soak.

1point

christine buckley 3 years ago

It's not always the lowest heat. But whatever works for you.

1point

Irish Lad 3 years ago

Lowest heat? Not sure what you mean by that. It all depend on what you are cooking and how. Stove top, oven, roaster. Are you covering it? That makes a big difference too. Higher heat with a top on can do a lot. But it takes an experienced cook or chef to know most of these things.

1point

Taylor Carroll 3 years ago

Thats how my pancakes turned out once because I hate waiting for food to cook :( when I've worked 14 hours I don't want to wait long for food.

0points

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago (edited)

There’s a thing called high heat cooking that’s mostly inherited from street cooking across the world. It’s street side, it’s spicy, it’s hot & fresh. Then there’s slow cooking that is mostly gourmet food with intricate recipes & techniques. For home cooks, I think it would depend on what you’re cooking and for who.

0points

Kerry Ericksson 3 years ago

I use a Le Creuset Brazier and never go higher than MED

0points

Jimmy Lewis 3 years ago

The correct temperature for the food you are cooking is the trick.

0points

Anne Bishop 3 years ago

The best way to cook most things is low and slow. Don't be in such a hurry.

0points

Jimmy Lewis 3 years ago

Depends on what you are cooking

0points

#31

That you need to separately "cook" tomato paste to get rid of "bad" flavors. You don't. Just buy decent tomato paste and add it when it makes sense in the recipe (after the onions and garlics are fried) . S**t tomato paste will always taste bad, and burning it doesn't help.

thehairyfoot_17 Report

Final score:

19points

POST

shodokai 3 years ago

well said.

2points

#32

Don’t add milk to your mac n cheese! I know the box says to, but use heavy cream instead. It makes the mac so fluffy and the cheese so creamy!

UndrThC Report

Final score:

16points

POST

Lsai Aeon 3 years ago

I like adding cream cheese and/or goat cheese to my mac as well.

5points

shodokai 3 years ago

Add sour cream and some good sharp white cheddar or parmesan... or all three!

2points

Khavrinen 3 years ago

Another option that I like sometimes is buttermilk. Also, though it seems strange, adding garlic can be good, too.

1point

Karl Leaning 3 years ago

better still make it from scratch, no need to be feeble.

0points

Kady LaHaie 3 years ago (edited)

I can make creamy box mac and cheese with 0 milk or cream. Good thing cuz I'm lactose intolerant. All you have to do is add the butter first and then sprinkle the cheese in slowly

0points

Kimi Tomminello 3 years ago

Lol must be mac and cheez because cheese is a dairy product. As is the butter.

4points

Zedrapazia 3 years ago

Lactose intolerant people can eat cream? I had no idea, wow!

1point

Giga Bit 3 years ago

how did this get downvoted??

0points

Izzy Curer 3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Nilsen 3 years ago

There is lactose in heavy cream too. A bit less than in low fat milk though, since the lactose isn't found in the fat.

3points

Creepy-Narwhal4596 Report

#33

The amount of people I've seen thawing frozen food under HOT water is astounding.

Final score:

15points

POST

Izzy Curer 3 years ago

Hey, it works

10points

Ogre Juan Canolli 3 years ago

If You Want To Get SICK

-1point

Notorious DBT 3 years ago

In the past when I have tried to defrost frozen meat with hot water I've ended up cooking the item accidentally.

1point

Rick Hoppenbrouwer 3 years ago

My mother used the dishwasher on the plate warmer setting.

1point

Anna Banana 3 years ago

"Plate warmer setting" can't mean what I think it means, can it?

0points

Flash Henry 3 years ago

I have always defrosted things in hot water. Learned that from my grandmother, who did it her whole life.

1point

Robert T 3 years ago

Remarkably, it is no quicker than using cold water.

1point

John L 3 years ago

I wouldn't say "no quicker", but it's negligible and not worth the effort.

0points

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

Put it in a sealed container and immerse in room temperature water. Change the water a few times. Easiest way to thaw anything.

0points

James Heinle 3 years ago

Thawing frozen food under hot water isn't about bacteria. Hot water will actually start the cooking process. Hot=heat.

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

If you cook it immediately you there is no problem. I do not recommend it for meat however.

0points

Fuzzy spectrum 3 years ago

You can speed up defrosting by placing item in cold frying pan. The pan acts like a heat sink and rapidly defrosts the item

0points

Remy 3 years ago

If I need it thawed quickly, I use water that's slightly above room temp. If I don't, I stick it into the fridge for a few hours, until thawed.

0points

applesandoranges990 , Julia Filirovska Report

#34

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Undercooked poultry is safe to eat. No, it isn't. Just like game meat or any meat.. But those two are worst risks and yes, you can start an epidemy by serving badly cooked poultry and game to your family. I find the hypocrisy of people who hate anti-vaxxers on one side and brag about eating medium turkey on the other side astonishing. learn to chew harder , make a proper sauce or eat beef!

Final score:

14points

POST

Kira Okah 3 years ago

"Medium rare chicken" started as a sh*tpost but people started taking it seriously and got sick. Beef is safe to eat undercooked as long as it isn't minced because the bacteria don't penetrate past the outside of the muscle. Salmonella is present throughout the chicken muscle and has to be cooked through to be safe.

20points

Lola 3 years ago

I don’t think I have ever heard any reputable source say that undercooked poultry is safe to eat. I think anyone with half a brain knows this. Undercooked poultry can kill you.

6points

Mike Beck 3 years ago

Apparently this is a thing in Japan but is incredibly strictly regulated.

0points

Suzi Q 3 years ago

I've literally never heard of people cooking chicken to medium or saw anyone brag about it.

5points

LH25 3 years ago

I've never encountered anything urging eating medium-rare poultry. Must be lucky.

5points

Kimi Tomminello 3 years ago

I'm wondering what anti vax world this person is living in. I have never heard of this either.

1point

Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago

When I was in a ServSafe class, the instructor literally shouted "Chicken is the devil!" to emphasize that chicken is crawling with salmonella and must always be thoroughly cooked.

3points

Steph Walther 3 years ago

I think the down votes are due to the ridiculous statement about hating anti-vaxxers. I have never in my 60 years of cooking heard of anyone advocating eating undercooked foul. I only saw this in a very sarcastic post. It was obviously a joke. You've got my down vote because of that irrelevant, false and political drivel.

1point

Kira Okah 3 years ago

There are recipes that are completely serious, I've seen over 200 posts advocating it and about three were sh*tposts. They are not limited to a single part of the political spectrum either.

-1point

James Heinle 3 years ago

Always use sushi grade chicken and you'll be fine. Just a joke. Always cook your chicken.

0points

Steph Walther 3 years ago

I think the down votes are due to the ridiculous and

0points

btaglln 3 years ago

If you are extremely rigorous and safe, there are way to cook mediul chicken and pork. But I would not recommend it for everyone

-1point

Brian Michael 3 years ago

Love all the people down voting you when you are correct. Other country's serve medium rare pork and Japan has restaurants that slaughter chickens that day to eat medium for dinner courses. Oh they must be wrong? No just do the research.

2points

Steph Walther 3 years ago

I think the down votes are due to the ridiculous statement about

-2points

#35

I love making omelets. I've watched a lot of videos on people making omelets. Some say you beat the eggs with a fork. You must use a fork! Others say do not use a fork, use a whisk! It's funny to watch different experts directly contradict one another. I've used both, and don't see any difference. But the way I like best, is to put them in a jar and shake them up. I've made thousands of omelets, and don't think I will ever make one that is perfect. Some cooks you should use a low heat. Others say you start with a high heat and let the eggs cool the pan down as it cooks. Some say the omelette is perfect when there is a little brown on the surface. Others say eggs should never be cooked to the point of browning. So many contradictions, so many different ways.

ikuzuswen Report

Final score:

13points

POST

btaglln 3 years ago

It is obvious ... Different people like different way ...

3points

Anton Kider 3 years ago

It's just a matter of how you like it...

1point

LetsGoBrandon 3 years ago

Mine come VERY different when they're whisked as opposed to a fork. They are lighter, airier, and fluffier...

0points

Wintermute 3 years ago

Most of the time the minutiae doesn't matter, but people like to feel special. This applies to most of life, not just cooking.

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

I was at a Waffle House once (a roadside institution that, in my mind is kind of awesome) and ordered an omelette. They use an electric blender. The server forgot about it and it blended for a long time. They brought me a1.5" thick omelette so full air it was really funny.

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

Eggs are perhaps the most versatile protein on the planet. And so darned lovely. I love experimenting with them... my most recent one was a real surprise. I was making a quesadilla and committed the meat to the torts before realizing I had no cheese in the house. So I grabbed a couple eggs and whisked them into the meat instead of cheese. It. Was. Pure. Amazing. I highly suggest folks try it.

0points

Corey Smith 3 years ago (edited)

Just do it like Jacques Papin. He's the ultimate authority. https://youtu.be/X1XoCQm5JSQ

0points

Ozzie Ogawa 3 years ago

Take cooking like art. Some likes metal, some like kpop, some like jazz.

0points

Auntriarch 3 years ago

Stick blender. Then you don't get nasty little shreds of white

0points

Izzy Curer 3 years ago (edited)

I separate the yolks and whites, cook the whites with the omelet fixings, then add the yolks right at the end just before I fold everything in half. You get a runny yolk with none of the snotty uncooked white part, and it looks beautiful on a plate with the yellow part flowing out.

0points

#36

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS People say you need your cast iron pan RIPPING HOT before placing your steak for a perfect steak, in my experience, there is such thing as TOO HOT, medium high works best, or else the oil burns and the inside doesn’t cook enough (yes I use high heat oils)

WaterASAP , Ivana Cajina Report

Final score:

13points

POST

Robert T 3 years ago

High heat to sear the outside, then reduce the heat to cook through.

8points

iseefractalz 3 years ago

Yes....you need the pan ripping hot to SEAR the outside of the meat. You do this at a high temp, so it happens quickly, 1-2 minutes per side, and then you REDUCE the heat, to prevent it from over cooking. You only need a very thin layer of oil to coat the pan, it's not a cooking medium it just ensures good contact. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point, 520F, safflower is second at 500 or 510 if i recall correctly. There should be no danger of either of those burning on an average western stovetop.

1point

Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago

Very high heat if you want the outside seared and the inside raw.

1point

BorPand8 3 years ago

That's exactly how I like my steak

1point

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

Oil the steak, not the pan.

0points

btaglln 3 years ago

It depends on how you like it ... For me it is in a very hot cast iron pan 1,5min on each side and it is perfect ! Because I like a crisp exterior with a soft interior

0points

Yallneedjesuschrist Report

#37

Adding salt to water lowers the boiling point of the water. Wrong. It raises it.

Final score:

13points

POST

Kira Okah 3 years ago

True enough, it does raise it. A little higher, so little with the measurements used in domestic cooking that no difference will be made to cooking time.

9points

Nilsen 3 years ago

What's more important is how high you are above sea level. At 1000 meter altitude water will boil at 98,6 C, adding salt may rise it a bit but not that much.

0points

#38

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Putting salt on your food AFTER It's cooked. Meh. Cooking in the salt is better.

Liam_Tang , Milada Vigerova Report

Final score:

12points

POST

Titas Burinskas 3 years ago

Salt releases water, so if you want juicy meat/whatever, you should add it later.

15points

Izzy Curer 3 years ago

I accidentally did a test kitchen version of this once. I tend to make big batches and then freeze most of it for later. So, I make these roasts on the reg, and pretty much always do it the same way. One time, though, I forgot the salt. I tried adding the salt after it was cooked, and we ate some of it. At the same meal, we also ended up eating some of the previous batch that had been frozen, where the salt had been added before cooking. You could definitely tell the difference. The salt had penetrated the meat and vegetables in the cooking process. In the other one, the salt was only in the broth, and it was hard to ever get enough broth in each bite to give it enough salt. We all ended up trying to add more and more salt to our individual bowls, but just ended up with bland vegetables and broth that was too salty to drink at the end. All it was doing was washing the salt off of everything.

2points

shodokai 3 years ago

Not a one size fits all answer to this... it's purely situational.

1point

The Scout 3 years ago

This works for some foods while completely ruining others. The salt releases water, which can mean your steak becomes cooked instead of seared, or your vegetable pan does not get roasting flavours.

1point

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

Also bad for your health.

0points

Thanatos Charles 3 years ago

I use minimal salt during cooking, everyone has own preferences so a variety of seasoning is used only after cooked

0points

Featherytoad 3 years ago

I agree, especially with pasta. Always salt the water.

0points

James Heinle 3 years ago

Adding salt to water when cooking pasta raises the boiling temperature which cooks the pasta better.

0points

Amanda Nolting 3 years ago

Another reason this is suggested is because the flavor of salt intensifies the longer it cooks. So it's more difficult to gauge how much salt you need if you salt your food before it's cooked. Use a little, sure. But it's smarter to use a little salt before it's cooked and add more once it's done if needed.

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

It is personal taste plus it depends on the food. The picture above shows a fried egg. I don't know of any restaurant that seasons their eggs. And then you have any deep fried items like potatoes, etc. Salt destroys the cooking oil.

0points

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

It depends. If I want softened, translucent onions that aren't caramelized, I add salt. It draws moisture from the onion. If I want deeply caramelized onions, I don't add salt.

0points

#39

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS That you have to wash ALL rice. Plenty of rice you do, wash it until the water runs clear. Many brands of commercial rice are fine to not rinse, they'll tell you not to on the packaging itself. I made the mistake of letting an islander friend know this and they think I eat from a toilet.

Rise_Chan , alleksana Report

Final score:

12points

POST

Teresa Thomas 3 years ago

I have never once in my life washed rice 😂

15points

Tristan J 3 years ago

Your rice is excessively starchy. Next time, fill the bowl with cold water and move the rice around, and the water will come out white. Repeat until clear. Your rice will be better

2points

Kira Okah 3 years ago

Fk off. Wash your bloody rice. Don't care what they say on the package, you don't know how it has been stored. Wash your rice. Take it from someone SE Asian - wash your damn rice!

3points

g90814 3 years ago

Uncle Roger, is that you?

1point

Anna Banana 3 years ago

"You don't know how it has been stored"? How does that influence the rice?

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

whew... at least you're not bitter about it. Oh and by the way... No.

0points

Kady LaHaie 3 years ago

Brown rice is a scam. You cook it and cook it and cook it and your stove gets all nasty and it's exactly the same as white rice nutritionally

2points

Helen Downey 3 years ago

And still not f*n cooked. Bullets.

1point

More! 3 years ago

Wash all rice. www.nutrition facts.org ‘rice plants are really good at sucking it (arsenic) out of the ground—so much so that rice can be used for “arsenic phytoremediation,” meaning you can plant rice on contaminated land as a way to clear arsenic from the soil’

2points

Tatiana Kouzmanoff 3 years ago

Asians are the rice experts, and they wash the rice. Listen to the experts.

1point

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

You are eating from a toilet...a rat's toilet. Those small, dark nuggets you occasionally find in uncooked rice? It's rat poop. Rinse your rice in hot tap water so you're not eating rat pee and pick through it so you're not eating rat poop.

0points

phil bishop 3 years ago

Steam rice in the oven rather than boiling. Twice the water to rice, and a glug ( technical term) of oil and salt and stream for 40 minutes. Always fluffy, never stogey.

0points

Lola 3 years ago

Wash the damn rice! The arsenic in it is cancerous. Washing removes a good portion of it.

0points

Shelli Aderman 3 years ago

I rarely rinse my rice.

0points

#40

I have spent years, years I tell you trying to perfect home-made pizza. Most recipes I've seen so far say "bake at 350 degrees F" which is utter nonsense. Pizza ovens bake the pizza at around 800 to 900 F. So I finally found out I could get a decent result at home by putting the oven on the highest temp - 500F, and put the pizza on the oven's lowest rack (my broiler is located in the bottom.) Then when the bottom crust is done I put the pizza in the broiler rack below and cook it about 3 mins to get the top done.

mistmanners Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago

I worked in a pizza place. We kept the pizza oven at 500F.

5points

iseefractalz 3 years ago

Unfortunately that just means you made bad pizza. Pizza is supposed to be cooked between 650-1100f, depending on the style. Deepdish and thin crust bar pizza's need lower temps and longer cook times, but proper sourdough, light yet crisp while still being foldable needs high temps to achieve that oven spring.

0points

John L 3 years ago

And use a pizza stone...they are not that expensive. I used to use unglazed stone tiles in my toaster oven

1point

iseefractalz 3 years ago

I did something similar, i got a pizza stone (can't find pizza steel in Europe very easily) and put it on the bottom of our oven, which has a heating element below the deck, and an exposed upper broiler element. I would let my oven preheat for 40-45 minutes (takes stone a while to heat up) then cook the pizza directly on the stone, for about 5-6 minutes, before transferring it directly to a rack, in the highest point below the broiler for 2-4 minutes. Worked decently enough until we could get a proper deck oven (surprisingly cheap from our commercial supply store) but now of course there are all the wood/propane pizza ovens to choose from. Most useful thing i found for getting the cheese looking like a professional made pie, use a mix of shredded (dry-ish) cheese, along with fresh mozz ) you need to press some of the liquid out to prevent soggy bottom, then just tear piece and put them around your pie 50-75g at most, then drizzle olive oil over the fresh hunks, so the cheese fries.=)

0points

LetsGoBrandon 3 years ago

cast iron pizza pan - heat it up at top temp, put the dough on it, put all the ingredients, then back in the oven :) Perfect crust!

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

My first job was hand tossed pizza. Our ovens were 700F.

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

Broiler on the bottom? Then I would not call it that. What do you call the top element? That is usually called the broiler. A restaurant broiler is always above.

0points

James Heinle 3 years ago

A home oven has the broiler in the bottom and rhe hear source comes from above it, the bottom of the oven for a gas oven. An electric oven has elements on the top and bottom.

0points

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

I make pizza at home. Pizza stone on the bottom rack, preheat to 550ºF so the stone gets hot. It takes 7-8 minutes.

0points

Tristan J 3 years ago

Depends how thick your crust is. Italian style pizzas will be better at really high temperatures for like 90 seconds, whereas a deep pan will need to be longer at a lower temp.

0points

Kady LaHaie 3 years ago

I use a bread dough recipe and sprinkle it with garlic and baked the crust by itself. Then I take it out of the oven, spread homemade sauce on it and cheese. Back in for 10 minutes.

0points

btaglln 3 years ago

Use a pizza stone and if you can use the cleaning temp of you oven "Pyrolisis". Check "Alex" on youtube (formely "Alex french guy cooking") He did a serie on pizza and is very interesting

0points

#41

"Don't salt your eggs before cooking them, it makes them tough". Whether I'm just making a quick diner-level omelette in a hot pan, or doing a low & slow stir for really tender eggs - salt scheduling has made zero difference. Jacques Pepin (hey, I love that guy, his Facebook vids are the cure for this evil age) I think got that promulgated, but plenty of folks have tested it and found it doesn't make a difference.

mcarterphoto Report

Final score:

11points

POST

shodokai 3 years ago

Well said. As with many of these cooking debates, I simply try it myself and see first hand how it plays out.

2points

ultravioletmaglite 3 years ago

But don't put salt on the bare yolk when you prep mayonnaise. It burns the yolk, and it's a bit difficult to make it consistent

1point

Amanda B Bench 3 years ago

I feel stupid, I will have to Google what promulgated means to understand this post... 😆

0points

John Kremm 3 years ago

Fluffy, tough, whatever. Salting the egg while it is cooking gives it a whole different flavor than waiting. I have found that lightly salting after putting the egg(s) in the pan enhances flavor. Also, just a sprinkle of garlic powder and a twist or shake of pepper at this stage really adds a depth to the fried egg. When you serve, the individual can add salt--if they want. Salt does not always add saltiness...it is best used to 'bloom' flavors during the process of cooking.

0points

Bunzilla 3 years ago

As someone who strongly dislikes fluffy eggs, I salt mine as they're cooking on low heat, when the whites are mid-way to white so that it's more spread throughout the egg. I've never had an issue with it making them tough. My fried eggs are very tender.

0points

#42

Measuring garlic. Just put as much in as your heart desires. Don't let words on a page tell you how too have a good time. More garlic!

TheRealZllim Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Kira Okah 3 years ago

A Solo Garlic (the garlic where the whole bulb is a single clove) is termed "a good start" in this house! :P

12points

shodokai 3 years ago

My kinda house!

1point

Amanda B Bench 3 years ago

I have found that dehydrated garlic slices are super good in salads. They add that crunch factor and that wonderful taste!

0points

Mike Beck 3 years ago

Gags. I like garlic as a seasoning but once I can taste garlic distinctly ... that stuff's nasty!

0points

Benita Valdez 3 years ago

Yes. I use a half to whole bulb every dish. Garlic in the U.S. isn't as potent unless you get from a farmer so people in other countries think we're crazy. But honestly any garlic that is store bought here is really mild do a whole bulb isn't overpowering

0points

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

Everything here is ‘mild’. The carrots don’t taste like carrots. The onions have no bite. Either you get organic, which is expensive, or add ‘flavours’ to make it taste good. No wonder a lot of food is loaded with cheese and tomato sauce to make it taste good.

0points

Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago

Well said.

0points

#43

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Your burgers and steak need more than salt and pepper. Worcestershire sauce, aromatics garlic, onions, etc.

Castlenomics , PK Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Monday 3 years ago

Your burgers and steak might need more than salt and pepper but mine sure as heck do not.

10points

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago (edited)

Must just be a matter of preference. I think a well prepared quality steak is amazing with just salt. Burgers too, but I cook my burgers over diced onion and poblano. I'll slightly pre-cook the veg. before I add the burger patties, so by the time it's all done, the onion is brown and sweet as sugar.

1point

Alex K 3 years ago

also: vinegar. makes burgers much softer

2points

Sue User 3 years ago

Depends on where you are getting your meat. From a good butcher, its fine. Supermarket, better add seasoning.

1point

shodokai 3 years ago

Well said. Minced onions in the patty, vinegar, soy... so many things to play with...

0points

Brian Michael 3 years ago

Nopety nopety nope

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

Why would you say this? Next you are going to tell me what to put on my veggies. Personal taste is what matters. Hell, I don't even cook my burgers the same twice in a row, seasoning wise.

0points

Raiden Prime 3 years ago

You need to master salt and pepper before you start to add other stuff. Get it to taste great with just salt and pepper, then you're ready...

0points

Izzy Curer 3 years ago (edited)

I like to add a pinch of malic acid. It tastes like lemon or vinegar, but it comes in a crystalized powder that looks like salt. It's great for meat because it stays in place during cooking, unlike liquid which drains away. Lemon especially seems to carmelize and change flavors when heated, which isn't always desirable. I bought a thing of it online years ago, which has lasted forever. You only ever need a tiny bit.

0points

#44

That your supposed to rinse pasta after you cook it.

Farkleinmypants Report

Final score:

10points

POST

Cicimelia 3 years ago

Cold rinsing will stop your pasta from continuing to cook by reducing the residual heat, which is great for pasta to be eaten later, like pasta salad or leftovers. As for sticking together, whether rinsed or unrinsed, the starches will glue the noodles together unless the noodles are coated with something like oil or sauce.

12points

James Heinle 3 years ago

Rinsing your pasta stops the cooking process. It will also make your spaghetti cold and who wants cold spaghetti. You should only rinse your pasta if you are using it for a cold pasta dish like pasta salad.

0points

dieFledermaus 3 years ago

I toss the pasta in the colander till most of the steam stops.

0points

Zaza 3 years ago

Rinsing it with cold water helps to prevent the pasta sticking together. But you really don't have to if you don't want to

0points

#45

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Leaving meat out for 15-30 min to “come to room temperature.” The internal temp of the meat stays low for a lot longer than that. This doesn’t speed up cooking or cause more even cooking. You can speed it up and make it more even by flipping more frequently, though. That means searing comes at the end. Regardless of all that, resting the meat after cooking is a best practice.

CaliTexJ , Javon Swaby Report

Final score:

10points

POST

btaglln 3 years ago

Still taking out the ingredients of the fridge before cooking is good. Especially for cheeses and desserts

2points

Ogre Juan Canolli 3 years ago

Mise en place

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

Rest it after cooking. Let it 'sweat' a bit for perfection. Least that's how we most enjoy it.

0points

Amanda Nolting 3 years ago

You're supposed to let some meats come to room temperature first because it loosens the molecules and allows the natural juices in the meat to redistribute before you cook it.

0points

#46

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS That you're supposed to fluff your rice with a fork just before it's done cooking. This is unnecessary and also kinda dumb because then you're moving around uncooked parts with cooked parts, resulting in unevenly cooked rice. Also whoever is draining water from their rice and thinks this is normal needs to be imprisoned. I swear I saw a viral video a couple years ago of a tv cook doing this.

ThrowRARAw , Faris Mohammed Report

Final score:

10points

POST

Mama Penguin 3 years ago

I've never heard of fluffing your rice with a fork before it's done cooking. I've always heard to do it after.

11points

Zedrapazia 3 years ago

I remember that video too. And a reaction of a Japanese guy who watched the video and then asked why she's "murdering" the rice. Really, people, rice isn't pasta, don't do that!

2points

Dellon 3 years ago

There are different types of rice and different methods of preparing them all over the world. Some dishes with specific grains should be drained.

1point

shodokai 3 years ago

I have a rice cooker and never touch the rice until it's run it's cycle and is finished. Rice has been perfect every time, ever since. Wish I'd have embraced a rice cooker decades ago.

0points

Ozzie Ogawa 3 years ago

Just get a rice cooker and follow the instruction. After your first experience using that rice cooker you could adjust the water for how wet and dry you want that rice to be, and some rice cooker can be a little different on how much rice : water ratio depends on the design. Fluffier rice works better for dry meal like fried stuff. Drier rice works better for brothy meal since it can absorb some of the liquid.

0points

More! 3 years ago

I think this one is made up. Nobody ever said fluff before cooked..

0points

Sue User 3 years ago

I lived with a girl who boiled and drained her rice like pasta.

0points

#47

My parents still insist on making biscuss using Bisquik. It produces the driest biscuits I've ever had. Biscuits are supposed to be butteray and flaky. Not dried hockey pucks.

G-Unit11111 Report

Final score:

8points

POST

LH25 3 years ago

I use Bisquik to make strawberry shortcakes. They turn out great, key is to not overbake them.

1point

Irish Lad 3 years ago

Try my wife's scones. She blames the US flour. She may have a point as the Irish scones are better.

0points

#48

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS That potatoes can "suck" salt out of an over salted dish. They don't. They can't. All they do is add volume, and potatoes are naturally not very salty.

sbenzanzenwan , Emile Mbunzama Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Zaza 3 years ago

I disagree. I have used potatoes for this reason a few times and it really can work, you just have to leave them in long enough

13points

Laura Ketteridge 3 years ago

You are meant to remove the 'sacrificial' potato afterwards. And it does work.

8points

No Thankyou 3 years ago

Yeah...this one is BS. For the same reason above that dry brining makes chicken better. Placing an unsalted thing in a salty environment causes the salt to migrate into the unsalted thing until equilibrium is reached. Discarding the potato after this process means the water is left with less salt in it. Try again!

3points

Brian Michael 3 years ago

Literally tested this live in culinary school. It does, it did, and you should.

2points

Amanda Nolting 3 years ago (edited)

They don't. They absorb some of the salt water. When you remove the potatoes, you remove a lot of the liquid. Which has to be replaced. When you add more water, you dilute the salt. A potato doesn't have the ability to just absorb the salt.

1point

NOLAHusker 3 years ago

Completely disagree. I've saved a couple of gumbos this way.

1point

Amanda B Bench 3 years ago

I've never even heard of that trick before, but good to know! Although I love salt a little too much so rarely find a dish "over salted"...

0points

M Dream 3 years ago

of course they do, carrots and other veggies would do the same thing, adding some water with them

0points

#49

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS If you're not dry brining your meats before you cook them, you're missing out. ESPECIALLY applies to chicken.

Sweepslap , Paul Hermann Report

Final score:

6points

POST

Benita Valdez 3 years ago

If it's dry it's a rub or just seasoning. Brining involves liquid

6points

Zero 3 years ago

If it's primarily salt-based, whether dry or liquid, it's defined as brining. One of the reasons it's considered a brine is that the salt draws water out of the meat, which dissolves some of the salt into a semi liquid brine, which then gets partially reabsorbed back into the meat. But there's also a time factor. If it's done not long before cooking, it's a dry rub. If done a long time before, it's a brine. And then if it's (non-salt) acid centric, it's a marinade.

3points

troufaki13 3 years ago

Can someone explain please?

3points

Zaza 3 years ago (edited)

It's "pre-salting" your meat. Just like marinating it, except with dry salt

4points

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago

Yep, just coat with salt and let it soak in for 30 minutes. Then pat dry before cooking. Delicious!

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

A new fad that the Brazilians' and others have been doing for ages.

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

Brine for the win

0points

#50

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Add rice to the boiling water... No, no, no, no .. it's a bad way to cook rice. For the past 30 years I have been cooking rice like this: Put the desired amount of rice in the pot. Rinse them thoroughly with cold water to remove as much "rice dust" as possible. Then add cold water toothed rice, so they are covered by approximately 2,5cm/ 1 inch of cold water. Add salt and put on a lid. Put the pot on the stove at medium heat. Let it come to a boil while stirring every now and then. When all the water has been sacked up by the rice, turn of the heat and let the pot sit for 10 minutes with the lid on. It only takes 20 minutes to cook rice this way instead of 25-30 minutes, and they come out perfectly cooked every single time!! Oh yeah... bad tip nr. 2 I've learned to no longer follow... "make the sauce/ gravy" as the very last part of the meal. No, no, no, no .... for the past 4 years I've learned to ALWAYS start cooking the whole meal with the onions and other veggies or herbs for the sauce/ gravy. It takes a long time to get that deep flavor to bind everything together, and a good sauce can lift a meal from "plain everyday quick meal" to "restaurant quality home cooking".

Tuznelda75 , Teona Swift Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Kira Okah 3 years ago (edited)

Wash it, put it in the rice cooker with water, turn it on, and you don't have to faff around with pans and water order and whatever fluff. Much better.

8points

Nikki Sevven 3 years ago

A cup of rice, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon butter. Bring to the boil, stir, lid tightly, and walk away for 20 minutes. Perfectly done every time.

2points

Luísa Baunilha 3 years ago

I just substitute the butter for olive oil but that's it. That's how you do a perfect rice. :9

0points

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago

To get the perfect rice, I remember 3, 2, 7, 8, 10. 3 cups of water, 2 cups of rice, 7 minutes on high (starting with everything cold), 8 minutes on a very low simmer, and 10 minutes with no heat. This is all with the lid on.

0points

LH25 3 years ago

Rinse the rice, put in a pot in a 3/4 ratio. IE 3 cups rice to 4 cups water. Bring to a boil on high heat, cover and reduce to low. 25 minutes later you have great rice.

0points

Shelli Aderman 3 years ago

Rice cooker!

0points

Rizzan 3 years ago

"toothed rice"? Then I realized it was just a spelling error.

0points

#51

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS That searing meat seals in the juices. I mean, seared meat is delicious but the more you sear the drier it's gonna be.

Maxfunky , Salamatu Gwadah Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Laura Ketteridge 3 years ago

It does not 'seal in the juices'. The improvement in taste is caused by the Maillard reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.

8points

Irish Lad 3 years ago (edited)

Alton Brown did a test to see if searing kept moisture in and proved it didn't but I go for the taste it creates. But for heavens sake, don't press down on the meat!

0points

#52

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Putting milk/cream in scrambled eggs. Completely unnecessary if cooked with proper technique.

jbm_the_dream , Sincerely Media Report

Final score:

5points

POST

btaglln 3 years ago

A little bit of milk (like just a spoon) goes a long way to make scrambled eggs and omelette easier

11points

Kristin Ingersoll 3 years ago

And fluffier.

2points

Shelli Aderman 3 years ago

Adding a bit of milk or cream just makes them tastier!

3points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

This is a matter of taste.

2points

Kira Okah 3 years ago

Must admit that I have never seen scrambled eggs made with anything but an egg that has been scrambled. People add milk to it? Forgive me but how does that taste?

1point

Zero 3 years ago

Different styles from around the world. French style scrambled shoots for a kind of custardy fluffy. Adding a touch of milk before adding to the pan gives it a tiny bit of fluff but nothing like French style. Personally I just want egg, butter, and tabasco.

0points

Amanda B Bench 3 years ago

I always add heavy cream to eggs then beat them before cooking, makes them so much fluffier and can make two eggs seem like three! But I like mine a little more moist too...

0points

Karl Leaning 3 years ago

scrambled eggs with milk tastes better than scrambled eggs without. sue me.

0points

Vetus Vespertilio 3 years ago

I’ve never met any two people who do them the same. Personally, I add a quarter cup milk to 6 eggs, and cook them slowly over low heat. Just before they’re ready to come off the heat, I stir in a tablespoon of butter, half a teaspoon each fresh ground salt and pepper, and a teaspoon of fresh chopped thyme or rosemary. When he cooks, my husband finishes them with two tablespoons of fresh shredded parmesan cheese.

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

But it's so lovely and tasty.

0points

Barbara L Bristow 3 years ago

Add that teaspoon of water instead

0points

Piet Puk 3 years ago

One tip; after scrambling tranfer to a cold bowl and add a spoon of cold butter to bring the temperature down. And it tastes great!

0points

#53

That pork chops have to be cooked to shoe leather. Store bought is sage. I have changed opinions by grilling mine to medium and they are very juicy. Actually, probably that most meats are overdone.

Foxgirltori Report

Final score:

3points

POST

Kira Okah 3 years ago

People still remember trichinosis infections and it is bloody terrifying. It is safer now but some don't want to take the risk. With meats that are safe to eat undercooked - which is certainly not all of them - the opinion of overcooked depends wholly on the diner. Some would say anything more cooked than "still mooing" is overdone, and fair for them. Some wouldvsay "fully cooked" is a minimum, and that is fair for them too.

7points

Robert T 3 years ago

Depends very much where you get your pork from. Cooked through would be my preference, much like cooking chicken.

2points

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago

The USDA recommends 145 F for chops. You can go slightly higher, and they'll still be tender and juicy. Chops are pretty forgiving.

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

There hasn't been a case of trichinosis in the US in decades. Medium pork is quite safe and oh so good. In Iowa they have an Iowa Chop that is about 2" thick. Grill that baby to medium, like a beef steak and it is near heaven.

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

Most meats are overdone. I won't touch chicken or pork that isn't well done. Was nearly killed by undercooked chicken once. That's all it takes to learn that I prefer it well done and safe. Soft chicken still causes my gag reflex... my body steadfastly remembers the danger.

0points

Jane Jane 3 years ago

Store bought is sage?

0points

#54

Using a frying pan… As a drying pan

CK-Prime Report

Final score:

3points

POST

CG 3 years ago

OK there, Brock.

0points

Hobby Hopper 3 years ago

I think this one needs more explanation.

0points

#55

30 Popular Cooking Tips That People Claim Are Actually BS Putting lemon slices on fish. No idea why people do that. The sushi shop I used to order at always put a slice of lemon on top of my salmon chirashi bowl, which resulted in the salmon under it to get really discolored, ugly and kinda tough to chew, and tasted more like lemon than salmon in the end.

Shadowcat514 , Travis Yewell Report

Final score:

0points

POST

Zero 3 years ago

Besides being traditional, the lemon is for you to squeeze on as desired. The splash of acid makes the flavors really pop and goes will with fish, but some people don't like it. But cooking the lemon wedge on there... no thanks.

9points

BlackestDawn 3 years ago

Right, so they should add a wedge of lemon and not a slice. Pretty sure the complaint here is about slices specifically not lemons in general.

0points

Ogre Juan Canolli 3 years ago

Most Places Don't Wash Lemons/Limes Before Cutting

0points

Irish Lad 3 years ago

How could the lemon make the salmon tough to chew? And it is discolored. How long was it sitting there, an hour? Who is writing this stuff?

0points

shodokai 3 years ago

um... huh?

0points

LeeAnne B 3 years ago

I've never understood the lemon on fish thing.. much less mint sauce on lamb but I'm an uncultured swine.

0points

Vetus Vespertilio 3 years ago

Lemon juice is excellent on haddock, and a must-have on shrimp. I also enjoy it more than melted butter with steamed clams. I would never cook the lemon slices, though. That kills the tartness and makes the fish turn funny colours.

0points

Sue User 3 years ago

They were making cerviche for you. The lemon was " cooking" the salmon.

0points

#56

Myth: adding milk to scrambled eggs makes them fluffier. It ACTUALLY makes them less fluffy.

bcg524 Report

Final score:

-2points

POST

Izzy Curer 3 years ago (edited)

Well, that's just not true at all. I've done them both ways. Milk makes them both fluffier and juicier. Without milk makes them meatier and a little more flavorful. I prefer without milk, but with cheese.

16points

Kristin Ingersoll 3 years ago

Agreed.

0points

Kimi Tomminello 3 years ago (edited)

It totally makes them fluffier. I love fluffy scrambled eggs. I always use milk for scrambled. Not for omelets or fried eggs but always for scrambled. I will die on this hill by myself I don't care.

2points

Jo Johannsen 3 years ago

I prefer a splash of water instead of milk, so I don't get a puddle of liquid around them on the plate.

0points