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Imagine that you’re a fan of cooking reality shows. You’ve watched people make the most amazing dishes, all with their signature twists on tried-and-tested recipes. Naturally, you want to follow in their footsteps. But after a few meltdowns in the kitchen, you feel like your confidence has hit rock bottom. And you’re not sure what you’re doing wrong!
The chefs from the ‘Life Pro Tips’ online community shared some of their best pieces of advice for home cooking that include brilliant ways to up your gastronomic game. Scroll down for their best insights and a reminder to never give up on doing your best in the kitchen.
Bored Panda got in touch with the author of the viral thread, u/samgarita, and they were happy to share their thoughts on cooking with us. You'll find our full interview with the OP as you read on.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Clean up as you cook.
Papa 1 year ago
Yep. This is a big one. Cooking is much more pleasant if don't have a big mess to clean up when you're finished. I think this applies to most people, but if you'd rather clean up later, go for it.
Gianna B D 1 year ago
I wish people would stop saying this like it's some big, universal truth. Reasons why I don't do this: 1. I might need that thing again. 2. I don't always have time because I'm busy cooking. 3. When my well-meaning husband tries to do it for me, he always chooses a time when I need either the sink or the trashcan under the sink. 4. He just washed that thing I still need. 5. Let's say I do have time to clean a few things at a time. Each wash would require me to either dry my hands afterward or put on and take off gloves. That sounds super inefficient to me. 6. Sometimes I like having a few minutes of downtime when I cook. 7. Doing all the dishes after dinner takes all of five minutes. All of this is to save five minutes?
Cerridwn d'Wyse 1 year ago
So tired of this. If it works for you you do it. If it doesn't work for you you don't do it. It's not a tip
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
Every real chef looks like they haven’t done a thing, even though they may have fed an army. I will not debate this.
JayWantsACat 1 year ago
Personally, this really works for me. It gives me so much peace of mind to finish cooking and eating and not have a whole set of other things I still need to get to. I usually do the dishes for the day before I go to bed as part of my routine. Kind of a clarity of space, clarity of mind type thing to help me get to sleep.
Nel Cameron 1 year ago
Not always doable. I don't have a dishwasher. It's all hand washed. If I'm catering a party or big dinner, there's no time to clean up. I'm already doing two or three things at once. After it's all made and ready, I can clean up. Nice thought though.
The author of the viral thread opened up to Bored Panda that they've always liked cooking, even as a child. "Though, my parents weren’t that artistically inclined in the kitchen and unfortunately hardly cooked. Meaning no cooking knowledge was passed down to me," u/samgarita said.
The OP told us that they're currently 33 years old and that they feel like a few years ago, before the rise of YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok food videos, cooking wasn't very popular in their age group.
"But having just graduated from college, eating out at a restaurant or ordering got pretty pricey fast, at least in the US," the redditor told us. “One day, a friend taught me the proper way to cut an onion, and that was kind of an ‘aha!’ moment for me.”
RELATED:
#2
Marry someone who loves cooking.
Donkey boi 1 year ago
But don't make them do all the cooking all the time. Otherwise a love might turn into a chore.
#3
Most of cooking is prep work. So, have all the ingredients and necessary utensils handy.
Alison Key 1 year ago (edited)
Thank you for the laugh - you made me spit out my water.
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Valerie G. 1 year ago
and read the recipe first, twice. Then you have to read the instructions, also twice. This way you have all the ingredients and know which steps you need to do to get the desired results.
Shayla Katherina 1 year ago
To make it easier, read the recipe and combine the ingredients that go into the pan/pot in one container to cut down on the cleanup after.
Philly Bob Squires 1 year ago
"Mess in (my) place..." My food is good but the kitchen always looks like a bomb hit it!
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
Mis en place. Everything in its place. If you aren’t prepared you aren’t cooking.
According to u/samgarita, it was at that moment that they realized that there is "a science and right way to do things in the kitchen." This inspired them to start watching videos on YouTube so that they could get better in the kitchen.
"Once you learn some tips and tricks, cooking becomes even more fun."
Though the OP doesn't consider themselves an expert in the kitchen, they still had a very practical piece of advice for new chefs. In their opinion, one mistake that many people make is not cleaning as they go.
"'Cooking is fun, but the cleaning after—ugh!' is probably what I hear the most," the redditor told Bored Panda. "Cleaning as you go makes a huge difference."
#4
Keep your knives sharp. And always respect them.
Paul C. 1 year ago
And remember a falling knife has no handle. Unless your cat is in the kitchen and you automatically use your extraordinary football skills to save her (suffering only a small cut to the top of your foot as you emulate Messi cushioning the ball to safety)😎😣🙁
Hugh Cookson 1 year ago
Well done for saving your mastercat. As an ex Chef with 37 years before the stove at pretty much every level, I've seen two bad examples of people trying to catch knives instead of getting all of their extremities out of the way along with way too much stupid stuff over the years. The first one was a young Chef who knocked his brand new ham slicer (long blade, very sharp) off of his work station and, thankfully was a bit slow in trying to grab it and only lost the top of two fingers (unattachable as they'd been sort of mixed up with kitchen floor detritus in the general melee to stop him bleeding) the second was an experienced but very cocky Chef who dropped a 12 inch, heavy Chefs knife (a Sabattier as I recall) and grabbed it on the way down ; he managed to sever all of the palm side tendons in his right hand / fingers, along with tissue and bone damage , there was so much blood that we had to close the kitchen for the night. never worked as a Chef again. Result.
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Zara VP 1 year ago
Not necessarily. Someone who is knew to cooking may not know this.
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Philip Rutter 1 year ago
Define "sharp", please. :-) Unless everyone in the kitchen has the same understanding- fingers will bleed.
JayWantsACat 1 year ago
"Ironically", a sharp knife is a safe knife. Being sharp allows you way more control than a dull one that can still cut you sliding all over the place.
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
Don’t ever catch a knife. Don’t wear flip flops. Yes I’ve done both, no I haven’t lost any digits by some miracle.
#5
A falling knife doesn’t have a handle. Get out the way quickly and wait.
Justin Tyme 1 year ago
I have a skill for sharpening knives. A couple months ago I had just finished sharpening a knife to a razor sharp edge when I dropped it. I grabbed for the knife as a reflex action. I did get the handle, but I stabbed myself in the leg.
#6
Ex - chef here. - Make sure you have a cloth and disinfectant nearby and clean after each job. - Have two containers or bowls behind the chopping board or just to the side for the ingredient cutoffs and general waste. At the end just dispose the contents of both bowls in the appropriate bins. This is more efficient, as you won't have to keep running around the kitchen to throw things away. Not to mention safer - Never carry knives or hot pans around the kitchen without telling everyone in the vicinity that you are doing so. This is so no one gets hurt. Communication is key. - Keep your knives sharp. A cut from a sharp knife is much better than one from a blunt one. Please don't use a knife block, it's a bacterial orgy in there. - Be mindful of the temperature of the pans, understand what hot looks like. - Place pans on the stove with the handles facing the wall behind the stove. This is so if anyone walks by the stove the pans don't flick off and the contents spill on them. - Weighing is your friend, especially when doing bakery or pastry. - Be mindful of cross contamination, clean and disinfect as and when. Especially with high risk foods. - Understand the 14 main allergens and design a plan when preparing food. When, how and where. - WASH YOUR HANDS, TIE YOUR HAIR Back, COVER WOUNDS WITH BLUE, STERILE PLASTERS AND REMOVE WATCHES AND RINGS. This should go without saying but I have witnessed these bad habits all-too-often, and I'm still in horror of it. There are some truly grim people out there, chefs included. Ultimately have fun, cooking shouldnt be a chore, it's exciting and wonderful. The pleasure you can attain from it is unparalleled. It's a great skill to harness and is extremely useful not to mention an attractive trait.
Regina Holt 1 year ago
I have trained my cats that when I say "cooking" they stay out of the kitchen. No more getting in the way
Heather Talma 1 year ago
Perks of having a small kitchen: I just turn around to throw things away.
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
Yup - together with staining stuff (beetroot anyone?) the only thing that justifies gloves.
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Another piece of wisdom that u/samgarita shared with us has to do with peeling ginger. “Last year, I was cooking with my girlfriend, who taught me how to peel ginger with a spoon so you don’t slice your fingers with a knife, and I thought, ‘Hey, let’s ask the Reddit community what they learned and [to] share their ideas,’” they said.
“I never knew it was going to blow up the way it did, but it definitely made me really happy that there’s so much passion for cooking, and I loved the ideas.”
If you want to start your home cooking ‘career’ on the right foot, you need to be willing to follow instructions. When you’re first starting out, everything can seem overwhelming. It’s best to start slow and cook a handful of incredibly simple dishes to get a feel for your tools, the ingredients, and the techniques.
What’s important here is that you follow the recipe instructions as given. At least at first! Then, when you think you’ve got a handle on things, you can start experimenting a bit. It’s often said that cooking is an art, but baking is a science. So keep that in mind and allow yourself more flexibility or attentiveness as needed.
#7
Use the APPROPRIATE amount of heat. I see too many people cook everything on high “to make sure it’s done” lol
TheCrazyBunnyLady 1 year ago (edited)
Chemical engineer here: time for some kitchen physics! Once a liquid boils, it won't get hotter until it has all evaporated to gas. That's because at the boiling point, all energy goes towards the phase change. ▪️▪️▪️So if the water in your pot is boiling, you can turn down the heat. There's no "hotter boil", you only get more bubbles because more water is turning into gas. Keeping the heat high wastes energy and makes your house more humid.
#8
Don't throw water on an oil/grease fire.
Phoenix 1 year ago
Yes. I keep a fridge pack of baking soda which is easy to get to. I don't have to reach near the flames to get to it.
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Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
Wet a dish towel quickly, lay it over the top, and don't move it until it's had PLENTY of time to cool down.
Mrs. Ginger McSarcasm 1 year ago
I believe turning off the heat source would help too, right?
Load More Replies... Philip Rutter 1 year ago
yeesh. Really don't. AND - have a working fire-extinguisher IN the kitchen- where you can find it fast.
#9
If you leave the kitchen while something is cooking because it needs time, set the egg timer. Every time.
Ace 1 year ago
Your sarcasm seems to be unappreciated, even unnoticed? Here, have an upvote for balance.
Load More Replies... Valerie G. 1 year ago
This is something I had to drill into hubby's head. He was always forgetting he had something on the go, or how long it had been cooking.
TheCrazyBunnyLady 1 year ago
Daughter of a fireman here: just stay in the kitchen. Cooking requires 100% attention. Sometimes a pot boils dry, or it spills and extinguishes the flame. In many older stoves there's no thermocouple protection, and the gas will keep flowing even though the flame is out. If you're making a stew, put the pot in the oven or use a stew plate and use the lowest heat setting. You'll still have to check on your pot regularly though.
Cooking is as much about having the right mindset as it is about technical skills. Of course, it matters that one can wield a knife with grace and that you can juggle doing many small tasks all at once. But that sort of flow comes over time, with experience.
Before you gain all of that gastronomic wisdom and unshakable confidence, you need to prepare yourself for years of ups and downs. That means developing a growth mindset where you believe that you can develop all of your skills with enough hard work and perseverance.
#10
For those who use a lot of garlic, cut the “stem” end of the garlic before slightly smashing under your knife. The peel will slide right off
Burnt Cheese 1 year ago
Or throw a couple cloves into a small jar, put the lid on, and shake vigorously for a few seconds. The peels will come off.
WindySwede 1 year ago
No.. save the 'stem' and hold on to that when microplain:ing them 👍(then throw the stem in compost)
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
No it won’t. Real tip? In blind taste tests, nobody has ever been able to identify jarred garlic. Skip the wasted time on fresh garlic. Literally nobody can tell, and anybody who disagrees is just a pretentious liar.
#11
NO METAL UTENSILS ON THE NONSTICK PAN
Toothless Feline 1 year ago
Ceramic nonstick contains no PFAS. We use Green Pan, but there are others. Some dishes, such as omelets, really should be cooked in a nonstick pan. And nonstick lets you use less oil.
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Papa 1 year ago (edited)
Just cast iron and stainless steel for me. If you get it hot enough before adding your oil the food will rarely stick.
DUN DUN 1 year ago
Same goes for my mother, she has shifted max of her cooking back to cast iron
Load More Replies... #12
If your dish feels like it is missing something it’s probably acid. Squeeze some citrus and it will come into balance.
HTakeover 1 year ago
*why we gave ourselves lemons. Lemons aren't naturally occurring; we crossbred them into existence. So when life gives you lemons, realize someone is playing a prank on you and go & make a pie or limoncello.
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Another aspect of embracing a growth-oriented mindset in the kitchen is looking at mistakes in a different light. Mess-ups are inevitable. No matter whether you’re a veteran or a complete newbie, things won’t always go your way. Though we can do our best to prepare for any potential disasters, we won’t avoid all of them.
How you react to things not going your way, then, becomes vital. There’s a massive difference between becoming disheartened and breaking down when you burn your dinner and laughing at the fact while making a mental note to use the appropriate amount of heat next time. Failure isn’t bad. It’s an opportunity to develop our skills. We could all be kinder to ourselves and not take our mistakes so personally.
#13
The process of cooking ground beef is usually called "browning" but so many people are "graying" their ground beef. Gray beef is bad. Preheat the pan and toss big chunks of ground beef in. Don't break it up until you start to see the dark crusty brown. As soon as you start to see the dark brown crust, turn your big chunks until it happens again. Don't break up the ground beef until you have a good amount of crust developed. And when you do, ideally use a sharp metal spatula [in pans that accept this only!] "crushing" the ground beef will release moisture into the pan, boiling your beef instead.
Robert Millar 1 year ago
I usually make small patties of the ground beef/pork and brown them before taking them out and breaking them up with a special plastic tool that is shaped like a six-bladed fan. Sorry I don't know what it's called.
#14
My father had a saying growing up about cooking: Eat your mistakes. A large part of cooking is finding out what you like, what things taste like when you do it wrong, and thinking about your next attempt while eating your current disaster. Taste as you go. Find out what difference it makes when you add X. And soon enough you’ll know what will happen without having to monitor every little thing.
Other quicky tips:
• Butter is the world’s greatest food. Use it wisely.
• If you want something to taste super garlicky, add it in later on in the process. For a mellower garlic taste, add it early.
• Think about what you’re cooking for longer than the time it takes to cook it. Having a plan, mise, and all the steps lined up (in your head or written down) takes the frantic work out of it, and allows you to focus on the actual cooking.
• Have fun. It’s just food.
Papa 1 year ago
Isn't adding garlic early likely to cause it to burn? I'm asking, not arguing.
HTakeover 1 year ago
To elaborate on moggie63, garlic is sensitive to heat. So adding it directly to a pan, it'll cook fast. Which is why when you saute it with something else, like onions, you add it in the last couple of minutes. But if it's in a liquid, like soup or sauce, it's won't burn. Though like with onions, sauteing softens the sharp notes and brings out some of the caramelized flavors.
Load More Replies... L Coffeen 1 year ago
Julia Child said something along the lines of "a chef should never tie herself up in knots over her food. Most times it tastes better than she might think. And if it is awful she eats it with a grin." Basically don't apologize for the quality of your meal before you even present it. I always have to remind myself of this bc the first thing I will do when I sit at the table is tell everyone what mistake I made and apologize for the different taste. Bad habit.
A. Starhawk Hunt 1 year ago
I put garlic in early...middle....late.... Hard to out garlic me, but it has happened.
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
I prefer to believe there are no mistakes, but always lessons, and always opportunities for growth. Also, don’t serve me food if you don’t want input.
#15
Preparing everything and having them ready to go makes cooking a whole lot easier.
You see all those chefs with 20 years of experience in all those cooking shows cutting up vegetables and filleting a fish while already having a pan on the stove. Unless you're a professional chef and know how to control the heat and exactly how long everything takes to cook, don't do what they do.
Cut and slice everything beforehand. Marinate the meat. Lay everything out right next to you. Any sauces, liquids or seasonings also have them ready and within easy reach. So the moment you start cooking you can just focus on the cooking. You're less likely to panic when you don't have to worry about burning garlic because you're not done slicing the carrots yet.
Mrs. Ginger McSarcasm 1 year ago
It also help you make sure you have everything for dish beforehand instead of halfway through the cooking process
Which of the tips that we’ve featured in this list did you find the most useful, dear Pandas? Were there any that you personally rely on all the time at home? What cooking advice would you give someone who’s completely new to all of this? Feel free to share your wisdom in the comments! In the meantime, for some more advice from experienced chefs, take a look through Bored Panda’s earlier post. Though, be careful—you might get fired up to become a kitchen pro after that!
#16
Measure spices & seasonings in advance, and if they're added at the same time - mix them all in one container. If you have the little spice jars with sprinkle lids, sprinkling over a steamy pot introduces moisture into the jar, and gums up the holes in the lid.
Most important for me though: Take advantage of the down time and CLEAN AS YOU GO! Nobody wants to clean the whole kitchen *after* dinner.
One more - I have a three dish towel system: one perfectly clean towel for drying rinsed knives/utensils/dishes, one clean enough to dry your hands, and one rag for wiping down countertops/cooktops or wiping out pans.
Mrs. Ginger McSarcasm 1 year ago
I usually start with one and it progresses down the line as I use it more. My problem is I leave them lying around on the counters for no reason
#17
Generously salt your pasta water and don't rinse it after straining
WindySwede 1 year ago
I would like to see a blind test of the salt part, just for funs.. and who rinses pasta for hot foods? (I can understand, and do it myself, for cold salads but only then..)
Ka Se 1 year ago
I do rinse because I dislike the sticky film that remains on the pasta after cooking.
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Me, Myself, & I 1 year ago
We tried this & concluded that there is no need to salt pasta water...all it does is raise the sodium level which isn't good. Taste isn't changed.
Mrs. EW 1 year ago
I stopped salting pasta water, after my mother in law dumped a c**p ton in it. The pasta was inedible to me. I find whatever sauce I make has enough salt to coat the pasta enough on its own. Haven’t had any complaints. Also, can’t stand when someone adds salt or butter to water for rice. It’s awesome plain. If you’re going to fry it afterwards, that’s when you add butter and seasonings.
L Coffeen 1 year ago
Mirin is good thing to add to rice water if your cooking any Asian dishes. It makes it taste like it came from a restaurant. Just a tablespoon or so is all you need.
Load More Replies... Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
Italians can’t cook. Rinse it. Use scalding hot water when you do. Have a pot of boiled water ready. Don’t argue, just try it. It’s better than that Italian drivel.
#18
Leave it alone, depending on the dish of course. A lot of people move what they are cooking way too often. You will have a hard time getting that nice caramelization if you keep touching it.
ScarletRos 1 year ago
I shared a house with a chef and she constantly told me off for things too much.
BookFanatic 1 year ago
My best friend is a chef. We shared an apartment the first year out of college and I ended up banning her from the kitchen when it was my turn to cook meals.
Load More Replies... Nitka Tsar 1 year ago
My husband always interfears in my cooking. „Flip that thing right back over snd leave my kitchen, you cretin!“
#19
My life was changed when i bought a pepper mill. Freshly grind pepper makes the dishes so good (just don't over do it!)
Also, this might not be a good tip for you, but when i lived alone i didn't had much stuff, just what i needed. This way, i made sure to always keep my utensils clean. I was not allowed to pile them dirty
Papa 1 year ago
This is a big one, and should be much higher than #30. There is no comparison between the pre-ground pepper and freshly ground. I learned this recently, and will never use anything else.
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
Apparently piperine (pepper's main aromatic compound) is extracted from pepper corns and sold for medicinal purposes. Kicker is: these pepper corns - now lacking their main component - get ground and sold for culinary purposes. They can't do it with the full corns (at least not where I live - pesky EU consumer protection laws), but ground pepper is a legal loophole, as it's already processed. (Source: on German TV there's a whole show, starring food chemist Sebastian Lege, about the food industry's tricks. His analyses and recreations of popular staples from puddings to chicken nuggets to bubble gum are quite entertaining and educational)
Load More Replies... JayWantsACat 1 year ago
I second this. I was at Trader Joe's and needed salt and pepper but they only had mills, not pre-ground (which I've always used). The first time I had fresh ground pepper (at home) it blew my mind how much better it us.
Becky Samuel 1 year ago
Two grinders. One for white pepper and one for black. The flavour profiles are different and suit different dishes.
HTakeover 1 year ago
It makes a big difference but only if grinding right after toasting. Don't toast then let them sit in the grinder for extended periods. Otherwise you end up losing some of the flavor because you released the oils & altered them, only for them to sit and lose that potency.
Load More Replies... #20
When browning meat, the little bits that get stuck to the bottom of the pan/pot are called fond and they're packed with flavor. Deglaze the pan with a liquid (water works, but something a little acidic is better, like wine or even water with some lemon or tomato paste, depending on your dish). Pour in that liquid and scrape the bottom of the pan to get the fond up and into the liquid so it can absorb back into the meat for more flavor and added moisture. Now, that's not to say that burned bits on the bottom of the pan will taste good...that should be tossed. But the little brown bits can bring a lot of flavor to the dish.
David Hurley 1 year ago
There will not be any fond in that pan that is pictured above. Waaay too much overcrowding in the pan. Do a little at a time.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
That looks like a nonstick pan, so there wouldn't be any fond even without overcrowding.
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Auntriarch 1 year ago (edited)
We call them scrummy bits, and they are produced by the process of scrummification
Load More Replies... #21
Keep a “garbage bowl” with you at your prep station. I love just tossing scraps of veggies into the bowl instead of opening and closing and going to the garbage can every time I need to toss something.
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
I often take two bowls: one for aromatic/flavourful scraps (carrot peels, parsley stems, bones, tendons,...), one for the truly unsavable stuff (dirt encrusted celeriac, carrot tops gone green b/c bitter, ...). Scraps get saved in the freezer until enough has accumulated > cook soup/stock.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
We reuse our screwtop protein powder containers for compostable scraps, then keep it in the fridge until it's full. Eggshells, veg scraps, coffee grounds, etc. We currently have about 10 yards of gorgeous soil for our veg garden this summer.
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
Have a trash can next to you. What’s with all these people wasting time moving trash around with bowls?
#22
When cooking something for the first time, follow the recipe precisely. If it says add an ingredient to taste, start low and add more later. You can't unsalt a dish. When you get comfortable, you can make adjustments.
Nikki Sevven 1 year ago
With enough cooking experience, you reach the point where you can look at a recipe and tell whether or not it'll work. "Add chopped onions and garlic to the pan." Nope. The garlic will burn long before the onions even have color.
Nel Cameron 1 year ago
Salt to taste, but to whose taste? I add very little but enough for flavour. Easy enough to add later. Some folk (me, included), shouldn't have much salt because of medical problems .
A. Starhawk Hunt 1 year ago
I'm one of them. But, addiction is a powerful thing....
Load More Replies... WindySwede 1 year ago
I don't like recipes that just state *salt*and not the amount. It's no science how much salt should be added. I know it's after taste, but you ghrn would know if you like it salty or bland (😏) and you unjust according? 🧂🧂🧂
Ace 1 year ago
I would really dislike any recipe that did specify exactly how much salt ti use, except perhaps for bread dough and similar where it's not just there for the taste.
Load More Replies... Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
If you found a recipe online, double the salt in the recipe, and double the garlic in the recipe. Otherwise stick to it.
#23
Iceberg lettuce. Store in a Ziploc style bag. Place a lightly folded paper towel in the bag and remove as much of the air before sealing.
It'll last so much longer.
Papa 1 year ago
I avoid iceberg lettuce. If I'm making a salad I'd rather just use fresh spinach.
Britney Liedtke 1 year ago
It actually works great with all the leafy greens. I use this storage method with my spinach and arugula. Keeps them fresh for so much longer
Load More Replies... Toothless Feline 1 year ago
Iceberg is the worst lettuce. It has less nutritional value than celery and no flavor at all. Literally the only thing it adds to a dish is crunch, and that only sometimes. Romaine hearts have just as much crunch, more flavor, and oodles more nutrients.
Regina Holt 1 year ago
Iceberg lettuce is good for sandwiches and burgers. It adds a good texture to the sandwich. the only other use for it for me is to put a little in a salad just to add a different texture to the mix
#24
Cooking on high will not get the food done quicker it will just burn the food.
#25
Do not buy chicken broth!!! Buy chicken bouillon and mix it with water. You’re paying extra at the store for water - that’s it.
Ace 1 year ago
Depends. Your US terms may not translate into UK English, but freshly made liquid stock can be much better in some things than stock cubes or bouillon powder. Some high-end UK supermarkets sell it, not sure if it's the same as what you're referring to though. We don't normally get it here in France, but there is also "Fond" (de vollaille, de boeuf...) which contains some starch as well and is a great addition in some dishes. Horses for courses really.
HTakeover 1 year ago
Yep, depends is the right answer. There's a huge difference between bouillon brands and many are packed with more sodium and less quality than their cheap liquid counterparts. While some are better. For instance the little cubes are very low quality, while the brand Better than Bouillon is pretty good and you can get it in low sodium.
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Patricia Steward 1 year ago
Better yet, save bones in the freezer and make Bobby Flay's rich chicken stock. It's amazing.
Me, Myself, & I 1 year ago
Bouillon is too salty for those on a low salt diet...and broth tastes better.
Theora Fifty-five Johnson 1 year ago
Bouillon cubes are not as good as packaged broth. Better-Than-Bouillon is similar to packaged broth. Homemade broth is excellent.
Nel Cameron 1 year ago
Powdered bouillon is mostly salt and artificial flavour. Better Than Bouillon is much better. Still has salt but not the first ingredient. And made from real meat, not artificial stuff. Making your own is great but, it's time consuming and you have to have a freezer to store it. Sometimes you only need a little. BTB is great for that.
#26
A good, weighted, stainless steel pan can be as useful as a cr***y nonstick. Slowly heat the pan, never start hot and make sure to add fat (cooking spray, butter, etc). Also, a good rule of thumb: salt, fat, acid and heat make nearly every dish better. If something you've cooked seems to be lacking, you may be missing one of these components.
Alexander Brooks 1 year ago
Cast iron is for certain applications. If you only use one pan you’re not a chef.
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Kipper 1 year ago
I can't use cast iron because of the weight, I have wrist problems. My pans are ceramic, nothing sticks to them
E.V. 1 year ago
Same. I have 2 one is enameled. They're just collecting dust because they're too heavy for me.
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#27
A lot of food prep is a science—especially baking. Accurate measuring tools are essential. Get some good measuring spoons & cups, an inexpensive digital scale, a meat thermometer, a candy thermometer. I also have an inexpensive IR gun to measure surface temperature of pans and equipment. Also, check your oven’s accuracy with an oven thermometer and the old “parchment on a baking sheet” test to find hot/cold spots.
TheCrazyBunnyLady 1 year ago (edited)
Yep, I'm a chemical engineer and we had food science as a part of our curriculum. Cooking is surprisingly technical. For example: there are just a few degrees between caramelisation and the browning of the Maillard reaction. It's why you bake cakes at low heat, so the sugar doesn't get burnt. ▪️▪️▪️Another example: phase changes matter in the kitchen. If something is boiling, it'll stay at that temperature until all water has evaporated. It's why you pat dry your food with kitchen paper before you bake it. Otherwise the liquid on the outside will boil your food, and you won't get a nice browning until all liquid has evaporated. By that time your food is probably overcooked.
Darlene Vorm 1 year ago
What is "...the old “parchment on a baking sheet” test to find hot/cold spots"?
Ace 1 year ago
Measuring cups aren't necessary in most of the world - it's only really American recipes that use volume measures like this, the rest of use just measure everything on the (electronic) kitchen scale.
Auntriarch 1 year ago
Not really, I grew up with cups and spoons, my mother had a cone shaped measuring container that had volume measures on the inside for different foods. I still use both weight and volume. volume mostly for liquids
Load More Replies... Nel Cameron 1 year ago
I disagree only with "inexpensive digital scale". Spend the money, get a good one.
#28
Umami boosters. Veggimite, Marmite, nutritional yeast, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, &c. Add to savory dishes, especially sauces and soups, adds a layer of flavor the taster usually can’t place, but makes the dish 10x better.
Philip Rutter 1 year ago
And there is REALLY nothing at all wrong with plain MSG. The whole BS about "Chinese food will give you a stomach ache" - was a purely racist slur designed to cut into Chinese restaurants' success. No kidding. MSG is great- learn to use it.
JayWantsACat 1 year ago
And no, adding a small amount of something like fish sauce or soy sauce won't make your dish fishy or soy'y.
Diolla 1 year ago
My favourite is to add a little maggi or soy sauce to my pasta sauce. Sounds weird but tastes jummy.
HTakeover 1 year ago
If you haven't tried yet yet, next time you hit the store, try tamari sauce in place of soy sauce. unless you're running Shoyu or something premium.
Load More Replies... #29
Don't underestimate the importance of herbs and spices. The finer you chop garlic the more garlic you'll taste in your food. Fresh ginger is pretty much essential in Asian cuisine. Watch YouTube videos on different ways to cut vegetables and fruits. Cooking a dish with the top open will allow the water to evaporate from the food whereas keeping a lid on will contain the moisture in the pot. This can help you in your decision on how you want your dish. Use dried herbs to cook with and fresh herbs to cook with and garnish for extra flavour.
Becky Samuel 1 year ago
Frozen ginger is fine. Either freeze the root and grate as needed, or buy a bag of lre-chopped. Unless the recipe calls for big chunks of ginger nobody is going to taste the difference.
JayWantsACat 1 year ago
I used to waste so much ginger and garlic before I learned they can be frozen. Texture and taste isn't quite the same but it's perfectly fine in most cooked applications. You can, but I don't really eat them raw after freezing unless I need to because of that.
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Tom Clarke 1 year ago (edited)
If you see a Thai recipe that calls for ginger, or bell peppers, its not Thai. Neither are used in Thai cooking. Ever.
#30
Don't buy cheap pots, pans, utensils, etc. Get a GOOD chef's knife. Read (I would suggest starting with Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain) books from lists like: escoffier.edu/blog/world-food-drink/5-books-all-chefs-sbould-read Buy and use recipe books Explore different styles of food than you're used to eating. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! (which is much easier if you love to eat as much as I do)
nottheactualphoto 1 year ago
The book I started with was "Theory and Practice of Good Cooking" by James Beard. It has recipes, but it's largely a textbook about technique. It's organized by type of cooking (baking, boiling etc.) rather than the usual "primary ingredient" approach (meat, vegetables etc.). It's a little long in the tooth by now (as am I), but still highly recommended.
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Dani 1 year ago
Can you recommend any? I started looking and got overwhelmed with different grit levels etc
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Robin DJW 1 year ago
Please, someone tell me what are the good knives out there? You can't trust what it says on the box.
JayWantsACat 1 year ago
Honestly, a good place to start, in my opinion, are the gear reviews for America's Test Kitchen. They're not comprehensive because impossible to rate every single item but they go through their process, what they're looking for, and why they're each good and bad. And the best part is that they give their overall winner but also their best "budget" pick. If you find a good knife and take care of it, it'll last a VERY long time so it's worth an investment. And they rarely need to be sharpened unless they badly dulled or chipped. Just buy and use a honing steel to keep them "sharp":
Load More Replies... #31
Adding green onion to your 25 cent ramen packs makes you feel fancy.
#32
Try to time your steps so that you can do the dishes while stuff is cooking.
#33
Don't be afraid to experiment with your spice rack. Figure out what flavors go together, what your usual go-tos are, and what you can add to pre-made mixes to make them pop. Easy example - I found adding paprika to my Adobo seasoning whenever I grill chicken or pork tastes awesome. I can usually BS something to season my food with pretty easy at this point based on mood and what I'm eating with it.
Canandelabra 1 year ago
I smell my food while cooking, and then smell/taste my spices to see what would suit the dish if something is missing.
#34
Soaking is for schmucks. Do the dishes now loser.
Sandy D 1 year ago
If I want to let the dishes sit, I'm gonna. I don't care if some random person thinks make me a lioser
Mrs. Ginger McSarcasm 1 year ago
Soaking helps when you burn things. Just make sure you actually do them later and don't leave them overnight.
Ace 1 year ago
Not just burnt things. A casserole that's been in the oven for hours will need soaking for all the stuck-on splashed bits round the edge, a fondu pot will always need to soak off the croute remains, etc.
Load More Replies... Patricia Steward 1 year ago
My dishwasher won't take off some of that crud if it's not soaked.
#35
Boil a kettle before you start (if you need hot water) rather than waiting for water to boil on the stove
MushroomHead22 1 year ago
no. you should know if you need water or not. dont do this, you're wasting time and electricity.
Becky Samuel 1 year ago
A kettle is more economical to use than a pot on the stove because there is less heat loss and it automatically turns off when boiling.
Load More Replies... #36
Rinse your rice before cooking it. With most white rice you want to rinse it at least 3 times but I like to rinse it more. When the water is mostly clear, it's good to go. To measure the water you gently touch your index index finger to the rice. The amount of water you want to add should reach your knuckle, more or less. I like to add salt once the water is clear. We didn't have a rice cooker so I always used a pot. Put a lid on the pot at a small angle, so there's a tiny air gap. Cook on high then turn it down to medium before it boils over. Once the surface stops bubbling the rice should be good to go. After fluffing of course.
#37
Get a nice thermometer if you are cooking meat, specially steak
Ace 1 year ago
Steak is one meat that I don't think needs a thermometer. The finger test is all that;'s needed to gauge the cuisson.
Robin DJW 1 year ago
Yeah, if you cook it often. I have steak less than once in six months, and my fingers aren't reliable for this.
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#38
Watch "good eats" I believe it is on Netflix, and it's loved for it's simplicity and perfect explanations.
Patricia Steward 1 year ago
Might be on Netflix, especially the new iteration, but he's all over YouTube.
#39
Always use more Garlic than the recipe calls for
Trillian 1 year ago (edited)
Absolutely not. Unless you want EVERYTHING to taste like garlic and nothing else.
Robin DJW 1 year ago
As you get older, your sense of taste diminishes. If you love garlic, add more. It's one of those things that should always be "add to taste."
Load More Replies... Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
Oh, there is. I really went overboard with the garlic once, and we stank of garlic for about three days. So much that people wouldn't come near us and we didn't like the way we smelled, either.
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#40
You don't need to use high heat when you're cooking on a stove top. Medium heat will cook things just as well. It'll take a little longer, but your food won't be burnt.
TheCrazyBunnyLady 1 year ago
Yes you do, for example if you need to sear a steak after preparing it sous vide. If you do that on medium heat your steak will be cooked too far. There are good sous vide kits for home use now. Other uses are bringing a large pot to a boil, or getting a pan hot for things like baking fish.
#41
For example, I never knew how to properly cut an onion until only a few years ago. It changed everything.
Brian Droste 1 year ago
So how do you cut an onion properly? Should have explain also than just mention to cut a onion properly.
#42
It’s ok to use medium low heat
TheCrazyBunnyLady 1 year ago
That's like saying that 30 mph will get you there too. Of course, but you're holding up all other traffic. Different streets, different speeds. Different dishes, different heat setting.
#43
Learn how to brine. A covered dish is just as effective as a sealed bag
MushroomHead22 1 year ago
water, sugar, salt, vinegar mixed together (obviously not all same quantity) and place your meat in the bag, or container. it helps keep the meat moist when cooking, and adds some flavour.
Load More Replies... #44
Finely chopped and fried garlic makes every dish better.
TheCrazyBunnyLady 1 year ago
Yep, I'm a big fan of bold flavours and use plenty of chillies and garlic... where it applies. I'm a fan of Dutch traditional cooking too, but there I just spice things up with something gentle. White pepper, some mustard, or a splash of pickle juice does wonders too.
Load More Replies... Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
But don't burn it, or the ONLY thing you will taste is burnt garlic.
#45
If you're using fresh ingredients you'll need more salt than you think to bring out all those flavors
#46
When cooking a frozen pizza save the box . Flatten the box it's now your spatula and cutting board ..
Daya Meyer 1 year ago
I am not convinced that a cardbord cutting board and a proper sharp knife is a good combination...
MushroomHead22 1 year ago (edited)
are you dumb? first of all no chef will tell you to buy a frozen pizza. and you should absolutely not use the box as your cutting board WTF are you smoking? the box is filthy.
What do you think ?
Ace 1 year ago
Lawd, these make painful reading. Most of the top ones are just repeating stuff that's been posted recently, often by people that have clearly read somebody else's "tip" and think it's clever to repeat it, often lightly twisting it and getting the reasoning wrong.
alchemilla vulgaris 1 year ago
***yawn*** nothing that doesn't appear on Bored panda every week. This Panda is thoroughly bored now, thanks
Ace 1 year ago
Lawd, these make painful reading. Most of the top ones are just repeating stuff that's been posted recently, often by people that have clearly read somebody else's "tip" and think it's clever to repeat it, often lightly twisting it and getting the reasoning wrong.
alchemilla vulgaris 1 year ago
***yawn*** nothing that doesn't appear on Bored panda every week. This Panda is thoroughly bored now, thanks
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