30 Simple Cooking Techniques You Should Be Doing, As Revealed By Professionals
You won't earn any Michelin stars from these, but you won't view cooking as a burden anymore.
Let's face it: we can't all be professional chefs; it takes a long time to become that skilled and adept with food. However, this doesn't mean we have to be awful home cooks.
Even if you live by yourself, you should—and you deserve—delicious food. Home cooking also means having control over the kind of food that goes into your body.
Fast food and restaurant meals are both great. They require minimal effort because all you have to do is sit and wait for someone to bring whatever you ordered.
Ordering from a restaurant isn't for everyone. If you're trying to be more mindful of the food you eat, then home-cooked meals are the way to go.
By cooking your own food, you'll also have much more say over how much money you're spending. Preparing your own meals is a good way to stick to your budget and avoid overspending.
Sadly, cooking is not a skill that everyone possesses. But it doesn't have to be as challenging as you think it is.
According to one very helpful Reddit discussion, there are many ways to make cooking less of a chore and more of an enjoyable experience. The chefs of Reddit banded together to share some simple tips and tricks to make your home-cooked meals tastier.
Here are some techniques you can practice to make better meals:
Joker0421. Garlic and onion have different cooking times and should never be sautéed at the same time.
TaloonTheMerchant2. Mise en place, or prep work, will make cooking less of a hassle.
Johndough99999
3. Do not overlook your acids, people!
Jioni92
4. Let your meat rest, and don't use dull knives.
Wheres_the_sand
5. Don't just stick to what you know.
Rezzone
6. Compare multiple recipes online before cooking.
BullGooseLooney904
7. Safety first.
Diamonds4days1
8. If you're going to use the dishwasher, place your knives blade side down.
grendus
9. Watch a few online tutorials if you want to learn the proper technique. Pro tip: start with Gordon Ramsay's video.
ChanceGuest
10. This one applies to sautéing.
FatuousOocephalus
11. When you deep fry, you want the flavor on the meat and the breading, not the oil.
PM_me_porn_pls
12. You lose a lot of the flavors in vegetables when you boil them to death; try roasting them instead.
[deleted]
13. There's a proper way to remove the seeds from your bell peppers.
FakeAssRicky
14. Boil your potatoes first before roasting them.
DeliciousMalediction
15. The microwave is a good friend, but it can't be used for everything.
small_but_lazy
16. A warm plate makes a significant difference.
MaybeItsJustMike
17. Use the non-blade side of the knife to scrape ingredients off the chopping board.
Jarek86
18. This also works when cooking bacon.
Cockwombles
19. Don't underestimate cleanliness in the kitchen.
Pitchesotoole02
Pitchesotoole02
20. Salt your pasta water liberally.
lothlin
21. Eggs are great when cooked properly.
TrayThePlumpet
22. It's the egg whites you should watch out for, not the yolks.
Zack1018
23. Buy a meat thermometer and use it.
BullGooseLooney904
24. Patience is a necessary aptitude in the kitchen.
guyute21
25. Crack your eggs on a flat surface.
treewithpants
26. High heat for faster cooking time is not a substitute for slow cooking.
[deleted]
27. Specific knives are used for specific ingredients.
RandellX
28. It's called a pinch grip, and it makes a world of difference.
JadeTheGuy
29. The kind of salt you use also affects the flavor of your food.
icycubed
30. Use an ice bath immediately.
bigheyzeus
BONUS: Perhaps the most important tip of all.
large00f
Don't forget to clean as you go while cooking. Use the idle time while waiting for the water to boil to clean your countertop and rinse the utensils.
These techniques won't make you a professional chef by a long shot, but they will make your food a lot better. Prep work will also be easier if you're doing it the right way.
