Chefs share 20 cooking secrets that will make your time in the kitchen a snap
Cooking can be relaxing for some. For others, it’s the worst part of the day.
But we all have to eat, which means at some point, we’ll probably all have to prepare our own food.
Whether you consider yourself a master chef or a novice, there are always some handy hints out there to add to your arsenal of knowledge.
Here are 20 that might help you avoid everything from bland food to kitchen nightmares.
1. Add sugar to your veggies
While you don’t want to make your vegetables unhealthy, some people truly don’t like that taste of them, in part because vegetables can be too bitter for some tastebuds.
Next time you’re trying to get the family to eat their greens (or tomatoes, etc.) try adding a pinch (or up to a teaspoon) of sugar while cooking instead of enhancing the dish with salt.
It’ll cut down on the bitterness.
2. Dry off your steaks before searing
Many people insist that it’s best to bring meat to room temperature before cooking so that it heats up evenly, but this myth has been debunked – it really makes no difference.
Instead, to get a good sear, what you really want to do is make sure that – no matter what temperature your meat is – it’s been thoroughly dried off first.
That way you’ll get a nice sear on the outside without having to let it overcook while the moisture evaporates.
3. Baste your fried eggs to protect the yolk
It’s so annoying to look forward to delicious over-easy eggs only to flip them over and have the yolk crack and spill all the good stuff out into the pan before they’re done.
Instead of flipping, add a teaspoon of water to the top or baste your eggs with the oil they’re cooking in before popping on the lid.
That will allow the top to cook without having to flip them at all.
4. Nuke your lemons before you juice them
While it might seem weird, putting your lemons in the microwave for 20 seconds before squeezing them will produce significantly more juice with less effort.
And that’s really all we want out of our kitchen hacks!
5. Get creamier mashed potatoes by boiling them in milk
By cutting up your potatoes, pouring whole milk over them until they’re just barely covered, and simmering until soft, not only have you created the base for creamier mashed potatoes but you’ve cut an entire step out of the recipe!
So next time skip the water and use a bit of milk instead – you might even be able to cut down on the calorie-laden extras you normally have to add to get them to taste nice and rich.
6. Store your cling wrap in the fridge
If you have room in your refrigerator, you might want to consider storing your plastic wrap in there, especially if you use it often and find yourself struggling with it as you try to tear a piece off.
Cold cling wrap will tear more easily but still stick to the surface you want it to.
7. Make your own cooking spray
If you run out of cooking spray, it’s easy to make your own.
Simply grab a spray bottle and add 1 part olive oil to 3 parts water. Then simply shake and spray!
You’ll need to shake it up each time you use it, but that’s hardly an inconvenience.
8. Test your baking soda
It would be such a waste to find out your baking soda was expired after your creation came out of the oven.
So if you aren’t sure, and are worried about whether or not your baked goods will rise, you just need to do a little experiment first.
Simply drop a pinch of baking soda into a teaspoon of vinegar. If a chemical reaction occurs (think science fair volcanoes on a MUCH smaller scale) and it fizzes, you’re in business!
9. Test your baking powder
You want to test your baking powder for the same reason you do your baking soda.
And while vinegar isn’t the reactant you’re looking for, baking powder will fizz in just a little bit of warm water.
You don’t need a big reaction – you just want to make sure something happens.
10. Use your bacon grease to fry other foods
Providing you’re not watching your cholesterol, the grease left over after making your morning bacon can also be used to keep your eggs, veggies, or whatever else you’re making afterward from sticking to the pan – AND make them taste great.
It’s a delicious trick that also lets you skip cleaning out the pan or using a second one while making breakfast.
11. Weave your bacon
Ever make a BLT or egg and bacon sandwich and watch your strip of bacon come sliding out?
Well, weaving it helps to hold it in place when you bite in!
It’s easy to do but you can find instructions here.
12. Dampen your fingers to remove stray eggshells
No one looks forward to dunking their fingers into eggs to fish out the stray pieces of shell, but you’ll make it much easier on yourself if you wet your fingers first.
You’ll end up washing off a lot less slime that way.
13. Grill fish on top of lemon slices
Salmon, tilapia, halibut – any fish that tastes great with some lemon on it can be grilled on top of lemon slices for a tasty infusion.
This is also a great trick because it keeps your fish from sticking to the grill!
14. Cut corn off the cob into a bundt pan
Cutting corn off the cob can be a pain, especially when little pieces fly everywhere.
But you may have a quick fix already in your cabinets!
Sticking the corn in a bundt pan will hold the cob in place AND catch those stray kernels!
15. Add pasta water to your sauce
Before you drain your pasta, take 1/4 of the pasta water and add it to your sauce.
Chefs like Nigella Lawson swear by the starchy water trick to get pasta sauce to cling better instead of sliding down to the bottom of your finished dish.
16. Use salt throughout your cooking
Unless you’re watching your sodium, it’s best to season your food with salt and pepper throughout its preparation, not just at the beginning or end.
In fact, if you do it enough while you’re cooking, you can skip it at the end, thereby making sure your dish is well-flavored but not salty-tasting.
Also, taste as you go to make sure you’re not overseasoning at any point. Don’t wait until the end!
17. Don’t overcrowd the pan
Putting too much of anything in your pan at the same time (especially meat along with another ingredient) will affect your cooking time.
The heat will be dispersed in ways you might not expect, being drawn to some ingredients or patches with more seasoning. This also creates moisture, which can stop things from searing.
So if it’s a brown crust or reliable timetable you’re going for, don’t put too much food in at once.
18. Smash garlic before peeling
If you hate the smell of garlic under your fingernails 2 days later, try cracking the skin of a clove under the side of a knife before peeling it.
That will break it in multiple places and make it easy to get the skin off without taking up too much time or ruining your manicure.
19. Keep fish sauce around
It might not sound appealing but it’s the secret ingredient of favorite chefs everywhere.
In order to get that delicious and get hard-to-capture umami flavor in your savory dishes, a little dash of fish sauce can go a long way in stews and sauces.
20. Set the scene
Don’t run around your kitchen looking for each ingredient only when you need it.
Good chefs gather all of their ingredients together beforehand – and make sure all of their implements nearby. It makes cooking simpler and less stressful.
And that means you’ll do it more often!
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So which trick are you going to try first?
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