Everyone knows how to eat, but not everyone knows how to cook. This article offers a variety of useful tips and tricks for becoming a better cook. Don’t let complicated recipes, ingredients, or kitchen equipment put you off. Cooking can be fun and a source of great joy. It is important to realize that it is okay to make a mess in your kitchen every now and then. You can create culinary masterpieces if you do not feel inhibited.
Potatoes should be mixed with hot milk (not boiling) when they are ready for mashing. Your mashed potatoes should come out fluffy and light. This technique also minimizes lumps. Would anyone prefer boring mashed potatoes lacking in smooth texture?
Slicing hot meat is often challenging, so consider partially freezing joints before you attempt to cut them up. Certain dishes require thin strips of beef, chicken or pork. When you freeze the meat, fibers stretch less making it cut easier. Allow the meat to thaw prior to cooking though, so that it can cook evenly.
Apples don’t have to be just for fall or winter cooking. With proper storage they can last for months. Warm, dry air rots apples quickly, so keep them in sealed or tied plastic bags and make sure they are stored in a refrigerator or a chilly basement. One rotten apple will spoil the whole bunch, so check each one occasionally to see if you should throw any away.
Although you might have the urge to impress them by cooking fancy food, do not try new recipes when cooking for important people. Depending on whether it’s a boss, date or your new in-laws, you will want to make sure you cook something amazing so they are impressed. Cooking them one of your specialties is a safe bet.
There’s a neat trick you can use to save your sauce. Mix together a solution of one tablespoon corn starch and two tablespoons water. Stir the sauce constantly to avoid letting it get too thick. Remember to stir your sauce constantly while adding the cornstarch mixture, to avoid it getting too thick.
Eat yummy winter greens. When you eat these greens, such as collard greens, broccoli rabe or kale, following the year’s first frost, they generally have a taste that is sweeter than at other times of the year. When choosing the greens, pick the ones with bright, deep color and don’t buy anything that’s yellow or limping. During preparation, thoroughly wash these greens, which tend to gather a considerable coating of dirt. Submerge the greens into cold water in a bowl, shake them off, and then rinse until their water is clear.
Fresh herbs and other kinds of seasonings can help spice up even the simplest dish. Dried herbs and spices can be used for complex recipes that have a plethora of flavors. If at all possible, however, go for the ones that are garden-fresh in order to enhance the flavor and impact of these things in your meals. To keep yourself always supplied with herbs you might want to grow some of your own.
Slice meat on the bias very thin when you are making stir fry. This is not easy to do and could take some time. Take the meat out of the freezer when it’s firm to the touch, and slice across the grain at an angle of 45 degrees.
The idea of preparing a delicious dish need not be terrifying. Making food at home is a money saver, much more healthy, nutritious and fun. Utilize the knowledge shared in this article on your next grocery shopping trip, in the cooking you do in your kitchen, and in the balanced meals you set on the dinner table for your family. Celebrate your accomplishment and stick with cooking at home!