Maybe you’ve been cooking your whole life, or perhaps you’re just starting to get into the groove of cooking at home. The wonderful thing about cooking is that you’re constantly picking up new tricks and tips. So Redditor purelyinvesting asked, “What’s one cooking tip that instantly made you better in the kitchen?” Here are some of the game-changing tricks home cooks swear by.
1.
“Add lemon to almost anything you’re cooking (usually near the end of the cooking process) to enhance the flavor. Sautéed vegetables get a lemon squeeze when they are almost cooked through. Pretty much any meat/protein gets a little spritz of citrus after most of it’s cooked through. I add lemon to beans or lentils after they’ve been cooked as well. Lemon can be interchangeable with other acids like vinegar and lime.”
2.
“The stove doesn’t have to be on high all the time. In fact, often it should just be on medium for most cooking.”
3.
“Taste before and after adding every ingredient and as things cook. You’ll figure out what adding each thing or cooking method does, and you’ll build a flavor and cooking library in your head.”
4.
“Mis en place. Getting your ingredients prepped and ready before cooking is by far the most effective improvement.”
5.
“Don’t hate a recipe because you’re not a fan of one ingredient. I have an aversion to onions and would steer clear of every recipe that hinted at an onion until I cooked with one on a whim one day. I loved it, and now as long as they’re not a main center ingredient, I’ll throw that in everything.”
6.
“Listen to your cooking. If you want a Maillard reaction, the pan shouldn’t sizzle but crackle and pop. It’s also a sign to start paying attention, as it might burn if left unattended.”
7.
“Use bigger bowls, pans, and pots than you think you need. They might be more annoying to wash afterward, but you won’t crowd your food, overflow a pot, or spill while mixing.”
8.
“There are always a lot of tips that promote using fresh herbs (and rightly so) but not enough posts that advocate using whole spices, toasting them, and then grinding those spices yourself. Combine that with putting together your own spice blends, it can make a noticeable difference in your flavors.”
—Alchemist1342
9.
“Don’t cook meats for a set period of time. Instead cook them to a certain temperature.”
10.
“I swear by smoked paprika. It adds so much complexity, especially to a creamy sauce or chicken! I’m especially partial to Hungarian spicy smoked paprika.”
—rnd13001
11.
“I always pre-marinate my proteins when I get home from the grocery store. I marinate anything from hard-boiled eggs and tofu to tempeh and chicken. These pre-marinated proteins live in my fridge or freezer, ready to cook. Even a simple salt, garlic, and lemon marinade helps any protein taste better.”
12.
“Let flavors come together. Let complex dishes rest several hours before serving. This allows flavors to release, develop, and integrate.”
13.
“Think: Fat, acid, salt, heat, and keep these four factors in mind to nail every dish. For fats, finish gravies and sauces with cold butter. As for acid, ask yourself, ‘does the dish need ‘brightness?’ Then consider adding vinegar or citrus. Salt carefully, especially when reducing, salt meat ahead of time, and use the proper salt (flaky salt for steaks, fine salt for fried food). FInally, as for heat, think: Would this dish benefit from additional heat (for example, should bread be toasted or finished under a broiler) or does it need more spice?”
14.
“For me, it was learning to properly salt food while cooking instead of waiting until the end. Made everything taste WAY better.”
15.
“Fat is not the enemy. Fat is your friend. It adds flavor to food and makes it richer.”
16.
“Take time to heat your pans. Don’t throw them on the stove, turning it on high, and then throw food at them 30 seconds later. It doesn’t matter if you have cast iron, carbon steel, anodized aluminum, or stainless. Put it on the stove, set the heat to medium, and give it five to ten minutes to get hot everywhere (not just in the middle). Food will stop burning in the middle and being raw at the edges.”
17.
“Remember that some dishes taste better the next day. I give my soups an overnight rest before serving them up the first time.”
18.
“Stop being in such a hurry! Bacon that is fried slowly tastes so much better as are low and slow scrambled eggs. Almost everything tastes more delicious when you take your time.”
20.
“Finishing oil is so vital. A light drizzle imparts a huge flavor to whatever I’m serving. I now have store-bought oils, and I also make my own.”
21.
“Most of the time, texture is just as important as the taste. Toss some extra uncooked ramen bits on top of your cooked one, for instance. Add some fresh nuts to your salad, some breadcrumbs to your mac and cheese, and fresh herbs in your pasta.”
22.
“Add fish sauce to anything that needs a savory kick. I used to use Worcestershire sauce, but I’ve switched to fish sauce, which adds good umami without Worcestershire’s extra flavor notes (such as clove) that can taste off in certain dishes. The fish sauce is nice and light, while Worcestershire is considerably more pungent. It works in so many dishes like tomato-based pasta sauces, chicken soup, seafood stuffing, sautéed mushrooms, stir-fried rice, meatballs, baked beans, pulled pork, and chili, just to name a few.”
Do you have something to add? What cooking tip or trick made all the difference in the kitchen once you learned it? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.