Cooking can be difficult for some to learn. Read on for some great tips on cooking delicious, gourmet-type dishes that will make you look like a master chef.
Do not throw away left over veggies and meats; make a delicious meal of fried rice instead. It’s best to use day-old rice that has cooled, but you can make fresh rice if you choose; just remember to cut a bit of water from the rice recipe in order to make the drier rice that works best in meals like this. Fry the meats and veggies in a bit of oil, then add the rice and season with soy sauce, garlic, ginger and other spices.
You should bake crusts for a longer period of time than you think. Go past the usual pale tan color and take them to a caramel gold. This color means that the sugar has caramelized within the pie crust and will have a crunchy and sweet flavor.
Use cooking oil to help prevent sticky messes. By applying a light coat of oil to your substance, you can make it easier to clean up. Peanut butter and honey can be measured this way as well.
If you are intending to use skewers when you cook, do not forget to soak them in water for at least half an hour before you use them if they are wooden. That way, they will not burn during the cooking process. Use two parallel skewers instead of one skewer to avoid food falling off.
Do your prep work to save cooking time. Ingredients for meals can often be prepared a few days ahead of time. Sometimes, this can actually let the flavors of what you are making become more “married”. Once you get in the habit of advanced prep, you may never return.
Check to make sure your meat is cooked thoroughly by using a meat thermometer. Follow the recommended guidelines for the correct internal temperature for each kind of meat. Since bacteria is all around us, especially on meat, it is important that you cook your meat thoroughly to kill off this bacteria and therefore prevent you from getting sick.
Reserve some pasta water for use in your pasta sauce. Set aside around a quarter of a cup of water. The water should be added to the sauce and pasta mixture. The pasta water’s starch adds a “creaminess” to the sauce via amalgamation.
If you set up all of your ingredients in advance, cooking can be very hassle-free. This will prevent you from being midway through preparing a meal and discovering that you’re missing a critical component of the recipe. Laying out all the necessary tools and ingredients ahead of time takes little effort and can potentially save you from some big headaches.
When you will be busy the next day, make some preparations for dinner for the next day. You can serve a hot, satisfying meal quicker and with less stress if you have it prepared when cooking time rolls around. Mix up a casserole and store it in the fridge, or chop up all the ingredients needed for a stir-fry, for example.
If you are preparing dried beans, refrain from adding any salt or garlic to the water before the beans are soft. Salt and garlic can both keep your beans from getting soft as they’re cooking, particularly beans that are old. So instead, allow the beans to cook partially before you add the seasonings. Then you will get the desired texture.
Just a few simple tricks can make anyone a better cook. So take your newly acquired knowledge and get into your kitchen1 You will more than likely cook much better dishes that everyone will love.