It’s not necessarily as hard as you believe to become an excellent chef. While cooking, it is perfectly okay to experiment and find your strengths. Use these tips to learn some cooking ideas or expand upon what you already know. Follow these suggestions if you want to become a better cook in no time.
They will act like a sponge and just soak up a lot of that water. Wipe the mushrooms off by hand with a cloth that is damp.
Buy fresh cloves of garlic and mince them yourself for use in recipes. A rule of thumb for garlic: Fresher means sweeter. Fresh garlic usually has a firm skin and no bruises or soft spots.
Tying a turkey with a string is called trussing the turkey. The advantage of trussing is that the legs and wings are held closer to the body, resulting in even cooking throughout the bird. If you don’t tie down the limbs, the tips of them will likely burn before the body of the turkey is done.
If you want to make potato skins or twice baked potatoes, try using a potato with a thick skin. Thin skinned potatoes such as red potatoes are unable to hold most fillings.
Potatoes are divided in different categories, and each category should be used differently. There are some potatoes that are waxy and recommended for making boiled potatoes and potato salad but are not recommended for mashed potatoes, french fries or baked potatoes. For those culinary exercises, you should use potatoes that are fluffy, such as Russets.
Use a fat-free soup stock or broth in order to make a stew or soup that is practically free of any fat. Use a lot of vegetables and lean meat to help to keep the soup low in fat. When you have cooked your soup to your liking, place it in the fridge to cool off. This allows the remaining fat to congeal on the top. You can then easily pluck the fat from your soup and discard it prior to eating. For each tablespoon of fat that you remove, you will save about 100 calories.
Slice meat on the bias very thin when you are making stir fry. It may be difficult to do. When you remove the meat from the freezer, it should be firm, not frozen. Slice across the meat’s grain while holding the knife at a 45-degree angle.
It is best to buy all of your fish and meat while it is still on the bone. You can store the bones in the freezer packed inside plastic bags. They do not have to be cooked first in order to be frozen.
When you are making pasta you need to be sure to add a liberal amount of salt to the water. The seasonings in the water will infuse the pasta thoroughly. Salt and seasonings do not necessarily stick very well to cooked pasta, so seasoning it while it boils is your best bet to enhance the flavor.
When you make chicken stock make as much as you can. Instead of making just what you need, make a huge pot so you have some to freeze and use later. This stock is a popular base that can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups to casseroles and much more. First, cool the stock and then stick it in the freezer.
Utilize these tips to improve your cooking skills. Take all the ideas and experiment with them at least once. Remember that the more you practice, the more proficient you will become. By taking these tips seriously, you will ultimately be a higher quality chef.