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How much do you know about cooking? Can you poach the perfect egg? Could you craft a beautifully puffed soufflé? Or are you subsisting on more of a “cereal and frozen foods” diet?

Regardless of whether you came into this world holding a whisk or if you manage to burn your eggs every morning, unless you’re actually a professional, we could all stand to elevate our cooking skills. That’s why we’ve gone through some of the best tips chefs have shared on two Reddit threads of things amateurs keep doing wrong in the kitchen and the easiest ways to avoid common mistakes, so we can all impress our friends and family at our next dinner party. So tie on your aprons, preheat your ovens and take a bite out of this list of recommendations from the experts. Be sure to upvote your favorite culinary pointers, and then if you’re inspired to learn even more about cooking, check out Bored Panda’s last publication on the same topic right here.

#1

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs All that brown stuff on your pan after you brown some meat or veggies? Use it! That's called fond - it's f*****g amazing and will make your sauces have way more depth. You can easily get it off the bottom of the pan with a little wine, which is called "deglazing."

actualemu , John Verive Report

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Hawkmoon
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Deglazing can be done with lots of things: vinegar, cream,... Some even use just water to get back only the taste of the "brown stuff". ;-)

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Everyone has a different relationship with cooking. Some view it as an artistic hobby or a way to connect with their heritage, while others see it as the bane of their existence. Learning how to cook can be a life-long journey for those who are passionate, but if you’re looking to just pick up the basics, you can start small and practice with the tips from this list. Even if being in the kitchen scares you and your fridge currently only holds takeout boxes, you have to admit that you enjoy eating delicious meals. So why not figure out how to make them yourself?

There are plenty of reasons to learn cooking basics, one of them being that safety is actually a concern in the kitchen. Boiling water, hot oil and sharp tools can lead to a host of injuries, so it’s important to understand exactly what you’re doing. It may seem like a no brainer, but learning how to properly use your knives (and knowing the purpose of each knife) can help you avoid turning a lovely dinner into a trip to the emergency room. It's actually safer to have freshly sharpened knives too, as you're more likely to cut yourself with a dull blade.

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#2

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Sharpen your knives. It's easier and actually safer. You are more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one. Learn how to properly and safely use your knives, and what each knife is even used for. It's game changing

Tapir_balls , cottonbro Report

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Andrew Burke
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And don't put your good cutting knives in the dishwasher. That dulls the edge as well supposedly.

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#3

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs If I see one more person press down on a burger while it's on the grill, I'm flipping that grill over.

EDIT: To everyone saying "Smashburger", you know what kind of person I am talking about. The self-proclaimed BBQ grill king who loves to squish the burger and asks your temp but everyone gets a hockey puck. It happened this weekend and every single time, I want to flip their grill over.

EDIT 2: Since I'm getting criticism about the well done burger... changed "well done burger" to "hockey punk" to further emphasize my example.

anon , Zac Cain Report

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Joe Blowe
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When you squish the burger you are squeezing all of the juices out and the meat becomes drier

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There are various tips on this list about how to safely slice and dice your foods without losing a finger, but certain foods pose more risks than others. You're likely to be cautious when dicing an onion, but don't throw caution to the wind when you're making guacamole either. According to OSF HealthCare, avocado-related incidents send nearly 9,000 people to the hospital every year. This is because many of us hold the avocado in our palms when plunging the knife in to get the seed out.

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I must admit, I’m guilty of this method of avocado cutting, and I did it almost every morning for years while in the throes of an avocado toast addiction… But Dr. Ramsey Ellis told OSF HealthCare that it’s much safer to set the avocado on a flat surface, like a cutting board, when going to remove the pit. She also notes that, “There are a variety of special tools on the market that are between three and five dollars that allow you to safely cut and then stab the pit of an avocado and remove it, and that can prevent a lot of injury.” Purchasing a specialty tool for this purpose may seem unnecessary, but it would definitely be less expensive (and traumatic) than a trip to the emergency room.

#4

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs My pro chef and former chemist friend gave me an earful for putting my tomatoes in the fridge.

He explained how the cold temp. changes the chemical composition and makes them taste s**ttier.

I no longer put my tomatoes in the fridge and they are tastier.

GaryARefuge , Rodion Kutsaev Report

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Something
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is true. But also, if they're the regular grocery store tomatoes, they don't have much flavor to lose. They're bred for transportation, not for flavor.

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#5

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs If your dish is 'missing something' chances are it is acidity. Now this doesn't apply to everything but I think a lot of people just don't think to add some lemon juice to a sauce or a stew for example and it can make all the difference. I always keep some fresh lemons at home because lemon juice in a bottle is usually just a chemical product.

surewhythehellnot_ , Pixabay Report

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#6

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Hello, I am the chef at a 5 diamond hotel in San Francisco. The biggest thing to learn when just starting to cook, is mise en place. "Everything in its place." This is ultimately to get food timings correct and precise, and for safety and control reasons. The second biggest thing to learn in the kitchen is safety. I once had a cook with 25 years experience get complacent and splashed hot oil on his face. Now we call him twoface. Cooking is a creative release when done outside of a professional kitchen, so take your time and don't hurt yourself. The third biggest thing to learn, and I tell all my cooks this everyday, is taste, season, taste. Taste your food, season it, and taste it again. Most people (whether they believe it or not) have the same taste thresholds, so what tastes good for you will taste good for someone else. Last thing I can add if you want to improve your cooking, is to cook more! Cook everyday, because practice makes perfect. Eat. Eat everywhere and anything.

chongkey , Rudy Issa Report

We tend to be worried about cuts and burns when cooking, but another common mishap that can lead to devastating effects is a kitchen fire. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, between 2014-2018, cooking incidents were the top cause of fires in American households. Most of them were small, limited to the toaster or oven and easily put out, but when they become unmanageable, these kitchen fires can turn fatal. Holidays are the most common times for these fires to happen, with Thanksgiving having 250% more than the average day in 2018, but even on a normal day, nearly 500 cooking fires are reported in the US. To stay safe in your kitchen, or backyard if you’re grilling, it’s important to always turn off equipment immediately when you’ve finished using it and use great caution when cooking with hot oil. Avoiding common cooking mistakes can help you eat more satisfying meals and even save your life.     

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#7

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Pastry Chef here. USE GODDAMN SCALES.
It's sO much easier and you won't lose count of how many cups of flour you've added
Plus measuring by volume with dry ingredients can be so inconsistent due to different scooping styles, a more aerated flour etc
Don't come running to me asking what happened with your baked goods when you've been measuring using cups

andromedanii , Lina Kivaka Report

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Judes
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Except when the recipe asks for cinnamon. Add more cinnamon (possibly with a little extra fluid if you're worried about it being too dry). Edit: not sure how my post attached itself to an unrelated post! But I'll just leave it here as cinnamon is always good.

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#8

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Learn techniques, not recipes.

DarkRyter , micheile dot com Report

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Colin L
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Absolutely this. I know people who focus so much on a recipe that they're incapable of anything outside it's scope.

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#9

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs I know one mistake I used to make was to buy canned mushrooms and use those for recipes. The first time I used fresh mushrooms for something, I realized the dreadful error of my ways, and I haven't bought canned mushrooms since!

Always use fresh mushrooms, people!

TakingItOffHereBoss , micheile dot com Report

Aside from keeping you safe, improving your culinary skills can turn into a fun hobby. If you’re stuck in a rut making the same meals over and over again, as many of us are, branching out and trying a new recipe can be something to look forward to. Expanding your palette can also be exciting, as you may not be as familiar with the cuisines of other cultures. Do you know how to make authentic Mexican chilaquiles? Have you ever prepared Pad Thai from scratch? The more adventurous you become in the kitchen, the more likely you are to want to keep experimenting. One tip many chefs share is to learn techniques first, and then you’ll be well equipped to prepare any recipe. So to master some of the culinary basics, we consulted Oxo’s list of Basics of Home Cooking 101: 12 Skills and Techniques for Beginners.

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#10

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Keep your fingertips behind your knuckles, your knife in front of your knuckles, and keep your blade on the cutting board. Your fingers will thank you.

BAANG , Mike Jones Report

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Juan Ghote
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Plus cut slowly until your skill at cutting everything BUT your fingers improves.

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That'sEndorable
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ehh... depends on what you mean by that. A nice clean chop can be safer than a slow cut, which allows for slips, wobbles, etc. Maybe don't make a whole bunch of chops in a row, but use adequate speed to get the job done.

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Alana Voeks
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My fingers bend in weird ways and this trick has never worked for me. I just have to cut a bit slower

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Isabella
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This does not work for everyone. This does not work for people with reumatism, this does not work for people with carpal tunnel syndrome, this does not work for many people who's moveability is impaired. Including myself. If you watch what you do, you think what you do and you are focused - really - you will not cut yourself no matter the technique. And if you do not watch / focus / be present with your mind - I assure you that cut nerve on your chuckle is way worse than cut on a tip of the finger even if the first bleeds less.

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A.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was taught to "rock" my knife & never let it leave the board completely.

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HotDog Water
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This. I got lazy last month & lost a decent amount of the top of my left middle finger (nail & nail bed gone). I was embarrassed more than anything - I work with chefs & learned how to safely use a knife. I was annoyed, rushing & knew I was in trouble before the knife got me. Thankfully, I was cutting a bell pepper at the time & my knives are sharp so it was a very clean cut.

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jolie laide
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Until you try to rush and get distracted and hack off the front of your bent knuckle.

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Aisling Raye
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's THE CLAW! I will admit that was a pretty dumb movie reference (this app reminds me that I'm kinda old more often than I'm okay with) but I stand by it.

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Catherine Couch
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thanks, I needed this suggestion about 50 yrs ago. Learn something new everyday, my mantra.

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Tina Harnish
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And angle the knife slightly away from your fingers. I'm kind of clumsy and a chef taught me that. I haven't yet lost a finger, just bits of nail and I keep those short so it gives you an idea of how close I come to slicing and dicing that which I really want to keep.

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Brenda
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They actually make a finger covering for that. Helps when learning

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Allison B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad tried to teach me that, but I found it hard to control and put pressure on the knife. I don't know if I was doing it wrong or it just takes more practice?

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Abby
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

belive it or not. I learned this from playing cooking mama, when I was 12.

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Will Cross
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is it even possible to put your fingers behind your knuckles? I think they mean put/curl your fingers underneath your knuckles, right? No one can put them behind their knuckles. Fingers don't bend that way to be behind them.

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that.bitch.mae
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know I should do this but it's just easier to hold garlic with my fingertips as I cut it. But to be fair, my knives are sharp but not cut yourself instantly sharp so I can handle the minor pain from accidentally knicking my fingertips. It might also help that I've had a sewing needle go through the very tip of my finger before so maybe it just doesn't matter to me anymore 🤣

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#11

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Not a pro, but wash your damn rice! It's easy and it makes the rice so much better.

Poopinanreadin , Matthew Lakeland Report

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pebs
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is absolutely not true when you prepare an italian "risotto".

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#12

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Any spices you have, do not store them in sunlight or over top of your goddamn stove. Heat and moisture are bad to just about anything. This kills the flavour.

RageMonster , Diana Polekhina Report

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Kayjunmoon
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try grinding your own from scratch. I make up small batches for biscuits or for my curries.

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Basic knife skills are expected for any chef to know like the back of their hand, but they’re great for amateurs to understand as well so we can properly follow a recipe. When the instructions use lingo like “chiffonade”, don’t run away out of fear. Simply memorize what these terms mean (or Google them every time, we don’t judge!), so you can confidently prepare your meals without any added stress. Slicing calls for thin, flat pieces, while dicing requires small squares that resemble dice. Mincing is cutting foods even smaller than diced pieces, think minced garlic, and chopping is for larger chunks of foods like potatoes and carrots in a stew. Julienned vegetables are in long, thin strips, and to chiffonade is to “finely cut herbs or leafy vegetables”.  

#13

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Read the whole recipe before you touch anything including the directions. Then get all the ingredients together and measured before anything touches heat. Chop vegetables slice meat mix spices. Cooking is so much easier when you do the prep first and then just worry about what's in the pan when the heat is on. What do you think the kitchen does all afternoon between lunch and dinner service, get things together so the actual cooking is way faster and easier.

mousicle , Dan Gold Report

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Fat Harry
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How much space do you have in your kitchen that you can prepare EVERYTHING in advance? I just don't have the room, so I'm used to preparing the next ingredient while the onion is sautéing.

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#14

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs When baking - make sure your butter and eggs are all room temperature.

RageMonster , Felicity Tai Report

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Wendy Allott
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this should be clarified to say baking cakes. Pastry should always use chilled ingredients

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#15

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs After you are done working with garlic, rub your hands along your stainless steel sink vigorously. This will remove to odour for the most part. Finish by washing hands you filthy animal.

RageMonster , Tijana Drndarski Report

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theswallowii
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Call me a barbaric if you want but I love smelling garlic on my fingers even after I thoroughly washed my hands after cooking! It means good and hard work done! ;-)

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While you’re at it memorizing cooking jargon, you might want to learn some terminology for your stovetop too. To sear something is to quickly brown the outside of a piece of meat on a high-temperature pan to keep the juices sealed in. Sautéing involves cooking food in a little bit of fat, like oil or butter, on high heat and moving it around the pan frequently. A stir-fry requires a little more fat than a sauté and is done at an even higher temperature. Then we have steaming, which is pretty self-explanatory, as it calls for placing a basket or colander over boiling water to allow only the steam to cook the veggies or seafood. 

#16

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs The vast majority of people think that the terms "icing" and "frosting" are interchangeable. This is not the case. Icing is made with sugar and liquid and is generally (there are a few exceptions, such as fondant) pour-able. Think pound cake and donuts. Frosting is made with sugar and fat, such as butter or shortening, and is generally fluffy and spreadable. Varieties of frosting include buttercream and cream cheese.

Frosting_or_Icing , Margaret Jaszowska Report

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Laura Ketteridge
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The words are used in different ways in different English speaking countries. Over here, 'icing' is the correct term for both, and 'frosting' is the word Americans use.

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#17

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Reuse the boiled water from a pasta pot. That starchy salty s**t is amazing as a sauce base, or a great sub for any other water needed in the recipe.

Filmsdude , Mor Shani Report

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Jupittance
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dip out or catch a couple of cups of this water. Put a little bit of the water and the pasta back in the pot. Put some of the sauce on the pasta and heat it, adding this boiled starchy water to thicken. This will imbue the pasta with the sauce flavor.

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#18

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Don't overcrowd the pan.

reddit , Sigmund Report

Lisa Milbrand notes in her list of cooking tips on Oxo that knowing how to properly roast meats and vegetables can be a game changer in the kitchen as well. Roasting can be one of the easiest ways to prepare food, as you get some time to relax once it’s in the oven, and it can provide mouth watering results with the right combinations of oil and spices. Every food will have a slightly different cooking time, as root vegetables take much longer than asparagus for example, but Lisa reassures readers that, “No matter what vegetable you’re roasting, you’ll be able to tell when it’s ready by sticking a knife into the center of a piece. If the knife goes in easily and the edges of the vegetable are a nice golden brown, it’s done.” Personally, I think some nicely roasted and heavily sesasoned cauliflower and sweet potatoes have to be among the most delicious foods in the world.

#19

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Not drying your meat before you sear it.*

*Not a professional chef, but this advice is so basic, and so rarely followed, that it bears repeating.

varro-reatinus , Paul Hermann Report

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Joe Blowe
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you dry it, marinades/seasonings/spices stick better and the meat cooks faster. Also let the meat sit before you cut into it

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#20

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Over sauteed garlic... Don't need to brown it, a minute in the pan with the onions is enough.

HighImSlane , Ayesha Firdaus Report

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Fat Harry
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

SO MANY RECIPES say "heat the onion and garlic". NO!! Cook the onion until it's translucent (or whatever) and then add the garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Any longer and it'll burn and be bitter.

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#21

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Buy a Microplane, it makes the veggies and accent cheeses that you grate both look and feel better. Smaller pieces have less of a focus on texture and more of a focus on flavour. I.E - Grana Padano being grated onto a Caesar salad, or lemon grated into a lemon in salad dressing.

RageMonster , Didriks Report

Grains and pasta are also essentials to master when elevating your cooking game. They can be super simple, as the basic idea is boiling them in water, but a few tricks can go a long way. First, remember to rinse your grains like rice and quinoa before cooking them to remove excess starch and ensure they don’t turn too mushy. Always remember to add plenty of salt when boiling grains or pasta as well, and don’t try to squeeze anything into a pot that’s too small. You can also save a cup of your pasta water to use later in your sauce, as it will be full of salt and starch that will add the perfect touch to your final dish.

#22

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs I would add when your baking follow the recipe exactly. When it says 1 teaspoon, it means 1 teaspoon. Not "ah that looks like a teaspoon." Baking requires exact prep work otherwise your finished product won't be right.

Lorbmick , cottonbro Report

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Joe Blowe
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cooking is an art, you can be creative. Baking is a science, you get creative and it is ruined

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#23

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Tossing pizza dough makes it extremely flat on the bottom and typically too much crust. Simply hold it with two hands like a wheel and rotate it :) Enjoy

280Gaming , Jason Jarrach Report

#24

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Put a damp napkin or towel underneath your cutting board to keep it stable. You can wail on whatever you want however hard you want with the peace of mind that your cutting board won't go flying off the counter along with your food and *sharp knife

ramen4sale , Marta Dzedyshko Report

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Fat Harry
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why on earth would my cutting board go anywhere?? And if you're having to wail on anything to the extent that your chopping board goes AWOL your knife is not sharp enough. Don't force it, let the tool do the work.

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Lastly, Lisa mentions that stocking your kitchen properly can make a huge difference when you’re cooking as well. The most important knives to have are a chef’s knife, a serrated bread knife and a paring knife, but you don’t need much else for everyday purposes. Be sure you’ve got some decent containers for storing leftovers too, with a variety of sizes, so you can keep your food fresh and safely preserved. Then when it comes to cleaning supplies, do a bit of research on what is appropriate for the specific pans and dishes you own. Depending on the material, certain cleaners and brushes can do more harm than good, and not everything should be tossed in the dishwasher.  

#25

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs The veggies in your sauces and stuff- cook that s**t first. Do not add raw onions to already simmering tomato sauce and expect it to taste good. Also, huge amounts of random spices make food taste bad. Learn what they are and where to use them.

B**chinIndika , Carlos Fernández Report

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John Topper
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This isn't really a helpful tip. They're basically saying to be a better cook learn more about cooking.

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#26

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Make sure you have good ingredients. That box of baking soda from 5 years ago is not going to work that well anymore.

freakykukki , Calum Lewis Report

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Ace
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, baking soda is one of those things that will last for ever. Yeast will not.

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#27

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Don't cook meat straight out of the refrigerator. It cooks better and tastes better when it starts at room temperature, actually.

Stabfacenotback , Max Delsid Report

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Oerff On Tour
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And when finished cooking, wrap it up in tinfoil and let it rest for 10 minutes, if necessary in a warming oven set between 50°C and 70°C depending on the type of meat.

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While this list may seem overwhelming if you're a novice in the kitchen, even remembering a few of these skills and tips can go a long way. Cooking should be enjoyable and pleasurable, so don't stress yourself out. But I hope this helps you avoid some common errors in the future and inspires you to experiment with a new recipe instead of grabbing your usual takeout this weekend. Enjoy reading the rest of these pointers, and remember to upvote your favorite responses. Then let us know if you have any helpful tips you'd like to share with your fellow pandas in the comments down below. Bon appétit!

#28

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Beware of the densities of different types of salt, e.g. table salt is much denser than kosher salt because of how the grains pack together. It's easy to make something way too salty by not accounting for this.

phyllophyte , monicore Report

#29

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Don't just dump a load of salt and pepper into the mix at the last minute.

Season every single thing, the veg, the meat, the sauce. and if you're unsure of how much to use. just keep adding in small pinches and taste it.

Jafol8 , Josh Massey Report

#30

30 Common Cooking Mistakes That Amateurs Make That Annoy These Chefs Just being impatient in general.

Not waiting for pans to heat up,water to boil or preheating ovens.
Cutting into things to check if they are cooked after 5mins in the oven. You want to know if your roast is cooked? Get a meat thermometer. Seriously they cost less than $10

Thats my other big peeze... using the wrong equipment for the job. You dont dice chicken with a steak knife. You dont slice tomatoes with a steak knife. Steak knives are for cutting steaks on your plate. thats it. A fork is not a whisk, its a fork. A coffee cup is not a measuring cup. It may be 250ml but dont assume it. Dont drain your pot of pasta by tipping it into the sink holding the wooden spoon over the lip and try to stop pasta falling out. Just use a fricken colander.

anon , Le Creuset Report

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jessicaryan54 avatar
Jess
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe some people don't have the means to buy proper equipment and try their best with what they have. I've often cooked without having the right equipment and everything has turned out lovely. I worked in a small community kitchen for years and if someone was using something I needed then I improvised, fork as a whisk for scrambled eggs no problem, as long as the knife is sharp, ill cut whatever with it, Cant find the colander then gimme the big lid lol. Now big difference when baking then give me all the proper equipment lol

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