Everyone loves to sit down and eat a good meal. When the chef knows what they are doing, eating is even more fun. The information below is meant to offer tips to cooks with any level of experience to improve existing skills or develop new ones that translate into better-tasting meals.
If you are going to stir-fry meat, be sure to have it cut on the bias and finely sliced. It may be difficult to do. Take the meat out as soon its gets firm (not frozen), then cut it across the grain at a forty-five degree angle.
Partially freeze meat to make slicing into thin strips easier. This is best for Asian meals such as Thai or Chinese dishes. Uncooked meat is easier to cut when it is partially frozen. Allow the meat to thaw prior to cooking though, so that it can cook evenly.
Use sharp knives to prepare your favorite meals. Not only can it be difficult to cut with dull knives, but it is dangerous to use them too. When you use a dull knife, you often have to force the blade through whatever you are cutting. Using a sharp knife is much easier and safer.
Prepare dishes that you’re an expert at when you’re cooking for someone important in your life, such as a supervisor or a new partner. You should never attempt to cook some new dish or even a new ingredient you’ve never attempted. Doing this will take some of the stress out of cooking.
It is possible to do a lot of preparation beforehand in order to speed up the cooking process and make it easier. Read your recipe and note which steps you can complete in advance without compromising the dish’s quality. There is a lot you can do the day before to prepare for the next day’s meal. This is a great time saver, and can make that complex recipe into something that is quick and fun.
Be careful when using garlic because the flavor and aroma can be transferred to a variety of surfaces, including your hands. Stainless steel can remove the bad odor that comes from garlic and other smelly items. The steel will clean your hands and remove the smell. You can buy stainless steel “soaps” at your local kitchen store to keep on hand.
Sauteing vegetables in a little chicken broth is a healthful way to cook them. Broth will flavor the vegetables, and less oil will be needed to saute them. This is a delicious, simple way to cook fresh vegetables.
Rather than using water or milk in a specific recipe, try a different liquid to add a new flavor. If the recipe calls for water, try using chicken or beef broth, or even the water that you used to cook your vegetables in. You can substitute buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream in place of the milk. Using a variety of liquids can add a bit of zest to a favorite recipe and even make it more nutritious.
Get only the freshest garlic from the grocery store when you’re preparing a recipe that calls for it. Freshness heightens the possibility that the garlic will be sweeter tasting. To choose the freshest garlic, keep away from any cloves that are bruised, soft or have skins that feel too firm.
Keep the bone in your roast if you’re trying to make it and you have no time to spare. The idea is that the bone will help carry heat to the center of the roast, thus cooking it faster. Once the roast has finished cooking, it is easy to go in there and remove the bone.
That unmistakable bliss that comes from eating a good meal can be yours. It does not take a long time to learn to cook amazing meals. You are capable of creating many tasty dishes! With the information you are about to read, you can apply knowledge to your kitchen experiences, and cook spectacular meals like a pro.