There is always room for improvement when it comes to cooking. Even experienced chefs are constantly learning new things to impress their hungry customers. There are some great tips that new cooks can learn to make cooking easier. For handy cooking advice that can apply to cooks of any skill level, read on.
When soaking dry beans such as pinto beans, avoid adding salt until after the beans have re-hydrated and softened. Salt or garlic can make your beans stay hard when you are cooking them, especially if your beans are not fresh. So instead, allow the beans to cook partially before you add the seasonings. Then you will get the desired texture.
Always soak skewers in water for 30 minutes before loading them with food and cooking. That way, they will not burn during the cooking process. Double up on the skewers per kebab to ensure that nothing falls off of them.
Sauteing vegetables in chicken broth is very healthy. The broth will add to the flavor of the vegetables and cut back on the amount of oil that is typically needed to saute them. This technique is a tasty way to cook healthier while not skimping on flavor.
Ice cube trays are fabulous for freezing and storing leftover sauce. All you need to do next time you want to use it, is reheat in a saucepan. The sauce will remain edible even after being in an ice tray.
Learn to use color in your cooking. The consumption of colorful dishes is healthy to your body and pleasing to see. Colorful garnishments can be chosen for your meals, such as parsley, carrot curls, and raw cherry tomatoes. If you are creative with the colors of your meals, they will be eaten very quickly.
Store your spices in a cool, dark place. Leaving your spices out will expose them to moisture and light, which will diminish their quality. If you store your spices in dark place with relatively low temperatures like a pantry, the spices will retain their taste and take longer to spoil. Keeping your spices fresh can improve the taste of every recipe you prepare.
Extra Moisture
Blot ground meats to remove moisture before you cook. Take a paper towel and soak up any extra moisture on ground beef before you cook it. Any moisture left on the meat will be released when it’s cooked. The extra moisture will sizzle away. This steams the meat, giving it a different texture than searing.
Apples are used a great deal to cook in the winter and fall months, however it is important to store them properly to prevent spoiling. Heat and oxygen spoil apples, so place them in plastic bags in a cool spot. Your fridge is ideal. You’ll want to monitor them, though, because if one goes bad, it can cause the all the others to spoil also.
If you’re experimenting with using different spices, give saffron a try. Saffron lends a unique, exotic flavoring that is unmatched by other spices. This herb has always kept its delight, saffron is ancient and is still great to use. It is highly sought after, and therefore the most expensive spice in the world due to its uniquely wonderful flavor.
Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready before you start cooking. This will ensure that you don’t end up in a mad search for an ingredient while your meal is burning. Take a few minutes to set out your ingredients and make sure you have enough of everything.
After having a big Thanksgiving turkey, don’t pass up those leftovers. Rather, cut up the meat and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. This will keep the turkey fresh enough to make salads and sandwiches for a couple of weeks.
Mashed Potato Dish
If you want to reduce the amount of calories and fat in a mashed potato dish, substitute cauliflower for some of the potatoes. Their bland flavor blends effortlessly with the potatoes while taking flavor from the other ingredients. At the same time, cauliflowers mash into the same color and texture as potatoes, giving you a fail-proof way to add vegetables and subtract calories from a classic mashed potato dish.
If you must use oil in your cooking, choose extra virgin oil to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your dish. Most of the time, the oils you cook with have high amounts of unnecessary and unhealthy fats. This is also true of butter. Instead, opt for nonstick cooking spray.
A lot of preparatory work can be done ahead of time in order to speed up time spent cooking. Complete as many steps in advance as you can without risking spoilage. There is a lot you can do the day before to prepare for the next day’s meal. This can make even the most difficult recipes fun and easy.
Always properly measure cooking oil. Use only the required amount of oil necessary, and resist pouring straight from the bottle to the cooking pan, to reduce the fat content in your foods. This helps you to better monitor the amount of oil you are using.
Layer salads properly when you are preparing a salad in advance. You should place the ingredients that are the juiciest, like the tomatoes, at the bottom of the bowl, and then place the lettuce and remaining ingredients that are likely to wilt or get soggy on the top.
When you do this, you can enjoy your favorite fresh fruits all year. In addition it will give you access to fruits that aren’t always in season.
When you are going to be cooking for someone important, whether it’s a boss or a potential love interest, make certain you are cooking something you are familiar with. Avoid trying to cook something new. This will take the stress out of your meal preparation.
Even cooks with years of experience continue to learn ways to improve their cooking and technique. New cooks have a lot of learning to do, and can benefit from the many tips and pointers available. Give these tips a try and see how much you can improve your cooking and how much more you enjoy spending time in the kitchen.