“Cooking Sins”: 30 Home Cooks Share Their Secret Cooking Tricks And Shortcuts, No Matter How Unconventional They Are
Those who have watched at least one episode of Hell's Kitchen probably know that no matter your skill level, if Gordon Ramsay walks in on you operating a stove or maybe even chopping up some veggies, he will find a habit of yours that would actually be considered a disgrace in a Michelin-star restaurant.
But that's the thing. Most of us aren't making dishes so the front of the house can sell them for tens or even hundreds of dollars. We're just trying to get some calories in on a Tuesday evening. Which is why we are not only ignorant of the rules but also sometimes straight up choose to reject them altogether.
So when Reddit user Timecoyote asked the platform's community r/Cooking, "What's a cooking sin you won't even try to defend, yet you do it anyway?" many people replied. In less than a few weeks, their post has already received over 4.8K upvotes and 3.9K comments, full of honest confessions. Continue scrolling to check them out.
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I like pineapple on pizza. Not gonna change my mind!
Ditto, i like the mix of sweet and savory, especially in a cheese and ham pizza.
If the recipe calls for a certain type of onion, I will always use whatever onion I already have.
We managed to get in touch with Timecoyote, the person who started this discussion. "I was making tacos and felt guilty for using that minced jar garlic, so I got curious about what other shortcuts people take when cooking," they told Bored Panda about its roots.
The responses helped the Redditor feel less guilty about the shortcuts they take while cooking. "[I was surprised to learn that] a lot of people don't rinse rice or veggies, never sharpen their knife, and just eyeball spices and such."
I haven’t replaced several of the spices in my spice rack for years (seriously, who uses that much dill?). I’m sure they’re less pungent now, but it’s far too expensive to replace them regularly.
I never follow a recipe fully. I use recipes for ideas of ingredients. I never measure anything.
This I'll read like 6 different ones and piece together what I want. Mostly turns out amazing
I overcook pasta. Yes, al dente lovers, I know this is an Italian sin. But I prefer my pasta when it's super soft.
"Like with many things, I think it's helpful to understand the rules of cooking first so you can break them more confidently," Timecoyote said. And they definitely have a point. Nothing beats practice.
In 2021, 71% of people in the US were certain they will continue to cook more after the end of the pandemic, according to a survey by consumer market research firm Hunter. This habit was said to be driven by the increase in home chefs’ creativity and confidence in the kitchen, as well as the motivation that cooking at home helps to save money (67%), eat healthier (56%), and feel good (56%).
I break spaghetti in half before putting it in the pot of boiling water. Then I cut it up even more on my plate before eating it.
As for the why? It’s the way my mom did it. So now it’s the way I do it. My sisters break and then cut their spaghetti too. We’re all monsters.
Unless I'm really trying to impress someone, I just use that minced garlic from the jar.
I don't try to impress any longer. Why bother? Eat it and like it or don't eat it and STFU.
When I cook for just myself my standards are so disgustingly low that the same people impressed by my cooking would be equally horrified.
Same! I could eat a toast with cheetos and I'll be fine, but when I cook for other people I will try my best
To encourage your kitchen adventures, know that even if something does not go according to plan, you're still winning. At least financially. The team at Priceonomics found that anytime we're ordering out, we're spending about five times as much, on average, compared to making a homemade dinner.
And the Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the average American spent $3,000 a year just on dining out in 2015. Imagine how many tacos you could make at home with that much cash!
I never check the date on any dried good/powder/etc. Hello lentils that have been sitting at the back of my shelf for ten years until I uncovered you this morning. In you go. Oh, good to see you garlic pepper that has been open for at least three house moves and probably doesn’t taste of anything. Let’s sprinkle you in.
I never measure seasonings. 1/2 tsp? How about two or three shakes? Maybe more if I feel like it. If your recipe calls for a 1/4 tsp of something, go f**k yourself.
I don't rinse rice. Ever.
Wash your damn rice. There is so much vile stuff on dried rice it is NOT funny. As a Malay I beg of you to wash your rice, for the love of everything, I have seen how vile it is and how sick it can make people. Wash. Your. Damn. Rice.
Tasting with the same spoon I use to stir.
I’m cooking for my family. I kiss em all and we all share the same germs so... whatevs...
I never make my own stock or broth. I just buy Better than Boullion, dashi or kombu packets, etc.
For us tiny-freezer-havers, homemade stock is a type of luxury. I make it sometimes, but then it all has to be used and consumed within a few days. And an amount of stock that CAN be eaten in that time is simply not worth the time or effort.
I melt chocolate in the microwave. It's just so much easier and faster than pulling out a double boiler.
Just do it for 10-20 seconds multiple times. I remember when I was 10, I set the timer for 1 minute and the plate broke because the chocolate's temperature was too high. It was also completely burned.
I buy pre-made pie crusts. I love cooking almost everything with well-sourced ingredients from scratch, but I cannot be forced to make a crust for a quiches or pies.
Did commit: While in college, I was responsible for cooking the turkey one Thanksgiving while my mom was working and other family were hunting. My mom left very clear instructions, number one being “wash the bird.” I did, with soap. More specifically, with Lysol because, as I head learned in a food science class, turkeys were germy. Fifteen years later I am still not allowed to participate in prepping the turkey.
Mine may be worse…. I opt for powdered garlic pretty frequently!
I eat raw cookie dough, brownie batter and cake batter. EVERY SINGLE DAMN TIME.
And yes, I got Salmonella once and still do it. Ain’t no shame in my raw egg eatin’ game.
I've done this all my life and never had salmonella. (though the eggs in the UK are produced with higher standard of food safety and thus salmonella free anyway if they have the "lion mark" on the egg xP)
I don't use separate cutting boards for meat and veggies. I just do not see the point - I just cut the meat at the end of the cutting process, and it gets washed after that.
I don't use fresh tomatoes even if a recipe calls for it, just canned. I just cannot be bothered to deal with the mess that chopping up fresh tomatoes makes.
I buy preshredded cheese unless I need the cheese to melt smoothly for a cheese sauce or something. But for everyday burritos, eggs, tacos, etc.? Pass the bag of shreds. Cleaning the box grater isn't difficult but I'm lazy.
Shredded cheese is coated with a wood-like substance so that it doesn't stick together. Nope, buy a block.
Tonight, I made gnocchi, but I used instant mashed potatoes because while I love rolling out individual gnocchi, I hate prepping the potatoes. Took half the time, and tastes great for a weeknight meal!
..... no but this? this is a fantastic idea actually. I've got to try it sometime.
I cook eggs on medium and higher heat. Just rip em real quick. None of that slow cooked gooey slimy sloppy eggs like Gordon Ramsey does
Thawing chicken breast on the counter.
Haven't gotten sick yet, neither has anyone in my house.
I use the hell out of the tubes of garlic, basil, or ginger paste in the veggie cooler at my local grocery store when I'm in a hurry. (Gourmet Garden brand) When I'm taking my time I use the the real deal.
My sin: i cook my rice like pasta. i dont want a rice cooker and cant learn the science of ratios and time so i just cook and drain.
Most of the time I don't preheat the oven. I just stick stuff in there cold and add ten minutes or so to the time.
No because most of the time the stuff that goes in the oven must be "shocked" from the heat. If the meat starts cooking in cold oven it has more time to let all the liquids out and so it boils instead of roasting. Or so I've heard.
I once used mayonnaise to make pasta dough because I ran out of eggs. Actually came out really well.
Mayonnaise is from oil and eggs. Many receipt needs oil/butter and egg.
Not really cooking but I sometimes grind enough coffee beans for several days. Never noticed a big difference.
I season my eggs while they’re still cooking.
I use Parmesan on all pasta dishes, including those containing fish. Where there is pasta, there belongs Parmesan cheese.
I rarely taste as I go. And if I'm feeling impatient, I will grossly overcrowd the pan, preventing any respectable browning from happening.
Me too! I can't tell if this is living la vidal loca or anxiety, but either way I do it.
I use frozen diced onions, because chopping them absolutely kills my eyes.
I never understand people who think putting up with tears is a flex. The fumes from onions turn into sulfuric acid when they touch salt water. You aren't "cleaning myself out" or being macho - you are burning your eyes with acid. This is why I could never be a chef. Along with all the other hazing bllsht they are forced to torture themselves this way.
I soak and wash mushrooms in lots of water. I never understood the "they'll soak up the water" crowd. So you have to saute them a little longer to dry them out. Better than eating manure fertilizer.
I just use the marinara from Costco and add some spices and bay leaves to it. I just can’t compete with it.
I always use salted butter when something calls for butter.
I don't let my steak rest after cooking it. I like eating it right away while it's still hot.
I absolutely refuse to make those horizontal cuts when dicing an onion.
I use powdered gravy mixes. McCormick makes it so damn easy, and tasty!
William Sonoma makes the best turkey gravy in a jar. Tastes like my grandma's! I always told my family I made it homemade but my son caught me last year lol
I use garlic in my carbonara. I don't care what traditional Italian chefs say — because it makes the dish taste so much better.
I think in Italy they put garlic in every meal (maybe in some sweet meals too).
I always buy canned Hunt’s (sometimes DelMonte) spaghetti sauce and doctor it up with meat and veggies.. whatever I have. Never make sauce from scratch.
I use a cornstarch slurry instead of making a roux to thicken my food. It turns out smooth every time and takes minimal effort.
I don’t sharpen my knives half as often as I should.
----so does my wife...she uses dull knives because so she won't cut herself - it drives me crazy.
I leave the thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs and bay leaves in the food.
I like the way they look.
If you're dumb enough to eat it, that's your problem.
I put my knives in the dishwasher. Yes, I'm pure evil in human form.
Almost afraid to type this...
We used more grated Parmesan in our house than shredded. Yes, I know shredded tastes good, but I grew up on grated, and it tastes good, too.
Sorry, not sorry.
I don’t mix together all the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls when baking. I just throw everything together and mix it with an electric hand mixer.
I prefer Miracle Whip over Mayo on sandwiches. (most of the time) I grew up with it. Blame my upbringing.
I don't use parsley, I'll tell you that right now. It's a bunch of b******t is what it is.
I purposely over cook my eggs because I like them crispy and hard yolk is delicious to me.
Yup, same for me, if i wanted something " melting " i would get cheese.
I use pre-ground black pepper. Yes, I know fresh ground is better. I just don’t want to stand there and grind out pepper while I’m trying to cook dinner. If you want fresh ground, you can do it at the table!
Actually, it doesn't take long to grind pepper at all- freshly ground is so much more pungent, so you don't need nearly as much of it, AND sitting on the shelf doesn't impact its quality, so there are no surprises there and gives much more consistent results. I HAVE had meals where the pepper was the most overpowering flavor because grandma had just opened a new pack, and put in as much fresh pepper as she did from the end of the old bag- I'll not make that mistake myself :)
I use extra virgin olive oil all the time when cooking and I don't care who knows it.
Só? ( Portuguese here, i don't understand this person Logic, we practicly drink the stuff )
I don't use a knife to slice mushrooms, I just tear them into chunks with my hands. I don't peel them either.
I cut my onions unevenly.
I like the taste of darkly-browned ones, golden-sauteed, and barely-sweated all together.
I put frozen meat right into the crock pot. I have been doing it for over 25 years and not one person sick.
If the recipe has me mix in like 5 ingredients, but has me adding them each individually and fully incorporating them before adding the next… I’m just dumping all 5 in at once.
Sometimes I take the plastic entirely off the lasagna even though the box says just to make a slit.
I always chop bacon before pan frying.
I use those little containers of garlic butter you get from the pizza place sometimes to make garlic bread in a pinch.
The one about adding milk or crème fraîche to scrambled eggs. It works great for me.
Speghaccos. You heard me. Spaghetti with meatballs in a taco shell.
I eat off my cutting board far more often than I should.
Yea, a lot of high end restaurants até going with that presentation as well, not the cutting board per say, but a wooden board as a plate.
I put mayonnaise in my udon :/ It immediately gets all weird and clumpy but I did it back when I had no money to add other flavors in there, and honestly I still like the taste...
Thank goodness we can't argue about taste. You eat it how you like it. Someone told me to add mustard to the pan after frying sausages/porkchops/meatballs so it mixes with the meat-juice and gives flavour to the meat, and it's delicious. I knew of mayonnaise or cream cheese, but never thought of adding mustard. And then one day I used all 3... cause why not?! Yum! Also, for 2 chicken-thighs: raw and salted in an oven bag with a mix of 2 cups mayo, 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 a cup mango-chutney and a teaspoon of apricot-jam, close bag, massage chicken-thighs, bag in oven-dish, 200 degrees Celsius, 1 hour in oven. Remove bag whilst in oven-dish et voilà. Goes together with raw medium potatoes in an oven-bag with salt and a bit of oil, close bag, massage potatoes, bag in oven-dish , 200 degrees Celsius, 1 hour, turn half way. Itadakimasu/kali orexi/pofta buna/afiyet olsun/dobro chut!
I started washing my cast iron pans. I understand it takes the seasoning off, but I’d rather have a clean and sanitary pan. Also I usually reseason on the pan with some oil after it drys.
I read somewhere that the rule comes from when soap used to wash pots had lye in it and since it doesn't now you can wash cast iron with dish soap. I haven't tried it though.
I use my knife as a bench scraper constantly. I know I know, but I'm not gonna stop doing it either.
I never brown my meat before making beef stew. I do use an instant pot and it does not seem to make any difference in taste (after initially trying both ways).
I cook acidic food in my cast iron.
I use such a c**p knife sharpener I'm mad at myself about it but I still haven't taken the plunge and gone over to a proper whetstone. My knives just don't hold up the way they should though and I've definitely ruined a pretty good Japanese chef's knife on this thing and yet I still keep using it.
My fettuccine Alfredo is nothing similar to an authentic recipe but mine is better. Wine, mushroom, shallot, onion powder, garlic powder, butter, garlic butter, parmigiana, mozzarella, heavy cream, flour roux, parsley. It’s absolutely the most delicious sauce ever, lick your plate good.
The secret to an amazing sauce with incredible flavour is using a rose wine, not white. It’s the kind of flavour that you’d spend years trying to identify and never getting it right. Pink wine does the trick!
I wash chicken. I have to, there’s so much slime and stink
Cream in my risotto. It doesn't *need* it. But sometimes you want double-creamy.
Okay, I love making pancakes some weekends & had pulled most everything out when I realized I didn't have vinegar. I make buttermilk when I make pancakes, so I dug around & found balsamic vinegar. Well, I figured, 'why not?'
Now I only make buttermilk using balsamic vinegar & it goes over very well.
how does vinegar and pancakes combine? I have never come acrose a pancake recipy that mentions venegar.
Kraft singles are the only type of cheese one should use for grilled cheese sandwiches (and of course, it should all be dunked in the required tomato soup on the side).
I know about cutting on the bias, the optimal way to cut meats to be tender, seam butchering the different muscles down to be cut to *chef's kiss*
If I'm cooking a steak for myself these days I'll usually just get it to rare/medium rare and go at it with my hands and teeth like an animal.
For me, you don't even have to get it to "rare". Just wave it over a flame a few times and hand it over.
I don't usually bother blanching meat prior to stewing or skimming stock.
In Chinese cooking, this is basically "how cook 101"
When a recipe calls for diced carrots and it's just me, instead of getting the cutting board & knife out....I just 'dice' them by biting them with my teeth and letting them drop into a bowl.
I leave my leftover food out on the counter overnight all the time, never gotten sick.
If you live in a very cold área, yea, if you live in a tropical country lol, you may be answer that age long question of " where will you be when diarrhea strikes "
I’m not sure if it’s a sin but people look at me like I killed their mom. I rinse my cooked burger under hot water before I put it back in the pot/pan and finish cooking whatever it is. And then people get even more mad when I tell them I still have to do it with my lean burger; I just don’t like grease floating around unless it’s an actual hamburger patty lmao.
I didn't know these were sins, and have now realized what a rebellious cooking life I have been leading.
Cook your food the way you like it, as long as you don't get sick. Use ingredients you like. Less moral superiority from from "foodies" would be great.
Agreed. Food snobs are tiresome - especially the raw meat eaters and the "it's a mortal sin to break spaghetti" crowd. 😁
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Tbh most of the top one aren't sins imo. (Didn't read them all but after 20+ non-sins Is stopped expexting sins). Cooking should not be a chore, but often it is so we use shortcuts. Precut/premixed stuff etc, why not?
Same here. I stopped reading because it was truly underwhelming 😅
Load More Replies... I didn't know these were sins, and have now realized what a rebellious cooking life I have been leading.
Cook your food the way you like it, as long as you don't get sick. Use ingredients you like. Less moral superiority from from "foodies" would be great.
Agreed. Food snobs are tiresome - especially the raw meat eaters and the "it's a mortal sin to break spaghetti" crowd. 😁
Load More Replies... Tbh most of the top one aren't sins imo. (Didn't read them all but after 20+ non-sins Is stopped expexting sins). Cooking should not be a chore, but often it is so we use shortcuts. Precut/premixed stuff etc, why not?
Same here. I stopped reading because it was truly underwhelming 😅
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