Culinary skills can be called upon to improve your life in many ways. Most would agree that they love to eat, especially food that is prepared by a loved one! Nevertheless, many people would like to improve their skills. The following article provides some great tips on how you can become a better cook.
Use beef or chicken stock in place of water in recipes to make food tastier. Try using boullion cubes and water if you do not have chicken stock. Doing this will provide the food you’re making with the required amount of moisture and will also enhance the flavor.
Buy fish and meat on the bone. You can stash raw or cooked bones in zippered freezer bags and place them in your freezer until you have enough for a batch of stock.
To create low-fat soups or stews, start with fat-free broth or stock. Use a lot of vegetables and lean meat to help to keep the soup low in fat. Let the soup rest in the refrigerator for a spell once it is fully cooked; you want it quite chilled. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top. Then you can skim off the firm fat layer and toss it. This can save you about 100 calories per teaspoon that is removed.
When you add seasoning to your meats, test a little bit before you cook the whole thing. Certain foods like meatballs, hamburgers and meatloaf could require very careful seasoning. It’s best then to not cook all of it immediately, only to find out that the seasoning is off. You should make a small patty first. Once you have tried your sample you can correct the seasoning or proceed with the cooking.
Layer your salad wisely if you are going to serve it later. Put the juiciest ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom, then put the lettuce and other ingredients that wilt easily on top.
Carefully measure the oil you cook with. If you take the time to measure how much oil you use when cooking, you can better control how much fat is incorporated into your dishes. Use a measuring cup instead of just pouring straight out of the bottle. That way, you will know precisely how much oil is going into the dish you are preparing.
To add some interest to an ear of corn or a dinner roll, make a flavored butter. To start, let the butter sit at room temperature, or give it a quick spin in the microwave. To add some dynamic flavor, mix in some sauce, spices or herbs. You can dabble in any sort of taste from hot peppers to acidic citrus, or even the sweetness of honey.
You should be as organized as possible when cooking to avoid burning food and other mistakes, which could be costly. You can ensure that you are efficient when you are organized. A cluttered, unorganized cooking area will leave you scrambling to find things while your food gets more and more “well done”. You will end up burning things and throwing them away when simple organization would have allowed you to cook a wonderful dish!
Repair cracks in a pie crust! Overworking the dough can cause the crust to develop cracks. After putting a little cold water on the crack, repair it by gently rubbing the dough together using your index finger. Cracks on the top pie crust can be repaired by brushing with milk, and sprinkling with a little sugar. This will give your crust a shiny, glazed finish that will distract from any cracks.
As you can see, cooking can be easy. With the right techniques, creating delicious dishes for family and friends can suddenly become a breeze! Now that you have been introduced to these great tips and tricks, you just need to make the time to go and give them a try!