While many people would like to pursue a career as a chef, the time and training required to achieve this dream can seem monumental. However, cooking can be learned in short sessions. The following article will outline several simple ways you can enhance your cooking.
Before chopping fresh herbs sprinkle some salt on the cutting board. Salt will not only add flavor to your herbs, but it will keep the herbs on the cutting board. Then monitor the amount of salt that you add to the food as it is cooking. If you put salt on your cutting board it will give your herbs a little more flavor.
Taking the time to do some preparation on the preceding day will enable you to still create a delicious meal even if things are hectic. Spare yourself time and stress by doing some of your mealtime prep work the night before. For example, you could dice meats and veggies and allow them to marinate overnight, or you could assemble the meal and store it in the freezer.
After you finish cooking, let your meal rest and soak in the juices. It is a little known fact that foods should rest for a short period after the cooking process. This is especially true of meats. You may think it is better to serve the food immediately. Though if you do this, your food will not be as enjoyable. Instead, allow each dish to cool briefly before serving it.
Invest in a knife sharpener to make cutting any ingredient simple. When you cook using knives that are dull, you create more work for yourself because they make cutting more difficult. It is also a safety hazard to use them. Use a sharp knife and it will glide right through the items you wish to cut, without you having to put a great amount of force behind the blade.
Take care to not overfill your pan when you are sauteing. Too much liquid in the pan will result in steamed, soggy food and not the crispy texture you were trying to achieve by sauteing. Be sure that you do this when the temperature is low too.
Before you start cooking, it is best to have everything you will need already prepared. This will aid in avoiding cooking disasters that can arise from being unprepared, including flare-ups from overheated oil or choosing the wrong temperatures for your needs.
Having a clean and organized kitchen is essential to cooking a great meal or dessert. You can ensure that you are efficient when you are organized. When you are disorganized, misplacing items or making food inedible becomes much more likely.
If you have turkey for a meal, whether it’s on a holiday or another occasion, make sure you keep the leftovers. The efficient thing to do is put the turkey in a plastic container and freeze it for later. Frozen turkey will keep for weeks in the freezer and can be unfrozen and used for a variety of dishes.
Optimize your efforts when making your own chicken stock. Instead of making just what you need, make a huge pot so you have some to freeze and use later. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, stews, casseroles and more. Freeze premeasured amounts of your stock in freezer proof containers or bags when cool.
Learning how to cook an amazing meal will help you throughout your life, whether it’s to impress a date or your boss. It’s common across all world cultures to celebrate special occasions with food. If you take the information provided here, you will get a head start on becoming a proficient cook for any event that you want to participate in.