Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Humans are creatures of habit. As our personalities grow, we also develop behaviors and routines that become automatic and can stay with us for a lifetime if we allow them. So why not install in ourselves healthy or at least useful upgrades?
To find out how can they improve in the kitchen, Redditor Rollotamassii made a post on the platform, asking other users, "What is one small thing you started doing that has had a huge positive impact on your cooking?"
From looking after their knives to using fresh herbs, people immediately started sharing tips with one another, so we at Bored Panda compiled the most popular ones to help you level up as well!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Learn cooking techniques instead of recipes.
Don't approach recipes like they're magic spells in the Harry Potter universe. If you wiggle your nose wrong or put in a spec to much of some seasoning you're not going to end up with a completely different dish.
Alton Brown does an incredible job of teaching a cooking technique and then showing you a recipe that applies that technique. If you learn a process instead of a rote recipe you will know how to cook dozens of dishes, and it's really the only way to develop skills in the kitchen.
Dr. Carlos Dangercat 3 years ago
I agree with this. I cook for myself (so I don't have to apologize for my mistakes!) but I rarely use recipes for my everyday cooking. Now that I know the approximate temperatures for different food and the ratios of basic recipes, I just mix and match with what I have on hand or have a desire for.
Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
Yes! This should be the first thing they teach at cooking schools, unfortunatelly too often they don't. Learn how it works, learn technique and then even if you do not know the recipe, you can make great dish from ingredients you get.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
You are right about school. We would just all follow a recipe during prac lessons and the theory lessons were more about nutrition and types of food. We did learn about the cuts of meat for example, but it was by looking at a diagram of a cow and where the cuts came from rather than cutting meat ourselves. I loved my teacher (still make McWiggy burgers) but the lessons could have been more effective. They probably were in later year levels, but I didn't choose it as an elective again because it didn't capture my interest.
Load More Replies...
Jaekry 3 years ago
And learn to combine "taste GROUPS" and/or contrasting "TASTE/favours",,... Sounds weird but I'm a firm believer.... it's a bit like combining and/or contrasting colours. Yes I'm a graphic designer, but still believe it's a universal truth which can be applied to every creation.
Fiona Parky 3 years ago
I agree. Salt and sweet is well known but there’s loads of others. Vinegar is your friend sometimes if you’re working with savoury. Savoury is your friend sometimes when working with herbal. Herbal is your friend sometimes when you’re working with earthy. I find it very hard to describe because to me it’s sounds. Cinnamon is bouble bass and sounds good with beef, which is bass. But that’s all bass, you need the cymbals (onion), the oboe/ clarinet/ I don’t know how to describe it, red wine. Food should be a symphony and I really don’t know how to describe it other than the difference between uncooked onions and cooked onions. Raw onions are all clashing cymbals and high pitched, citrus notes. Cooked onions are all caramel and oboes and smooth cello
Load More Replies...
Thalia Lovering 3 years ago
Yes! I know a basic cake recipe and I can make a dozen cakes with it.
Fiona Parky 3 years ago
Absolutely this! I’ve been cooking since I had to stand on a chair to reach my top of the hob. I know that recipes are basically suggestions. Plus, you have to understand that the flour the author was using isn’t the flour you’re using. Humidity, wheat varieties etc make it different. What you’re looking for isn’t exact quantities, it’s what it looks like. I know that the batter for a steamed syrup sponge should be a “soft drop”. That means if I pick it up in a spoon, then turn that spoon, it should do a slow, soft plop off the spoon. It’s easier to show than describe but once you know, you know. If it’s too stiff you need to add a teaspoon or two of milk. Point is. Recipes aren’t exact , you need to adjust them sometimes.
RELATED:
#2
If making a stir fry or other dish that involves lightly sauteed vegetables, I chop up broccoli and carrots before I start and put in a covered bowl of boiling-hot water for about 10 minutes. They're then lightly cooked by the time they're supposed to go in, and there's no messing around trying to get the broccoli cooked without mushifying all the other veg.
Sheila Stamey 3 years ago
Blanching works on brussel sprouts, green beans, asparagus, any vegetable that requires longer cooking.
Laura Gillette 3 years ago
This!! I always flash steam my broccoli and green beans before sautéing. Otherwise they don't cook all the way through and the other veggies are, indeed, mush.
#3
Switching from breasts to thighs for chicken recipes.
Vetus Vespertilio 3 years ago
Try some bacon birds. Lay a boneless, skinless chicken thigh on a thick, wide slice of bacon. Salt and pepper it, then roll it up. Use a toothpick to hold it together. Bake at 400 degrees (or whatever temp you need for something else; these are infinitely forgiving) until bacon is crispy on top. Make a whole bunch because they go pretty fast.
Load More Replies... 
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
Thighs are legs-parts, too. But I get your point
Load More Replies...
Tamara Rutenber 3 years ago
Totally agree. Worth a few extra calories to get a WHOLE LOT MORE TASTE.🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔
#4
Gathering all your ingredients BEFORE you start cooking and get your eggy/meaty/floury hands all over your kitchen, or have to wash your hands 1000x.
#5
Read more than one version of a recipe to understand what (if anything) should be precise, then tasting as I go and not worrying about measurements.
Sareaesque 3 years ago
I do this a lot with some recipes. Read at least 4/5 recipes for the same dish, see what is consistent across all of them, and adjust them based on the ingredients I have.
Vee Dub 3 years ago
But what if the really important things are in the twenty percent of recipes you didn't read? ;-)
Load More Replies...
BarBeeGirl 3 years ago
And read the recipe thoroughly! I’ve often got to the end to realize I don’t have an ingredient or a tool necessary to complete the dish
Transat 3 years ago
... or that it has to cook for 2 hours while everyone is already hungry
Load More Replies...
Chandra Torres 3 years ago
For me, THIS is RIGHT up there with, making sure to READ THE WHOLE RECIPE B-E-F-O-R-E YOU ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT!! (Sorry for yelling)
Carrie Demirel 3 years ago
Except baking. Unless you're a pro French pastry chef for example, precision matters in baking recipes. Weighing is a real timesaver, a favorite way to make sure baked goods turn out awesome!
Monic Krugell 3 years ago
I always do this and then incorporate them or know where to add or deduct as per taste
Craig Mossman 3 years ago
Great advise, i do the same thing, I always check "chef John's " recipes always spot on
#6
Using at least a touch of some kind of acid in almost everything.
Cody 3 years ago
So much this! If a dish I'm making seems to be missing something, but I can't quite tell what, the first thing I reach for is a type vinegar or lemon juice.
Mtg Wolfie 3 years ago
Lemon. Always lemon. Or citric acid if I'm short on lemons.
Load More Replies... GirlFriday 3 years ago
Rice wine vinegar is a great way to add a hint of acid without overpowering the dish.
Cody 3 years ago
I found some garlic infused rice wine vinegar recently. Best. Thing. Ever.
Load More Replies...
Carrie Demirel 3 years ago
Yes, a frosting that's "sicky sweet", 👍 balance it... My BIL is an incredible gourmet cook and shared years ago, that the best baked goods need all four taste zones: sweet, sour, salty, acidic (he may have said that about all dishes, baked goods as well...I like to cook but I love to bake, so when I make something sweet I make sure it's not too sweet and has a good balance and it does make a huge difference).
#7
I started sharpening my knives more often. Makes prepping so much quicker.
Hawkmoon 3 years ago
And less dangerous for you. A dull blade increases the risk of an accident because we tend to force and make unnecessary movements such as moving the blade in all directions to cut that damn nerve in a piece of meat.
Janelle Gilbert 3 years ago
Many people don't seem to grasp this concept, as those I've discussed it with always day, "But I'll cut myself deeper with a sharp knife! It's more dangerous!" 🤦♀️
Load More Replies...
Dr. Carlos Dangercat 3 years ago
I bought a honing rod a few months ago but I'm too scared to use it for fear of ruining my knives!
Remi 3 years ago
Look up some how to instructions and, if necessary, practice on a butter knife or something you're not afraid of ruining. There is a technique, but it's basically as complex as brushing your hair
Load More Replies...
Xerastraza Lecrutia 3 years ago
Sadly I am forced to sharpen mine weekly due to roommates using them like a lumber jack clearing a forest of trees... and they refuse to d anything different..
Mtg Wolfie 3 years ago
I use my various hunting, skinning, and pocket knives. Far sharper than any kitchen knife i own.
Adrienne Mcginley 3 years ago
Learn how to sharpen them properly or take them to a professional at least twice a year.
#8
Letting meat rest after it cooks.
Winter 3 years ago
And, I read on a different BP list that you should let meat get to room temperature before cooking it. I started trying it, and it really makes a difference!
Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
That ten minutes of just sitting there (meybe with bit of butter) is the difference between tought, chewy, awful steak and the most delicious, falling apart in mouth steak. Not always, but in 90% of cases the last missing bit is waiting for few minutes.
Fanni Figura 3 years ago
But never let it rest on that hot pan, on which was roasted, because in those 4-5 resting minutes it will overcook.
#9
Cooking potatoes in chicken broth instead of regular salted water for mashed potatoes. Game changer
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
Unless you're saving all that broth for something else, this always seemed pretty wasteful to me
Tim 3 years ago
I have like 700 bullion cubes. Seems like a good use for them.
Load More Replies...
D20 Games 3 years ago
I add seasoning salt and a TBSP of butter while slow boiling the potatoes. It also helps, when peeling and cutting to place potatoes in a bowl of cold water. The cold water will keep the taters from turning red. The seasoning salt will add a little kick of flavor, without over powering.
Rhonda Womersley 3 years ago
Oh, how I wish I could upvote this a hundred times!!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!
#10
Shredding the cheese myself.
Luc René de Cotret 3 years ago
Fun fact: Lignin is typically added to industrially grated cheese yo prevent the strands from sticking to each other in the packets. You know what's an excellent,. readily available source of lignin? Sawdust. It's edible, but don't expect it to behave the same once mixed in a sauce or something.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I find using a peeler much easier than a grater (I get hand pain) but when I need more fine grating I have to get the grater out. I also use a peeler for carrot, zucchini and anything else that I want that consistency, for salads or frying etc.
#11
Sautéing onions for a long ass time. I can always tell in my curries and soups and when the onions were rushed
Winter 3 years ago
Yes. I am a firm believer that everything needs a base of caramelized onions.
Zeta Thompson 3 years ago (edited)
Caramelizing is different from sauteing, you saute onions until soft and golden. You caramelize until golden brown or darker. Caramelizing brings out the sweetness of the onion. Saute makes it softer
Load More Replies...
John Topper 3 years ago
This is the difference between sauteed onions and caramelized onions. Properly caramelizing takes 25-30 minutes on lower heat but the product is vastly superior.
Mtg Wolfie 3 years ago
Spend twice the time you think they need. And use a pinch of brown sugar and a quick squirt of lemon juice. Trust me, it adds a whole new level of flavor to the onions.
Hippy DeLuxe 3 years ago
I 1dd a touch of baking soda once my onions are translucent; it carmelizes them far quicker due to the basic environment. Saves me time and blows peoples' minds how fast you can get them browned and sweet!
christine buckley 3 years ago
Check out old recipes for French onion soup. Onions are caramelized for hour or more
#12
I bake a lot and using a scale was a huge game changer. I also have finally figured out a good rhythm for cleaning as you go and it’s been amazing.
Firstname Lastname 3 years ago
I have two sets of measuring cups, but I will always use the scale for more accurate measurements. They're more like appropriate sized scoops to ladle out the dry ingredients.
Jessy Fontenot 3 years ago
I have so many measuring cups and spoons that are all just scoops in containers. I weigh pretty much everything.
Load More Replies... Adrienne Mcginley 3 years ago
Sadly, most American recipe amounts are given in measures rather than weights.
Marilyn Ransberry 3 years ago
In Europe they use weight measurements ie so many grams of this . Our recipes in N Am though are in cups .
Lisa Valen 3 years ago
Cleaning as you go is the way to go. The kitchen is clean by the time the baked goods are done; and you only need to wash the baking tins, etc.
Sheila Stamey 3 years ago
The rule I was taught was by weight for baking by measure for everything else.
Me Myself And I 3 years ago
Had to think a moment about this to understand. Most recipes in Europe use the scale. I don't even have (measurement) cups in my kitchen. But thought about buying some a few weeks ago - in combination with a cooking book for small kids (:
Danny Phantom 3 years ago
The problem is that a lot of recipes still use volumes instead of weight. So unless you want to look up everything and convert, it’s just easier to stick to the volumes
Ozzie Ogawa 3 years ago
Baking pretty much like a science class, you have to be precise with everything
#13
A chef here. Hopefully some of this is helpful. This is general stuff that applies to most people I train or speak to.
Don't watch those cooking videos on Facebook, tasty etc. Or at least don't follow them to a T. They usually don't follow good cooking fundamentals and often overcook thier meats, or have weird steps in them that a chef would probably never do. I usually see them and think they are awful.
Learn how to properly dice an onion into small and even sized chunks. Raw white onion belongs on way less food than you think it does, especially when it's cut into large uneven chunks. If you want onions on something try sweating, roasting, carmelizing, or seasoning them with some acid or salt.
Having a sharp knife and learning how to do basic cuts is very helpful. Learning to cut fresh herbs finely without damaging them, or cut consistent sizes in meats and vegetables for even cooking can help out the taste quite a bit.
Use more salt than you think you need, don't add it all too early into the cooking stage but when you are doing your final taste before you serve something make sure it's seasoned. Use different sizes of salt depending on what you are doing. Typically seared meat is better with coarse salt. Fine salt us best used when you don't want the texture of course salt or you are worried it won't incorporate properly into the food.
Once you learn to season with salt then balancing dishes with acid is another good step. Citrus juices, vinegars work well and can really take things to the next level.
Taste often, and at every stage of cooking. Make sure you taste it before you serve it.
You probably need less garlic than you think, even though it's delicious, the same goes with herbs and spices, when I was starting out at always over did it. Really good ingredients can speak for themselves.
I always try to look at three recipes before I cook something new. From there I usually free style but if you're less confident just pick one. By looking at a few you get a better idea of key ingredients and ratios.
If you overcook meat a lot. Buy a probe thermometer You should never overcook meat again.
Another meat tip. Think of where on the animal the meat came from. If it's a muscle they use a lot (legs, butt, etc) it probably needs low and slow cooking, if it's a muscle they use a little (back, tenderloin, etc), it probably needs high heat and a faster cook time. There are exceptions to that rule but that works more often than not.
Put butter on or in nearly everything. Mount it(Add it while swirling or whisking) into a sauce at the end of cooking. Baste meat or fish in it. Chefs put butter into way more things than you think.
Chich 3 years ago
A pinch of salt is fine but so many use it to excess. I often find meals prepared by others to be dominated by salt. Makes me wonder if some people just have poor taste buds?
Brivid 3 years ago
I think people can build a tolerance to salt. I know I did after I got married. My Mom had taught me to cook low salt recipes and my husband was used to much more salt than that. I started adding more salt to my dishes and I noticed that I missed that extra salt when I went to my Mom's for dinner.
Load More Replies...
Lisa Valen 3 years ago
I, too, put butter in or on nearly everything. A clarification, BUTTER, real butter, not margarine or any kind of butter substitute...
Brivid 3 years ago
I think it's better to use unsalted also. You can control the saltiness better that way.
Load More Replies...
Andrea Josipović 3 years ago
I was wih him until he sad i don't need that much garlic. Excuse me, i know exactly how much i need, and that's down to every last bit i have in the fridge.
Marilyn Ransberry 3 years ago
Almost every casual restaurant meal is over salted. Salt makes people order more beer or soda which adds to the total cost of the meal and their profits.
The Starsong Princess 3 years ago
Yeah, no. Excessive amounts of salt and butter in your everyday cooking tastes good but it’s not a good idea. Find your flavour elsewhere- like a squirt of lemon.
Memere 3 years ago
I agree with a lot of what he says, especially about garlic. Garlic, salt, spices, etc. should never be overdone, they should be used in just enough quantity to enhance the flavor of whatever you're cooking. I hate it when garlic is all I can taste, plus it gives me terrible heartburn!
#14
Adding finishing salt to certain desserts such as cookies and brownies.
Memere 3 years ago
True, but the main thing is a TINY pinch. I've had too many chocolate things ruined because someone took the typical "if a little is good, more must be better" approach.
Load More Replies...
Biofish23 3 years ago
Personally I HATE this. All kinds of delicious deserts ruined by sprinking salt on it. I know baked goods and sweets need a hint of salt in them, but just enough to balance the flavors, not to taste "salty" I don't want my chocolate or my caramel or any other sweet thing to have flakes of salt on it. 🤢
Dark Side 3 years ago
I hate this too! I get so livid when I'm shopping for caramel and now it all has these huge chunks of salt on top. First of all it tastes NASTY, and second - caramel should not be crunchy. Disgusting.
Load More Replies...
Maria Paula G Lopes 3 years ago
My great grandmother used to say: cooking savoury? Throw a pinch of sugar! Cooking sugary? Throw a pinch of salt!
Patricia Fonda 3 years ago
A pinch of salt in everything sweet. My mother akways noticed when I forgot it, in cakes for exampke or Puddings
#15
Understanding the importance of balance between fat, salt, sweet and acid, and being able to taste and adjust accordingly
Kahna Wanna 3 years ago
Up your game by cracking the top on a big bottle of soy sauce and letting it breath in the back of a cabinet for 6 months. Once you taste it, you'll be buying bigger bottles to have one aging all the time!
Load More Replies...
#16
Spices:
(1) Using whole spices and not pre-ground;
(2) Toasting them before grinding; and/or
(3) Frying them in oil to let the the flavors bloom.
Mindy Keys 3 years ago
And there are literally thousands of spices available. If you have international or specific ethnic markets in your area you can score some amazing different spices for cheap. My local Mexican market has bags for $1 and I have been able to try so many new - unknown - spices.
Seymour Buts 3 years ago
People that don't live on their phones 24/7 worrying about the newest c**p posted on social 3
Load More Replies... #17
Clean as you go. If you leave all the dirty dishes cluttering up your kitchen then the last 10 minutes of cooking and plating will be a frantic disaster. You'll forget things, burn yourself, be unable to find free counter space, take shortcuts, and generally just be miserable. The food will reflect it. If your kitchen area is tidy and clean before everything's ready to be plated you're going to feel better, do a better job at plating, remember those last few finishing touches, and be able to relax and enjoy the meal you worked so hard on.
Bexx 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 3 years ago
It’s actually so satisfying having dinner ready with a clean(ish) kitchen. Feels like a lot less work too. This tip is probably the only one that honestly changed my life lol.
#18
I stopped multitasking. I used to do a bunch of other crap while cooking and the results showed my lack of focus. Now I stay in the kitchen and put on music. I think I went from a B minus to an A minus cook.
#19
Add fresh herbs always
Remi 3 years ago
If you can water them regularly, basil coriander and chives can grow even during the winter. Mine have been living happily and feeding us since February
Load More Replies... Adrienne Mcginley 3 years ago
And layer your herbs. Add some at the beginning, then more as you taste while the dish is cooking.
Leslie Crittenden 3 years ago
I'm sorry to say it but this is a matter of taste. I've tried dozens of kinds of fresh herbs in all kinds of things, and I like lightly dried herbs much better. They shouldn't be completely dry and tasteless but drying them and using them within a few months makes them much better to me.
#20
Using a bowl for disgarding of leftovers/compost while I cut veggies etc. I can’t stand having clutter on my cuttingboard. Also mise en place.
Mindy Keys 3 years ago
I have a little kitchen garden right out back kitchen door. All winter long everything scrap-wise that is compostable goes directly in. What the squirrels don't at gets turned over in the spring and it's the best soil in my whole garden. Eggshells, veg bits, even the cooking water from pasta or veggies. It looks a bit of a mess, but in winter - who cares! Super easy compost.
Tami 3 years ago
I use a sheet of paper from the junkmail in the recycle bin. Just scrape the scraps onto it from the cutting board.
Margaret Salisbury 3 years ago
I ran across an article a couple of months ago that shows how to make origami garbage bins/boxes out of newspapers and flyers. They store flat, so I keep a bunch of them in a little bag under the kitchen sink and can just pop one open when I need it and then put it all in the compost bin when I'm done. We get loads of flyers delivered to our building every week, so I'm never at a loss for paper. The newsprint is actually good for the compost (brown matter), and it keeps my compost bin from getting all manky from the scraps. Win, win, win!
Load More Replies... #21
Finishing sunny side up eggs by steaming to get a perfectly soft yolk.
Bexx 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 3 years ago
Buttery toast with bacon dipped in hot runny yolk 🤤
Load More Replies...
Raven DeathShade 3 years ago
Markiplier taught me that, actually. In A Day In the Life of Markiplier, he makes eggs. Amy isn't too fond of it, but Mark likes it.
Beverly Schmidt 3 years ago
where elso would i dip bread, potatoe or whatever in... what is this foolishness
#22
Reading recipes all the way through before starting, even if I've made the recipe before. Also mise en place-ing my ingredients
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
I don't like mise en place at all. It creates extra clean up from all the extra little bowls and dishes you use, and also wastes time - I am perfectly capable of multitasking!
Remi 3 years ago
Don't put the stuff in bowls, or something like that. Just get them into the same area.... Guess my interpretation/translation of mise en place is different 😅
Load More Replies... Bexx 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 3 years ago
Always read the recipe all the way through first! The cook’s version of “measure twice, cut once.”
Marilyn Ransberry 3 years ago
This was my biggest downfall. Still is when I don’t really focus.
BarBeeGirl 3 years ago
Lol I just wrote this as a reply to another post. Great minds thinking alike!
#23
For me it was the day I learned about mirepoix and soffritto. Adds a whole layer of flavor to my soups, stews and red Italian sauces.
Fanni Figura 3 years ago (edited)
Mirepoix and soffrito are the very same thing: celery, carrot and onion chopped very fine, in fact is the base for bolognese ragú. The difference is the language: one is in french, the other is in italian for the very same vegetable mix. The original poster doesn't really seem to be in gastronomy.
Load More Replies...
Kahna Wanna 3 years ago
Been doing this my whole life. Didn't know it had a name. Italian by blood. Huh...blood plays out. Am a touch French too.
Marco Conti 3 years ago
I call both "soffritto". If I am making ragu, I saute the onions and add carrots, celery, etc. It's still soffritto to me, but I learned cooking by watching my mother and grandmothers when I was growing up in Italy. I am always telling people that the secret to italian cooking is soffritto. Nail that one and everything else will come easy. Also easy on the garlic unless you are making "Pasta Aglio and Olio", aka the Italian bachelor special. In that case, I like to get my garlic a bit brown and nutty. Otherwise, use a lot less garlic than you think you need.
jmdirks 3 years ago
This person is just showing off with the words here. Mirepoix is just chopped onions, carrots and celery. The cooks holy trinity. Nothing fancy. Sofrito is just a chopped herbs of your choice sweated in butter or what ever oil of your choice.
Krista 3 years ago
Holy Trinity is onions, celery and green peppers (Cajun base). Italian soffritto is more than chopped herbs sweated in butter. It's carrots, onions, celery, usually garlic and parsley as well. How is he showing off by calling these things by the names they're known as? Because they're foreign words? There are plenty of foods we call by their foreign names.
Load More Replies... #24
Stop obsessing about everything being piping hot when served. I used to overcook things from keeping them on the heat while I finished up sides.
Bexx 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 3 years ago
YES. I was the same as OP, then I’d spend 10 mins waiting for my overcooked food to cool down. You can keep it warm without burning it/drying it out.
Load More Replies...
Natascha Perez 3 years ago
The trick to that is... timing. Knowing how long each item takes and cooking them accordingly. It is a lot harder than it sounds.
Mindy Keys 3 years ago
I still struggle with this. My gran could make 10 different dishes and have everything on the table perfectly cooked and the optimum temperature. It was like alchemy.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 3 years ago
I realized recently that one reason I eat too fast is that my food is always super hot and I'm just trying to get it out of my mouth as soon as possible. Warm food is great.
Marco Conti 3 years ago
One trick I learned to avoid cooling the food too much before serving is to put the plates in the microwave for about a minute or so. Just enough to make them lukewarm so they don't cold-shock the food. It's also the only time I use a microwave for cooking.
Debbie Dean 3 years ago
Put a damp paper towel between plates when nuking. Heats the plates much more efficiently - gets them much warmer in less time.
Load More Replies... Mtg Wolfie 3 years ago
My wife is diabetic. As such, we use rice instead of noodles for spaghetti (fewer carbs, means less blood sugar, and no solid spike either). I always cook the rice so that it finishes after the sauce. This way, I can let the sauce cool, then add in the piping hot rice. The rice hold enough heat to bring the cool sauce back to a palatable temp for eating shortly after serving.
#25
Not automatically turning the burner to high heat (I know, crazy)
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I have this problem with my manfriend. He thinks that everything needs to be cooked on the highest flame possible for the entire cooking time.
Natascha Perez 3 years ago
Medium or low heat is best depending on how much browning you want or how patient you are.
Lisa Valen 3 years ago
I have an acquaintance who does this. She cooks everything on high heat and burns everything to the bottom of the pans. It's amazing the waste that creates when all the burned food is scraped off. Besides, very few things taste good when they're semi burnt...
Debbie Dean 3 years ago
I cannot remember the last time I cooked anything on high heat with the exception of water ;). I don't eat red meat any more so no longer have to sear my steaks.
Margaret Salisbury 3 years ago
My father in law does this. And then he wonders why all his pans are covered in black stains and warped on the bottom. (He routinely takes them off the full-heat element and immediately runs them under cold tap water. Cleans the burnt stuff off faster, but ruins the pans!)
Vinita Talaulikar 3 years ago
TV cooking shows show the Chef sometimes cooking on high heat.. but always better to cook on low heat and slow cooking..
Mtg Wolfie 3 years ago
I use a gas stove. And a good portion of my cooking is done in a wok. Considering both of these, I move the wok, rather than reducing heat. Easier control over cooking speed, I find. And this same mentality has transferred to the few things I cook in frying pans too.
#26
Cooking pasta in salted water
Chaz83 3 years ago
Yes because I hate salt. Everyone uses too much. I can't eat out anymore because everything is just salty all the time. Including me now as I write this.
Load More Replies...
Darla Garcia 3 years ago
Yes! Plus the salted cooked pasta water is amazing for using to reduce and make a simple pasta sauce with some garlic and oil.
katha wenzel 3 years ago
Pasta should cook only in salted water...tipp: taste your cooking water it should taste like the ocean...and oil doesn't prevent it from sticking together...it just floats on the surface while your pasta is underneath
Cofty Sweet 3 years ago
No oil in the water so it soaks up sauces better. Also, I personally add a few bay leaves. Pasta tastes much better in my opinion.
Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
I never tried bayleave in pasta water, but I sometimes use some basil. Definitely I will try bayleave, so thank you for that tip.
Load More Replies... Krista 3 years ago
You don't salt rice, potatoes, corn, or pasta water???
Load More Replies... #27
Getting an accurate cooking thermometer, and using it for everything in the oven including cakes.
Jennifer Herron 3 years ago
I rely on my sense of smell to know when something is done. It works for meatloaf, steak, chicken, bread, other baked goods, you name it!
Natascha Perez 3 years ago
I use my eyes and a stick slightly longer than a toothpick. If stuff sticks to the stick the item needs more time in the oven. Saw it on a baking competition.
Kona Pake 3 years ago
Try poking a Satay stick in the cake, If a still sticks, it’s not done and you save $10.
José Vitor Lobo 3 years ago
I just use tooth picks, as I learned from my mother, and it works perfectly
Load More Replies... #28
Tasting as you go
Bexx 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 3 years ago
Always taste! I mean would you paint blind? Don’t even bother cooking if you wouldn’t keep track of how the dish tastes!
#29
While making white sauce/ bechamel using a whisk and not a fork or anything else other than a whisk. This way you get smooth and creamy sauce. This also means your pot can’t be nonstick otherwise you can’t use the whisk as you need to.
buzz zub 3 years ago
Yep. I have metal whisks & whisks that are safe for non-stick pans. Even my hubby is trained to use the correct one now.
Load More Replies...
H Moore 3 years ago
I use a spoon, just keep stirring, no lumps. And white sauce for me is a base not a end product. parsley sauce, cheese sauce etc....now thats the end product.
José Vitor Lobo 3 years ago
My arms hurt of thinking on doing it with a spoon...
Load More Replies... 
#30
Heating pans slowly. If I know I'm going to use a frying pan, cast iron and otherwise, or my cast-iron grill that I use for tortillas, I put it on the stove at a low temperature for about half an hour, and then bring it up to whatever while I'm prepping the food. I use cast iron and stainless steel, and they are all made non-stick by pre-heating.
Wendy 3 years ago
Right! Don't people have jobs? They shout around the stove all day waiting for a pan to heat up?
Load More Replies... Wintermute 3 years ago
Cast iron and steel are famous for even, quick heating. There's nothing you're going to accomplish by heating for 30 minutes that isn't done in 5.
Matthew Gobbell 3 years ago
They're famous for being "even over time", meaning after they've been heated you won't get hotspots, and it takes at least 10-15 minutes to correctly bring quality cast iron to temperature evenly.
Load More Replies...
Charles Roberts 3 years ago
Five minutes max on low heat, then take the heat up about thirty seconds before putting the food in
Queen Boadicea 3 years ago
The amount of pans I have gone through because no one listens to that simple fact...low and slow! I could be rich and even fatter!
Exquisite Spam 3 years ago
I think I'd rather just use a non-stick pan. Once I got a good non-stick it was the epitome of a game changer.
#31
Setting out all the ingredients, measuring and possibly chopping ingredients before starting to cook/bake. It not only keeps things flowing smoothly and in a timely manner with much less stress but I also know before starting if I am unexpectedly low or out of stock of an ingredient.
#32
Cook your spices in oil (like with the onions) before adding in the liquid ingredients.
BasedWang12 3 years ago
especially ginger, garlic and green onion for asian dishes. I can't eat alot of oil (fats), but makin some szhechuan fish, ya need that oil
#33
if its a salty/savoury dish. add a pinch of sugar in. if its sweet dish. add a pinch of salt in it. the contrast will bring umami flavor
CrunChewy McSandybutt 3 years ago
It's a complex savory flavor. If you have ever eaten a savory dish and it makes you do the happy dance, it's because of the umami.
Load More Replies...
#34
Scrambled eggs also do this. Take them off the stove well before they reach the desired consistency.
#36
Most of the time, use a lower setting on the burner than you think you need. Varies based on your own equipment, of course. But I find it often makes a huge difference.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 3 years ago
My mother, the worst cook in the history of food, would cook everything on high and in no less than a cup of shortening.
#37
My house burger game changed recently when I started making smash burgers. My kids aren’t begging for McDonald’s anymore...No more big thick ass house burger patties around here!
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
I never loved really thick patties - smash burgers really are a game changer!
Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
There is nothing like a good burger. If you master the burger, nobody will want McDonald again. My tip, add about a tablespoon of sparkling mineral water in the meat (it has to be mineral water, not spring water, you can definitelly taste the difference) per serving (my servings are about 200 g of meat). You will get amazing juicy meat.
#38
Thinking about each ingredient and how I want it to be in the end. Helps decide what size to chop, when to put in, heat temp to use, etc. (For stir-fries and soups)
#39
Small half brick of butter in everything
#40
Individually seasoning and taking care of each ingredient in a recipe. Especially with veggies.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 3 years ago
This is especially true with stir fry. It's a bigger hassle, but the end result is so much better.
#41
Using an instant read digital thermometer instead of guessing when meat was done. For Baking, weighing ingredients instead of using the cup measures. I would say weighing ingredients has had more impact than using the digital thermometer.
#42
It was ignoring cooking myths. Like letting meat come to room temperature before cooking it.
Auntriarch 3 years ago
Depends on the meat and the recipe. An old recipe for roasts from before universal fridges may not allow enough cooking time
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
Thank you! Not only is that not food safe, it has been shown by several food scientists to accomplish nothing
CrunChewy McSandybutt 3 years ago
It's not unsafe. You don't leave the meat out for two days, just an hour or two. And I'd like to see these food scientist studies (not just Buzz Feed articles).
Load More Replies...
#43
Switched to cast iron a good 6 or 7 years ago. I cook everything except pasta in it now. It’s one of my top five. 1.) Cast Iron 2.) iGrill Thermometer 3.) Sous Vide 4.) Mortar and Pestle for whole spices 5.) Sifter (regarding making my gravies)
#44
Hot pan, cold oil. Salt the building blocks of a dish (ie garlic and onion, usually for me.) So you don't forget, get a salt pig.
#45
Switching to cooking with maldon salt. I know it’s technically a finishing salt, but cooking with it makes everything achieve a deeper deliciousness
#46
For me it's just about having the right tools. There are substitutes sometimes. But if you're gonna do anything "right", it's better to invest in the right tools. I recently purchased a rolling pin. Me! It's crazy.
#47
Wash and properly store all produce as soon as I get home from the grocery store. Everything lasts longer, and I can immediately use things whenever I'm ready to cook.
Adrienne Mcginley 3 years ago
Never store tomatoes in the fridge. The difference in taste is notable. Buy your produce locally from as small a grower as possible.
Memere 3 years ago
I like to buy local as much as I can, and I love buying from our area farmers markets!
Load More Replies... #48
How does letting meat come to room temperature help? I know a lot of chefs say it makes meat cook evenly but I've never felt any differences myself.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
You'll get more evenly cooked meat. When you toss a cold steak in the pan, the outside immediately starts heating up, but it takes more time for the cold inner part to come up to temperature. You can easily burn the outside before the inside is at the proper temperature, especially since you should be cooking steak in an extremely hot pan.
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
It doesn't make a difference - when cooking food at 150 degrees C, the difference between a 4 degree C starting temp and a 20 degree starting temp is absolutely negligible.
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
Honestly, I don't love taking daily cooking advice from chefs. They aren't (usually) trained on how to cook meals that we should be eating on a day to day basis. The amount of salt, butter, and sugar they use is significantly more than we should be eating on a regular basis, and the amount of food waste is both terrible for the planet and for the average person's wallet. Professional chefs who cook in restaurants are trained to make food that people can't help but eat. Usually that means making it pretty unhealthy.
Carney 3 years ago
Huh? Guess you haven't known too many chefs have you? The idea that pro chefs and cooks are oblivious to food waste; that they do not cook healthy or that they cook food that you cannot help but eat....yeah, not true, not true at all. I have no idea where you live, but around my part of the world the really good chefs heavily rely on fresh foods, herbs and spices. Heard of farm to table? Biggest trend in the industry. The idea that chefs have some magic whereby they force you to eat...comical and so very, very wrong.
Load More Replies... D20 Games 3 years ago
I use scissors to shred/cut herbs and lettuce, leafy stuff. It's quick and easy, and I can cut just what I need without over doing.
Love it or leave it 3 years ago
Oh yeah, I have three dedicated kitchen scissors. If they're in the knife rack they are fresh clean from the dishwasher. I have cut up meat for the grandkids, herbs, all sorts of things! A kitchen scissors is SO handy.
Load More Replies... Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
My best advise is if you are going to bake some pork and you want to add some wine to make a great sauce, don't. Put there apple juice. And some vegetables, I would say carrot and cellery. Pork just loves apple juice.
Isaac Molchak 3 years ago
Am I the only one who just sees a long list of photos with the words "Small-Habits-Massively-Improved- Cooking-Skills" with no additional information...?
Dr. Carlos Dangercat 3 years ago
Butter and olive oil taste GREAT mixed together. I often add a little of the other to a recipe calling for one of them if I'm aiming to impress.
Jose Carlo 3 years ago
I had cooked for myself for the past 25 or so years andI am enjoying myself. I taste it to how it suits me. :)
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
Honestly, I don't love taking daily cooking advice from chefs. They aren't (usually) trained on how to cook meals that we should be eating on a day to day basis. The amount of salt, butter, and sugar they use is significantly more than we should be eating on a regular basis, and the amount of food waste is both terrible for the planet and for the average person's wallet. Professional chefs who cook in restaurants are trained to make food that people can't help but eat. Usually that means making it pretty unhealthy.
Carney 3 years ago
Huh? Guess you haven't known too many chefs have you? The idea that pro chefs and cooks are oblivious to food waste; that they do not cook healthy or that they cook food that you cannot help but eat....yeah, not true, not true at all. I have no idea where you live, but around my part of the world the really good chefs heavily rely on fresh foods, herbs and spices. Heard of farm to table? Biggest trend in the industry. The idea that chefs have some magic whereby they force you to eat...comical and so very, very wrong.
Load More Replies... D20 Games 3 years ago
I use scissors to shred/cut herbs and lettuce, leafy stuff. It's quick and easy, and I can cut just what I need without over doing.
Love it or leave it 3 years ago
Oh yeah, I have three dedicated kitchen scissors. If they're in the knife rack they are fresh clean from the dishwasher. I have cut up meat for the grandkids, herbs, all sorts of things! A kitchen scissors is SO handy.
Load More Replies... Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
My best advise is if you are going to bake some pork and you want to add some wine to make a great sauce, don't. Put there apple juice. And some vegetables, I would say carrot and cellery. Pork just loves apple juice.
Isaac Molchak 3 years ago
Am I the only one who just sees a long list of photos with the words "Small-Habits-Massively-Improved- Cooking-Skills" with no additional information...?
Dr. Carlos Dangercat 3 years ago
Butter and olive oil taste GREAT mixed together. I often add a little of the other to a recipe calling for one of them if I'm aiming to impress.
Jose Carlo 3 years ago
I had cooked for myself for the past 25 or so years andI am enjoying myself. I taste it to how it suits me. :)
Related on Bored Panda
