Unlock 69 Surprisingly Simple Kitchen Hacks That Will Transform Your Cooking Forever
If you’re cooking and feel like something’s missing… it often just needs salt.
Not really a technique, just a general rule of thumb that has never steered me wrong.
Sure… sometimes you add a little salt and it still needs something else, but often, it’s just the salt.
2 tablespoon of butter? Nah, I think they meant 2 bricks of butter. Even better, if the dish can use butter, it can always use more butter.
Use a cartouche for simmering or slow cooking sauces or somesuch in the oven.
Don’t blend sauces, but pass them through a fine mesh colander – better texture and flavour.
White tomato soup makes the brain explode: put cut up tomatoes in a kitchen cloth under light pressure overnight and catch the drips – clear liquid with tomato flavour.
Put sugar with a drop or two of water in a dry pan. Heat it gently until the sugar melts. The trick is to not let it get too hot. Then add any sort of chopped fruit in. Can be real fancy but easy as hell.
If you’re making pulled pork and want it to be very tender and flavorful, season it with salt and pepper, then put the side with the fat on it face up in a slow cooker. Put it on low for 12 hours. As it cooks, the fat will dissolve and drip into the meat, giving it a wonderful flavor and great texture.
Garlic mashed potatoes? Boil your peeled or unpeeled halved potatoes for 20 min along with a handful of whole peeled garlic cloves. They’ll get perfectly mashed along with potatoes when done. Add butter, cream/milk and salt when mashing. Thanks, Betty Crocker!
Add toppings when plating. Some chopped herbs, a sprinkle of nuts, a drizzle of olive oil, etc. whatever fits the dish. Bonus points if it’s colorful.
Texture and acid can elevate almost any dish.
If you look down at your dish and everything is just a soft texture, it can easily fall flat. Toasted panko breadcrumbs are like this universal hack that elevates anything. You can add butter, garlic, parsley and lemon zest/ juice to toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top to help cut through the richness of pasta dishes or anything creamy/fatty. I guess it’s a gremolata with breadcrumbs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this and it’s so easy to just make ahead and store in the fridge, the breadcrumbs should stay nice and crisp as long as you don’t overdo the lemon juice/parsley. Fresh is always better.
I like to add this to pasta, or top a piece of grilled/baked fish. Also good topping stews or soups if they are able to sit above the liquid.
If it’s an Asian dish try crushed toasted peanuts and sesame seeds.
If you’re making something a little more delicate/healthy, tossing a small handful of arugula or other crunchy green with a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little bit of sugar or honey, it can brighten up anything that’s a bit bland or monotone. Just a small amount added like a garnish, not necessarily a side salad, but I like this so much that it’s often a side salad portion.
Making macarons. They are sooooooo easy but, everyone acts like they are ridiculously hard. So, any time you make them, you look like some sort of professional baker.
Let you base or stock cook for HOURS. Recipe says 3, cook it for 5 or 6 hours at least. Just gently simmer it. It WILL make a big big difference.
Cooking onions. “Omg what are you cooking it smells soooo gooooood” lmao every time.
Bone broth. I found boxes of the kettle and fire beef bone broth on markdown and now I use that in everything.
You know when you make beef tacos and it says add water to the pan and the taco seasoing packet? Add bone broth instead. Making chili and need to add water? Bone broth instead. Simmering spagetti sause and needs a bit more liquid? Bone broth. Deglaze the pan? Bone broth. Cooking veggies in a pan, add some bone broth near the end.
Making Ricotta at home is so easy. Bring milk to 175-185F oven medium, even heat. Any milk will do but the higher the fat content, the better yield you’ll have. Once the milk reaches the required range, add acid. Lemon juice, white wine vinegar, citric acid, really any acid. You’ll need about 4oz of liquid acid for 4 litres of milk. Remove the mixture from the heat and continue stirring for a few minutes. Now leave it alone for about 10-15. You’ll see the curds and whey have separated. Pour the mixture slowly through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth. Let the curd cool at room temp for half an hour. Keep some of the whey. Take the curds and pop them in a blender with about 1/3 Cup of the whey, 1/4 Cup of good extra virgin oil and salt and pepper. Blend on high for half a minute. Chill then serve with coarse salt, rosemary, oil and bread/Crostini.
Save your pickle juice after you finish a jar of pickles. Use it to brine chicken.
Honey butter is a great way to elevate a basic dinner roll. Butter + honey, whipped together…so simple. Add some cinnamon if you’re feeling adventurous.
Post Comment