Cooking Tips You Won't See on Food Network

[Treasure]

when cutting up boneless chicken breast - do so before they are completely thawed - the middle should be "slushy" consistency - this makes it easier to slice them rather than have the slimy slip and slide on your cutting board.


for Rolled Sugar Cookies - use a marble/stone board that you can store in the freezer - if you can get a similar type rolling pin - so much the better - the cold keeps the sugar from going wonky -
if you are working in a high humidity climate; you're going to have to use more flour, the dough just doesn't get strong enough - to eliminate that "flour" taste - alternate flour and powdered sugar

[AccountingDrone]

They make a small 15 mm melon baller that is very sturdy.

In a word, or 3 mis en place.

Get your ingredients ready first, all measured out and ready to go. It majorly sucks to want to make something and not have enough of an ingredient [roomie at most of the candied ginger? ] It also helps you remember to put everything in [hubby once forgot the leavening in a cake and it made hull material. The dog wouldn't eat it and pieces of it bounced]

You don't need anything special, you can weigh/measure dry ingredients onto coffee filters if that is what you have.

It is also a good time to make sure you have all the cooking impliments you need ready to go as well.


And put me down for a reminder of always test make a dish well before you need to make it - nothing like making a dish you have never made before and realize that unlike in the cook book it takes 4 hours to make not 2, and there are people sitting in your living room, and everything else is ready NOW ...

[that assinine show on SF channel of molecular gastronomy, I AM LOOKING AT YOU JACKASSES]

[firecat88]

COOK USING THE DIRECTIONS FIRST!

On a related note to this- Always, always, always read directions, labels, and expiration dates carefully. It seems like it goes without saying, but there's always the possibility of adding too much of something, adding the wrong thing entirely, or throwing something that's gone bad into a dish.

Example 1: I was making grits a while ago for the three of us- my parents and me. I misread the directions and ended up adding one more cup of water than I should've (the recipe called for 3 cups of water, I added 4). The grits turned out watery. Not my best work.

Example 2: My sister is notorious sometimes for not paying attention to labels when cooking. When she was still living with us, she decided to help out with dinner by making mashed potatoes. Now, my mom has this trick of adding original (read: unflavored) non-dairy creamer to her potatoes to make them creamier. My sister went to do the same thing, but she grabbed the vanilla ND creamer instead of the original. Thus far, we haven't let her live it down.

Example 3: Again, my sister. This time, it was an entire pot of macaroni and cheese that my mom had made because I begged her to make it. My sister, wanting to fancy it up the next day, dumps an entire jar of pineapple salsa into the pot. The salsa was expired, the macaroni was ruined, I was angry (though told that I had no right or reason to be so).

[Eisa]

^ That reminds me when my friend was making macaroni and cheese for dinner. But due to my lactose intolerance, she was making it with soy milk. She made it with vanilla soy milk. It tasted quite...interesting.

[drunkenwildmage]

I like the gloves idea..I don't work much with hot peppers at all....but it sounds like a good idea.

I like to use them when I'm working with something that is greasy or just generally messy, that you have to do with your hands.. saves a hell of alot of time.

[firecat88]

I just thought of another one. This one is for bakers, though. If you're making cake or cupcakes, and you're doing different kinds, do *not* just double the recipe of one batter to use for two different cakes/cupcakes. I've seen people try to do it several times, and it never works. They *will* taste like the same cake, no matter if you throw blueberries into one half of the batter and strawberries into the other half. This "trick" is doubly bad when the batter you're doubling isn't made properly to begin with.

[Kittish]

My biggest tip would probably be something along the lines of you don't actually NEED all the fancy gadgetry you see on so many cooking shows. A fork works just fine for most mixing projects, except gentle folding.

Second tip- no kitchen should be without at least one well seasoned cast iron skillet. You may not use it all that often, but when you really need it, nothing else will do. And seasoning and caring for cast iron really isn't difficult.

Third- this one relates to modifying recipes. When I make a dessert type dish, I almost always cut the sugar used in the recipe as given down by 1/3 to 1/2, usually right from the very first time I make a dish. Most dessert type things are (to me, anyhow) usually too sweet, you can't taste anything BUT sweet. But cut the sugar down and you allow whatever other flavors you're using to come through more clearly.

Hmm, firecat, hadn't really thought about that one, can see where you maybe have a point with the cupcakes. I've made quite a few cupcakes over the years, and always done one batch at a time. Dark chocolate and cherry is still my favorite, need to make some more of those.

[firecat88]

I've seen it done twice on Cupcake Wars and once on Food Network Star, Kittish. People will try to use the same base batter when making two different cakes/cupcakes. Heck, one of 'em was just on last night's Cupcake Wars. One of the bakers tried to use the same batter for two of her cupcakes and ended up ruining both because something went funny during the baking and the taste and texture were weird.

[zombiequeen]

Here's one, it's probably common sense but I'll leave it here:
If you are cooking for someone with a food allergy, check ALL of the ingredients, including seasoning. Yes, my FIL poisoned me with Mrs. Dash a couple of times.

Another one that's my bad:
When using an unfamiliar oven, first double-check all of the dials to see what they are for. My grandma's oven has a oven on-off knob, a type select (bake, broil, etc.) knob, and also a temperature knob. All three have to be set to something for it to work.
Guess what took me a whole day to figure out?

Oooh, another one.
Fish is easier to season when it's frozen. Fish like tilapia, perch, and salmon do not need to be thawed to cook properly.
Which is good, because the feel of raw meat makes me sick.
I use a garbage bowl when I craft, to catch the thread bits and fabric scraps so I don't have a pile on my table. Figured that one out watching Rachel Ray.

[sms001]

Hate to say it Jester, but you may have done yourself wrong. I've never had any problem with milder peppers and a good washing.

My guess is that even if you washed your hands, there was still some poblano residue that would normally have worn/rinsed off in the course of the next couple of hours. But instead, you covered your hands. Which retained the capsaicin. On your skin, whose pores were opening to sweat a little in the latex gloves.....

That said, you CAN run into pablanos (or anchos) that are significantly hotter than normal. Don't know why, but I've had it happen a few times, especially making mole.

Thanks for the tips to you and all in the thread.

[Jester]

Well, as you know, Alton Brown is a big fan of going to the hardware store for cooking supplies, so there is that.

The only tip I can think of right now is - wash dishes as you go, if you can.

There is that, but did he ever say how much money you could save by picking up your latex gloves there? I've never heard him say that.

As for the dishes, as much as I hate washing dishes, cleaning as you go really does make things easier in the long run.

Hell, accidentally getting some in your eye is good enough reason to use gloves. I once got cayenne pepper on my fingers and thought I washed my hands good. I found out otherwise when I went to put my contacts in...

The first time I used habaneros, I thought I was using cherry peppers--the grocery store in question did not have as good of a labeling system in their produce aisle as they do now. So I didn't bother with gloves as I cut up the "cherry peppers" to throw in my stir fry.

I wouldn't even try to take my contacts out for FOUR DAYS.

(don't hate - some of us don't have the time to make mashed potatoes from scratch!).

Hell, some of us grew up on instant mashed potatoes and have no problem with them.

I was going to say that every tip Jester said WAS on the Food Network from Good Eats.

And Jester, you really need to check that show out. Every piece of cooking advice I've given to you came from that show.

I've watched it many times....it was one of the first shows I watched on FN, along with 30 Minute Meals and Emeril Live. And while I have never seen him suggest getting gloves at the hardware store instead of the grocery store, I wouldn't doubt that he might have. But not everyone has seen every episode (I sure haven't), so these tips aren't a bad idea.

In a word, or 3 mis en place....

Get your ingredients ready first,

One of the reasons I am so slow in the kitchen is because I do just about all my prep first, and then start cooking. It takes a little longer, but it makes easier for me. I used to be very annoyed with Rachael Ray for saying those were 30 minute meals, when I couldn't get them done in under 45. Why? Because I was trying to cook and prep at the same time, as she (and most tv chefs) do. But I do not have their skill or speed with a knife, so this is unreasonable for me to try to do....and I would always end up frazzled trying to keep up.

Always, always, always read directions, labels, and expiration dates carefully.

Also, I highly recommend reading any comments from other posters that may be attached to any online recipe you find, as you can often find very helpful hints or suggestions in there. For example, when I first made homemade bleu cheese dressing, I found a great recipe, but noticed that one of the commenters suggested using a fraction (about a third or fourth) of the vinegar called for in the recipe, as the amount called for was just too much. I tried it the commenter's way, and it kicked ass. And if it hadn't, I could have always added more vinegar.

I like to use them when I'm working with something that is greasy or just generally messy, that you have to do with your hands.. saves a hell of alot of time.

Yes. I always use gloves when dealing with avocados, not just because I can't stand them, but because, let's face it, whether you like them or not, they are a textural mess to deal with when cutting them up.

Fish is easier to season when it's frozen.

But much tastier to cook when it's fresh, and has never seen the inside of a freezer.

Hate to say it Jester, but you may have done yourself wrong.

My guess is that even if you washed your hands, there was still some poblano residue that would normally have worn/rinsed off in the course of the next couple of hours. But instead, you covered your hands. Which retained the capsaicin. On your skin, whose pores were opening to sweat a little in the latex gloves.....

I think you are almost definitely right, as I didn't start noticing any problems until shortly after I had donned the gloves to start prepping the serranos.

Point noted, lesson learned.

And yes, my fingers are still burning slightly. It's been almost 18 hours. Yay me!

[Eisa]

Hell, some of us grew up on instant mashed potatoes and have no problem with them.

Hell, I'm eating them right now. Southwest-style instant mashed potatoes made in the microwave. Still quite yummy.

I do hope your fingers feel better soon, though. Ouch.

[42_42_42]

Thaw shrimp in the fridge or in cold water. DO NOT (DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT) use hot water.

That's true for ALL meats/proteins.



As for modifying recipes, that really depends on the amount of cooking experience you have and whether or not you have the ability to "mentally taste test" things.

As for the cake batter base for multiple cakes. I've done that with no problems many times. A friend of mine runs a very successful bakery and she uses a single batter as a base for a lot of her cakes and cupcakes.


My tips:

Do NOT use glass cutting boards, ever. Use wooden cutting boards for everything but raw meats/proteins and use plastic for those (so you can run in dishwasher).

Get a knife steel and use it on your knives regularly.

Never use a dull knife. You are far more likely to injure yourself with a dull knife than with a sharp knife.

Do not use metal utensils in non-stick pans. Only use wood/plastic/silicone in non-stick pans.

X cup sifted flour = sift the flour, then measure (by spooning the flour into the measuring cup)

X cup flour, sifted = measure (by spooning the flour into the measuring cup), then sift

take the time to learn and practice knife skills

make sure you have thermometers in your oven, fridge, and freezer. Monitor the temps of all three, don't just assume the thermostate is working properly.

remove meat from the styro tray and wrap tightly in freezer/butcher's paper and then place in a freezer bag and remove all the air when closing the bag, label and date, if you are going to freeze meat. It will last much longer in the freezer without freezer burn this way.

Only use fresh (never frozen) ground meat for burgers.

Cooked, then frozen steak will taste better and have a better texture than raw frozen steak thawed then cooked.

Never heat an empty non-stick cookware. It needs to at least have some cooking oil or butter in it before you turn the heat onto it. Cast iron and regular cookware can be heated "naked".

If the produce is in the refrigerated display case at the store, store it in the fridge at home. If it's not refrigerated at the store, don't put it in the fridge at home.

make sure you have a working smoke detector near the kitchen and a non-expired kitchen fire extinguisher ready to hand in the kitchen. NEVER put water on a grease fire. NEVER try to put out a fire with flour. Small fires can often be extinguished by smothering the flames with a tight fitting lid and then turning off the heat or with baking soda (and then turning off the heat). If it's a small fire in the oven, keep the oven door closed and turn off the heat and it will die out (unless your oven door has a bad seal).

[FuzzyKitten99]

That's true for ALL meats/proteins.


My tips:

Do NOT use glass cutting boards, ever. Use wooden cutting boards for everything but raw meats/proteins and use plastic for those (so you can run in dishwasher).

I second this. Anything other than Polyethelene (it is kind of soft and will show wear when cut on) or wood will INSTANTLY dull your knives. The surfaces are also far too slippery when wet/moist, making cutting dangerous. Glass cutting boards should only be used as decorative serving trays for things like cheese and charcuterie set-ups.

Get a knife steel and use it on your knives regularly.

Never use a dull knife. You are far more likely to injure yourself with a dull knife than with a sharp knife.

This is one to maybe elaborate on.

A 'Steel' does not actually 'sharpen', it only realigns the blade on a microscopic level. A knife steel should only be used on a knife that has been sharpened correctly (best done by professional). If you use it on a dull knife (and don't truly know how to 'steel' a knife), you could end up making it worse.

There are a few instructional videos on YouTube you can watch, but if you do better in person, see if a chef instructor at one of your local culinary schools is willing to show you. I went through school and had to be shown three times before I got the correct motion and angle down.

Also, make sure you invest in QUALITY knives the best you can afford---and know the correct use for each one. The average pro chef has about 11-15 different knives they keep in their tool case or knife roll. A home-cook doesn't need this many, but it gives an idea of needing to know what you're buying and what it is for, not just that it 'looks cool' or it's what Chef So-and-So uses, etc. If you buy super-cheap, often you end up replacing it anyway. Spend the money only once if you can. Even if you buy one piece at a time. You don't need to invest in a WHOLE block of them at once, and nor do you need to spend that much. While the Williams-Sonoma displays are SO pretty, you are really looking at over-priced knives that are more for kitchen fashion, not function. Makers like Wusthof and Henckels make the ones you see there mostly for the housewives who barely know what they're for. You can use them, but they really aren't meant for high-volume use.

Try places that cater to restaurant owners (maybe even going to a high-end restaurant or emailing the executive chef at one to give recommendations) such as Restaurant Depot, or try Eversharp, which is local for me but they ship anywhere. This particular Wusthof line is what many of my pro chef friends have sworn by and they are ergonomically better, making work easier. I plan on getting a couple new blades in a week or two.

The 'garbage bowl' isn't a Rachael Ray invention...professionals have been doing this for many moons.

As for modifying recipes, that really depends on the amount of cooking experience you have and whether or not you have the ability to "mentally taste test" things.

I second this as well. However it doesn't apply as well to baking as culinary applications. Baking recipes are more of a chemical formula (rudimentary molecular gastronomy) that if you deviate, add, or forget something, it can be hard to fix, if not impossible. Culinary experimenting is a little more versatile. Otherwise: Taste as you go along. Build flavor and spice gradually.

Other tips:
For any other kitchen gadgets, get commercial-grade if you can. Often the cost isn't much more but they tend to last longer and be more durable, as well as the finished results tend to be better. Obviously not all gadgets are available in commercial-grade, but most of the basics are.

Invest in two thermometers: one for meats and one for oils/fats/candy.

Making sure your oil/fat is at the proper temperature for frying ensures even cooking and best taste.

It is easier to know if meat is cooked to your liking if you insert a thermometer rather than cutting into it, which can make it tough if you need to cook it longer. Most home-use thermometers will have the correct temperatures for 'rare', mid-rare', 'mid', and 'well' printed right on the case or even the dial itself. Oh, and make sure you calibrate the thermometer before you use it the first time.

Grilling/cooking meats: After pulling steaks off the grill or out of the pan, and before serving, let it rest 1 minute for every ounce-weight the steak was pre-cooking.

Serving many people on separate plates? Warm plates in your oven at the lowest temp setting possible. Don't want ice cream to melt before serving? Chill bowls in freezer. Hot food=hot/warm plates, cold food=cold plates.

My biggest tip: The Food Network, while entertaining (which is more of what it is meant for) makes certain things look easy, when in reality, many amateurs may get frustrated and struggle. They pick certain professional chefs for various reasons. All of which are successful in very diverse ways. However understand that there are a few on the station that while they have good recipes, they aren't necessarily showing you correct techniques. I have even heard incorrect terminology being used---repeatedly. I have been known to shout tourette's-style at the TV screens in the gym because I hear/see something said (or done) incorrectly. I will refrain from naming them here unless asked to do so.

If you truly want to learn the right definitions and meanings, the first thing I would invest in is the most current version of The Food Lover's Companion you can get your hands on. If you want to really get into the deeper fundamentals, a book called 'Culinary Artistry' is one to get too, which even tells you how to pair spices and flavors, what works, what doesn't, and most important: WHY.

Ok, off my soapbox now, lol...

[raw456]

This may be an obvious one, but since I currently nursing an injured hand, I would like to add:

NEVER. CUT. FRUIT. IN. YOUR. HAND !!!!!

Or anything for that matter.

I did on the weekend and ended up in the doctors having them glue my finger back together. and tetenus shots hurt