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People Are Sharing The Cheats That Make Cooking So Much Easier Even Though They’re Weird
Cooking is one of those things you can study your whole life and still discover new tricks that improve your game. Even professional chefs who travel the world for TV shows often admit that some of their practices come not from culinary schools, but from home cooks in a distant corner of the globe.
A recent post on r/Cooking by Reddit user Nasergames1 asked people to share their most unusual but effective kitchen hacks, and the replies have been pouring in about everything from product selection to their preparation methods, and beyond.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Uhhh using a blow dryer on raw chicken is a terrible idea. That’s how you get chicken juices and salmonella all over everything. Just pat it with paper towels or leave it uncovered in the fridge for an hour or two.
Auntriarch 3 months ago
Ken Hom takes a hair dryer to pekin duck. I'm going to go hide behind the sofa now.
Ace 3 months ago
How is the chicken getting wet in the first place? And why do you need to dry it even if it is?
Tyke 3 months ago
I thought the same Ace. I actually season my chicken at least 24 hours before cooking, but roast it in a casserole dish (lid on)... remove the lid for the last bit of cooking and I get succulent chicken with a wonderfully crispy skin every time. Never felt the need to "blow dry" my chicken.
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Donelle Schultz 3 months ago
Agreed - that seems like an outside thing to keep from poisoning people at dinner. If you have time, a mixture of 2 parts kosher salt to 1 part baking powder then left uncovered overnight makes a delightfully crispy skin. (thanks Serious Eats for this one)
RELATED:
#2
I learnt that blow drying was the secret to crispy duck skin. One Christmas I was cooking duck and thought I'd try it out. I'd just got a high speed "blaster" for drying the dogs so stood at the kitchen door with the duck, pointed the nozzle to between the skin and flesh and turned it on. I then discovered why it was called a blaster and had a low-flying headless duck fly down the garden with dogs in hot pursuit 🤣.
GalPalAl 3 months ago
I thought only Dan Qualye made up his own words. OP's diction ary shows learnt is a word. Is that like spilt?
Dusty's mom 3 months ago
The Oxford English Dictionary is the final word in English and it recognizes the word "learnt". It was commonly used in the USA until the early 20th century. Why don't you research a word before denigrating it?
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#3
-Cocoa powder in chili
-peach jam in bbq sauce
-touch of sour cream in scrambled eggs.
VNES101 3 months ago
Cumin is my secret, not so secret, ingredient in my pico. People wonder why they love it so much.
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 3 months ago
Peach jam in barbecue sauce is for people who haven't discovered apricot jam. Trust me.
Spencers slave no more 3 months ago
Sour cream instead of milk in mashed spuds. Sour cream based flavoured dips make mash delicious too.
Melanie Fisher 3 months ago
Leave milk out butter, real butter is the best thing for mash
Load More Replies... Donelle Schultz 3 months ago
100%. Also amazing in Chili, Bolognese, salad dressings, bbq sauce, Caramel, chocolate chip cookies is a tablespoon of white Miso - honestly I haven't found anything a little Miso doesn't make better. Same idea as the soy.
#4
I dunno about the blow drying.... Seems unsanitary and also unnecessary. I salt my chicken and leave it in the fridge overnight and the skin completely dehydrates - much more than you could achieve with a blow dryer.
Auntriarch 3 months ago
I leave pork shoulder in the fridge uncovered overnight, for better crackling.
#5
When I make chili I put chocolate and coffee in right before I serve, it adds a another level of flavor that nobody understands but they love it.
Sam Trudeau 3 months ago
In my family, we add cayenne pepper to brownies. Makes it go great with milk.
nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
One or both of those, or Vietnamese fish sauce.
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#6
I peel Ginger, cut it into cubes, blended into a paste, a thin layer in a ziplock bag , freeze , break off as needed. .
Greyskull 3 months ago
Yes! Just trim any dried out pieces off. It's easier, and the area around the skin has the best flavor.
Load More Replies... #7
Any soup will be made more flavorful and brighter by adding a bit of apple cider vinegar.
#8
Use potato chips instead of graham crackers for s'mores. Not the kettle-type chips. Use something cheap and salty like Lays. S'mores are super sweet normally, so the saltiness makes it a more balanced treat. It's also easier to eat and gluten free! (Which is how I discovered it. Food allergies lead to some delightful discoveries).
Antoinette the Red 3 months ago
Has to be a pretty thick chip. Lays and Wise won't cut it, I think. Maybe Ruffles?
Lee Gilliland 3 months ago
Exactly how to you plan on putting a square of chocolate and a hot melted marshmallow on a potato chip to allow it to keep its integrity? I'm sorry but this sounds like you're violating the inverse square law.
#9
Keep your saran wrap/ plastic wrap in the fridge. It won't stock to itself, ever, while you're cutting it. But it warms up immediately & sticks to your bowl you're covering. Yes, even the cheap kind will work better.
#10
I freeze any veg that is about to go off, I will even cut off anything that looks bad and still throw it in. I like freezing tomatoes the best so I can peel and then throw them in a pot. Having been frozen the skin releases easy with just a quick rinse under hot water. I have even used them for fresh salsa. If I need grated onion I go to the freezer and find one of the many pieces that have been sealed and stored. Easy peasy. (avocados freeze well too)
I always have little pieces of veg or even whole veg that isn't used right away so I do the usual, throw them in a cooked dish if they dont need to be crunchy. All my asparagus ends get frozen and then made into a cream of asparagus soup later which is then used for all sorts of sauces/flavoring and of course soup. I also freeze cheese ends or any that looks funny after cleaning it up for the same reason. Cheese and Grits, to the freezer for the cheese ends. I also freeze leftover rice on a tray and then bag it up for later use - usually breakfast fried rice.
I make yellow rice a lot - turmeric, chicken broth and rice. Turmeric is really nice for adding color to mac n cheese, queso and of course yellow rice and anything in between that needs to have that orange/yellow color.
I make garlic butter ahead of time and sealed in a glass dish. Its always been my hubs fav but he doesn't know whats in it. His is never the same so I get asked to make it. Its a 1/3 butter 1/3 margarine and 1/3 olive oil combined with a hefty amount of grated garlic, a dash of italian seasoning and a pinch of ground red pepper or just plain pepper. The trio of fats keeps it somewhat spreadable but still rich and delicious. Sometimes I get fancy and press the garlic bread on a plate of parm after they have been buttered before baking them slowly.
I buy bolillo bread instead of french/italian for garlic bread, sub sandwiches/phillys/french dips and hot ham and cheese sandwiches (ham/cheese/mayo/mustard rolled tight in parchment and then foil to slowly bake in the toaster oven, ooey gooey and delicious).
I put a teeny tiny bit of mayo between each layer of ingredients in a sandwich to make everything stick together.
Those are probably all obvious - and now for the dastardly dirty little secret:
I put marmite in just about everything that needs to be savory with an extra kick of umami. It makes sauces, gravies, stews and even spag extra special. It doesnt take much so start with a little (like less than a tsp for 2 people) and adjust. It also has the benefit of adding a darker color to sauces/gravies.
Melanie Fisher 3 months ago
Coat potatoes in Marmite before roasting, best spuds you'll ever have (even if you hate Marmite)
BrunoVI 3 months ago
I hate Marmite, but I think I can understand that one.
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Lee Gilliland 3 months ago
If you're doing all this, buy a separate freezer. Cheap on FB marketplace.
Huddo's sister 3 months ago
Usually a mix of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. I don't buy pre-mixed herbs, so I don't know what the quantities of each are or whether it makes a difference compared to adding the separate herbs in the quantities listed in a recipe.
Load More Replies... #11
Unsweetened baking chocolate. Added to chili that you want to cut heat without changing flavor. Needs to be done very carefully, but it works.
#12
When I make pie crust, I replace half of the water with vodka.
Thanks old school ATK!
setsuriseikou 3 months ago
As a native Russian speaker: yeah, no, it isn't.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 3 months ago
Because of the heat, most of the humidity vanishes. Just be careful with alcoholics, because enough remains that it can tempt others to fail off the wagon.
Lila Allen 3 months ago
There's no kick. It bakes off but using the vodka makes the crust a lot flakier and stronger than just ice water will
Load More Replies... #13
I've posted about this before, but blow-drying freshly made rice on low so I can make fried rice with it.
Takes only a few minutes and you can do it in the rice pot as opposed to spreading it out onto a pan and cooling it slowly with a fan. Saves time and avoids needing to wash another dish.
Day-old rice from the fridge is the best, but I don't always have it prepared.
Hippopotamuses 3 months ago
I'll try this. I always forget to prepare my fried rice ahead of time.
Ace 3 months ago
Here's another tip. Undercook the rice. Just a little bit. Then leave it in the sieve once you've drained it; as it cools it will absorb all the extra water and finish cooking. Only needs about half an hour to cool this way.
Load More Replies... #14
I cook a week worth of rice and freeze it in one serving containers so when I don't have energy to cook I can just microwave one and put some hot sauce on it for a quick fix.
#15
Splash a bit of soy sauce on a hamburger in a skillet just after you flip it--it caramelizes at once and is the best thing about the burger.
Scarlett O'Hara's Ghost 3 months ago
This statement is commonly referred to as "whataboutism". That is the comments and caveats and not all the time and what about and but sometimes. The reason they have their own name and a little hated corner of the Internet, is because someone actually took the time to post a comment that is such common knowledge, or is just plain common sense that I was then forced to read it. But thank God! SillyPandaBunny, if you hadn't told everyone that if you're allergic to soy, you shouldn't try this trick, I'm sure the ER would be filled to capacity with people who have a known allergy to soy but decided to use on their hamburger anyway
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#16
Two things about salmon 🐟🍣
1) SKIN ON- make SURE your salmon is actually descaled!!! If the skin feels “smooth” it’s probably not. Salmon scales are thin and smooth, running a knife against the grain will pull them off and it makes a huge difference if you are trying to get crispy skin because the skin can be directly in contact with the pan instead of boiling/steaming under the scales.
2) SKIN OFF- Run a kettle of boiling water, then pour over the skin side until it shrinks slightly. Maybe like 10-20sec. This will release the skin from the salmon and you can literally peel it off
bonus, if you descale then remove the skin you can make a salmon skin crisp :P.
Sam Trudeau 3 months ago
Also, salmonella isn't related to salmon. If you're wondering, the name Salmonella comes from David Salmon.
Lila Allen 3 months ago
Had to google David Salmon ( obviously I knew salmonella wasn't related to salmon just hadn't ever had the curiosity to discover who named it)
Load More Replies... #17
This is completely counter intuitive, but we pour boiling water over our skin-on chicken before baking, and then broil it a bit right at the end. Perfect crispy skin every time.
George Costanza 3 months ago
No, broil is an oven setting where only the top heating element is on, heating only from above. It is sort of upside-down grilling in a way.
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Hippopotamuses 3 months ago
There's a similar counter-intuitive trick for crispy bacon. It's magic!
#18
My wife makes homemade chocolate frosting with cream and chocolate pudding powder. Her secret ingredient? - A dash of freeze-dried coffee.
Trophy Husband 3 months ago
So many of these say to add coffee... I can't stand the taste of coffee! I know I'm in the minority, but I've returned desserts at restaurants because they said chocolate and didn't mention that they contain coffee. Even a small amount will ruin something for me.
#19
I use fish sauce in everything savory. Just a dash, splash, or glug depending lol.
Ace 3 months ago
Quite a few people will swear by one given ingredient, maybe Worcester Sauce, maybe soy, whatever. Nothing wrong with any of them, but do they not realise that it just makes all their dishes taste the same?
Spencers slave no more 3 months ago
Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce or Bovril depending on which red meat I'm cooking, except venison. Truffle oil and red wine for steaks, red wine for slow cooking.
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Donelle Schultz 3 months ago
Absolutely. This also works anywhere you would use an anchovy if you don't want to open a whole tin for a couple of filets.
#20
To line a pan with foil, wet it first and the foil sticks to it.
Kirsten Kerkhof 3 months ago
Alternatively: wrap the tin foil over the outside. Take the foil off, flip the pan right side up and the tin foil will slot right into the pan.
Kirsten Kerkhof 3 months ago
I do it when I make flapjacks. The treat comes right out and it saves a ton of scrubbing melted sugar from the pan.
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#21
Salt on meat àfter frying. Especially coarse salt. To taste.
JL 3 months ago (edited)
Why the accent over the 'a' in 'after'? Has BP's censoring gotten completely out of control?
Dusty's mom 3 months ago
Could be a keyboard glitch. If I hold a key down too long on my phone I get a variety of that letter. Can probably happen on laptops or computer keyboards, depending on make.
Load More Replies... #22
Years ago, I worked at a kitchen store, and I had to watch all these training videos about the products we sold. One video showed a use for parchment paper that I thought was SO dumb, but I tried it and have done it religiously ever since. It's using parchment paper to cook scrambled eggs. You crumple a sheet of parchment paper, open it back up, and press it into the bottom of your pan. Then pour in your eggs and just cook them as usual through the parchment paper. I do it all the time because I hate cleaning eggs out of the pan. When they're done, I just lift out the parchment paper, scrape the eggs onto my plate, and toss the paper in the compost. The pan is perfectly clean!
Also, this is kinda just for the Jews, but I'm a vegetarian (relevant because there's no meat in the meal) and my "secret ingredient" when I make matzo balls is to replace half the oil with yogurt and add 1/4 tsp of baking soda. The reaction between the yogurt and soda makes them super fluffy and light, and the yogurt adds back some richness and flavor lost by not using schmaltz. They're sooo good.
Johnnynatfan 3 months ago
Some people don't like using non-stick pans or simply don't own any.
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nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
I would think the parchment paper would just slide around in the pan. And the parchment paper I can get is most certainly not biodegradable or compostable.
UKGrandad 3 months ago (edited)
If you cook eggs or milk-based dishes, as soon as you remove the food fill the pan with cold water. The sudden drop in temperature causes the residual food to contract and lift away from the pan. Just let the water sit in the pan until you wash-up, then pour the water away and the residue will wipe off easily.
BrunoVI 3 months ago
As someone who has lived among Jews but is not one, I was confused why overly sentimental matzo balls was a problem. (TIL that schmaltz was animal fat, but I've mostly heard it used to describe overly sentimental movies, music, etc. For instance, Celine Dion is sappy, but Barbra Streiseand is schmaltz.)
Kelly Scott 3 months ago (edited)
I have an enamel covered cast iron pan so I don't know if this will work for every pan. But I used to HATE cleaning the pan after making scrambled eggs because of all the stuck on egg left on it. It took me forever to figure this out, but if I let the pan completely heat up for several minutes on high, then put a little oil or butter in it, the egg never sticks.
Lee Gilliland 3 months ago
Good Gad, toss your eggs in the microwave and stir them every 15 seconds! You guys overthink stuff.
#23
Citric acid powder in the right amount, instead of vinegar, makes your salad tangy but not shloshy.
And if you are doing that top it of with a bit of honey. The salad gets really tasty and it brings out the tomato and onion.
Becky Samuel 3 months ago
Your salad wont get "shloshy" if you dress it correctly. Dress the bowl, not the salad. That's how you get a lovely even distribution of dressing and no soggy bits.
#24
This is not new news, but baking soda on proteins is the way.
Ace 3 months ago
Or the whey perhaps? But seriously I have no idea what this is supposed to be about.
detective miller's hat 3 months ago
I forget who told me about using baking soda this way, but I've been putting it in a dry rub for years whenever I cook chicken on the bbq. Makes a HUGE difference, and the skin comes out absolutely perfect every time. Baking soda, chili powder, smoked paprika, & garlic powder. Pinch of coarse sea salt. Delish.
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Luke Branwen 3 months ago
Just make sure not to overdo it. Tried to velvet beef with too much soda and got the most rubbery, nasty, foul-smelling bull$hit imaginable.
#25
I imagine miso in caramel, brown sugar based or coffee dessert would be good too.
#26
Vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of Angostura bitters over too.
#27
If you put a head of lettuce in tin foil, it stays crisp and doesn’t wilt or spoil as soon. I have no idea why but it works.
#28
I have a secret to making the best mashed potatoes. Lame... I know, but here goes. After boiling is finished and chunks are soft, drain the water, and return the potatoes to the burner... evap ALL the moisture, THEN add butter salt cream and milk while stirring.
Melanie Fisher 3 months ago
I add mine at mashing stage to get it right through all the potato, add lashings of cheese no milk
Load More Replies... Jonas Fisher 3 months ago
I wonder how this person was making them before discovering this "secret."
Donelle Schultz 3 months ago
making sure the milk/cream/butter is warm, right? if it's cold that's a recipe for glue.
highwaycrossingfrog 3 months ago
This is the normal way of making mashed potatoes. A good (still pretty well known) hack is to leave them to steam in the colander for 5 minutes after draining. This will help eliminate any wateriness in the final product (or use milk instead of water).
#29
Ginger, stored in a dark room, lasts a long time.
You can also store it submerged in vodka and it'll last forever, it doesn't impact the taste for cooked dishes (weirdly) and when you are done you have ginger infused vodka (win!).
#30
I blow dry potatoes before making French fries, hash browns or home fries. I'm glad I'm not alone.
George Costanza 3 months ago
Doesn't a convection oven/air fryer basically do that for you, instead of having to hold a blow dryer over them for several minutes?
Jason Long 3 months ago (edited)
Toss the potatoes in some cornstarch after the initial blanch and you will get super crispy fries, that maintain their crispyness
nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
I just let them air dry. Because they have to cool down after the blanch anyway.
#31
I have an inverse tip to the soy sauce/chocolate desserts - whenever I make Japanese curry, I add a piece of dark chocolate. I believe this would work for chilli as well. Really amps up the depth of flavour.
detective miller's hat 3 months ago
My brownies have become a legend in my family. I mix curry powder and coconut milk into the mix. The curry-coconut-chocolate flavour combo is DIVINE.
#32
I always pat chicken dry too for roasting, it really does help. Never thought of soy sauce for desserts.
I do make ice cubes of seasoning though. Eg mince up some garlic and chilli's in a blender and put the paste into an ice cube tray. Then when you make a curry or whatever you just drop one or 2 cubes into your sauce. Can bulk prepare lots of basic sauce ingredients like this.
No Man 3 months ago
Chili paste (various sort Thai, Chinese etc) is VERY expensive. Get a couple can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, puree it, then freeze into useful portions in an ice cube tray. Works in just about any recipe that wants chile paste. One cube is a bit more than a table spoon.
Ace 3 months ago (edited)
What world do you live in where chilli paste is so expensive but canned chilis are so cheap? Anyway, while I love chipotles in adobo their deep smoky flavour is not suitable for everything I ant to use chillis in, so no. Where I live none of these ingredients, nor Fresh chilli, is easy to find, so I tend to buy chillis in larger quantities when available and freeze some, which when defrosted will just mush up with the flat of a knife, and keep some in a paper bag in the fridge door, where they will dry over time without going bad, so you can just pick one out and crumble it into your pot.
Load More Replies... #33
One of the Zuni roasted chicken recipes I’ve used, the chicken is seasoned under skin & laid out uncovered for 2 days in the fridge. Crispy results.
#34
You can make parmesan ice cream actually tastes good.
Hippopotamuses 3 months ago
In my experience, parmesan does have have a hint of pineapple to it. But as ice cream, I'm not sure?
#35
If you are making a box cake/cookies/brownies/muffins/etc. I use softened butter instead of oil, milk instead of water and if you want it fluffier add an extra egg.
#36
I buy my garlic prepeeled from Costco and put it in the freezer. It’s so much easier to mash this way. You can also still mince or use whole.
Amy Bowser 2 months ago
I always find it to be a nuisance cleaning out the garlic press afterwards due to the garlic getting so stuck in the holes, but I do use it if I realllyy want the garlic fine.
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
Trillian 3 months ago
To all the people blow drying the heck out of their food: Have you heard about air fryers?
WubiDubi 3 months ago
Have you heard about ovens that do convection mode. Air Fryers are pure marketing to make you buy an unneccessary appliance. The electricity use is also insane compared to a quite efficient oven in either cooking mode.
Load More Replies... Trillian 3 months ago
To all the people blow drying the heck out of their food: Have you heard about air fryers?
WubiDubi 3 months ago
Have you heard about ovens that do convection mode. Air Fryers are pure marketing to make you buy an unneccessary appliance. The electricity use is also insane compared to a quite efficient oven in either cooking mode.
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