Sadly, many people consider meal preparation a monotonous chore. However, there are many ways to make cooking fun. Also, learning to cook can improve your overall life and health. Good cooks are continuously learning and trying to improve their craft. Here, we will offer you some great tips to further your knowledge and love of cooking.
When making a stir-fry meal, meat should always be thinly sliced, and cut on the bias. This process may take a very long time, and it takes practice. Take the meat out of the freezer just as it is beginning to freeze and slice diagonally across the grain at an angle of 45 degrees.
Your spices should be stored in any area that is dark and cool. When spices are exposed to light and heat, they lose their flavor and it reduces their storage life. Storing your spices in a dark location with a lower temperature will help preserve them longer. Keeping your spices fresh can improve the taste of every recipe you prepare.
There is a great trick to thicken up your sauce so it isn’t wasted. In a bowl, combine a tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water. Stir this into the sauce to thicken it up. Don’t add all the starch at once, and avoid stirring erratically. Either of these could over-thicken the sauce.
If you are cooking for an important event, it is a good idea to make a meal that you have made before. Don’t attempt a dish that is new or very far out of your experience level. You will enjoy cooking more if you have greater peace of mind.
You can make healthier mashed potatoes with the same taste and texture you love by substituting cauliflower for potatoes in equal proportions. Cauliflower’s subtle flavors blend in with the potatoes and other ingredients easily. In addition, cauliflowers can blend into the same texture and color as potatoes, which makes cauliflower an excellent method of adding vegetables and decreasing calories from a mashed potato dish.
Whenever you have a meal to cook, if you do your all your prep work ahead of time, it will be much less stressful and quicker. Look over your recipe and determine which items can be prepared in advance and not spoil. Lots of prep work can be completed the day before cooking. The most complicated recipes can be transformed into easy, enjoyable kitchen work with advanced preparation.
When you are cooking with garlic, you may notice that your hands will pick up the strong smell. To remove the lingering odor after working with these ingredients, thoroughly rub your hands on something made from stainless steel, such as the inside of your sink or the handle of a butter knife. Not only will this remove the scent from your skin, but it will also prevent the juices from affecting the flavor of the next food you touch.
Finding the correct amount of time to grill certain meats is a science that not many of us know how to do. Whenever you are grilling it is advisable to have a quality cooking thermometer handy to ensure thoroughly cooked meat. If possible use a digital meat thermometer to obtain a more accurate reading. If your meat is thicker than 1.5 inches, consider closing the grill lid to reduce grilling time.
If your burgers tend to stick to your grill, it might be hard to cook them while preserving their shape. Consider brushing the grill with vegetable oil before cooking to prevent food from sticking to the grill.
Beans and tofu are great sources of protein if you need to add some to your diet. Both are easily available to buy at almost every grocery store. Try pan-frying tofu with some interesting seasonings and you will have a tasty alternative to meat. Soak and cook the beans with herbs, seasonings, and bits of meat for a flavorful soup, burrito filling, dip or other protein-rich application.
Be sure to read nutrition labels when purchasing ingredients. Cooking staples can be full of not-so-nice things that can spoil your health. It is a good idea to verify that ingredients not contain high levels of sugar or sodium. Over-consumption of these can create health issues.
This allows the fruits to stay fresh throughout the year. You will also have fruit handy that is not normally available during that season.
Don’t use bitter, sour, or tasteless wine in your recipes. You run the risk of ruining the taste of the dish if you use a wine you haven’t tried before. Cooking wines are available.
A lot of herbs and vegetables give off an odor that tends to stay in your cutting board, no matter how much you scrub it. Separate the halves by using indelible ink on the cutting board so you know what belongs on each side.
Twice a year, you should buy all new spices. Many times, spices are kept for too long, and they lose their flavor. If you purchase a spice that you don’t use very often, give some of it to friends or relatives.
When cutting fresh herbs, sprinkle salt onto the cutting board. This adds some extra flavor to the herbs while also keeping them on the board. Don’t add to much salt when doing this. Some of the salt will adhere to the herbs and add flavor to your dish.
Keep your spices and herbs stored in a dark, dry, and cool area. Humidity or heat can ruin your herbs and spices quickly. This only exposes the spices to the elements which make them lose their flavors.
The introduction talked about how cooking enthusiasts are always looking to learn something new. Learning about different cooking methods and types of foods is half the fun of cooking. It is about sharing knowledge that you have gathered from others. Cooking is a community gift; share it with loved ones.
