Many people want to learn how to cook delicious meals, but doing this can be pretty difficult for new beginners. Since cooking skills are based on experience, the more you practice the better you will get. Here in this article are some tips for beginners that can help you get started and avoid common mistakes.
When seasoning your food, remember that it is much easier to add more seasoning if needed, but you cannot take it away if you add too much. That is why it’s important to go light when seasoning with herbs and spices. You want to compliment the flavors of the food and not overpower them.
Save yourself some time and stress by doing prep work a day ahead. This will simplify matters when you are cooking your meals. Trying to cook a meal that has to be on the table by a certain time can be stressful. If all of the prep work is completed well before the actual cooking begins, this will help alleviate some stress later.
Make sure you are storing your herbs and spices in a cool, dark space. Many factors can cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor. Light, humidity, and heat can all cause them to lose some of their flare. To avoid this, make sure you are storing your herbs somewhere like a cool cabinet.
Try to plan for a week’s worth of meals. If you can get in the habit of planning a weekly menu, it will save time on grocery shopping, and will reduce the stress of having to come up with a meal idea at the last minute. Also, keep a magnet-backed notepad on the refrigerator, and jot down any items that you are running low on. This way, your kitchen will always be stocked with the ingredients that you use regularly.
If you feel that a piece of food you are about to cook does not look right or may be rotten, always error on the side of caution and throw it away. It is better to lose a few dollars than to cost yourself the next couple of weeks from food poisoning.
When you broil a steak, heat your broiler to the appropriate temperature before putting the steak in. The result will be a seared steak on the outside, with a very juicy inside. The broiling process should also be quick, but will vary depending on how well done you want your steak to be. Over cooking can lead to a dried out end result.
True butter should be used when cooking. Butter is typically not purchased by the average consumer because of its cost. It is well worth the investment because it is not filled with unhealthy oils or trans fats. You can buy the butter in bulk when it is on sale and freeze it in your freezer.
When making homemade salad dressings it is a good idea to use extra-virgin olive oil. It has a fruity flavor that really adds to a salad. Extra-virgin olive oil can be somewhat expensive so it is important to buy it when it is on sale or with a coupon to make it more affordable.
If you are making mashed potatoes, return them to the pot after you have drained them cover the pot tightly and then let it steam for about 5 minutes. By doing this, the potatoes are able to dry out, which will make them mash into the perfect texture. It will also soak up butter and and cream easier.
Avoid dry sandwiches by making sure the spread reaches every corner of the bread. Whether its mayonnaise or a cucumber cream cheese spread, it rids the sandwich of the dry taste of bread, meat and cheese. A quick dollop in the middle leaves only a well moisturized middle and less flavored and prepared edges.
To improve your cooking preparation time, their are many tools of the trade that can help. For example, there are many devices that will help you chop faster, slice faster, and grate faster! It is beneficial to do this because the less time you spend preparing, the more time you are cooking and eating!
Every good cook recognizes the importance of keeping a well stocked pantry. You should have quantities of flour, salt, oil, sugar, and spices on hand at all times. Good cooking depends on it. There is nothing more frustrating than to get down to that final step and find you are missing a necessary spice.
Make sure that you let cookies cool down completely – at least 15 minutes – before removing them from the cookie sheet. Otherwise, they are more likely to stick to the sheet and break apart. Also, by eating them while they are still hot, you could possibly burn your mouth.
For important meals or dinner guests, stick with cooking what you know. Whether you are cooking for a new significant other or your boss, use a recipe you have cooked before. You can change it up a bit with a new a new ingredient or two. However, never ever try a new recipe with an ingredient with which you are not familiar – the results are unknown!
Impress your friends with a perfect sandwich by spreading the mayo evenly on the entire surface of the bread. Often, through rushing, many people just put a smear of mayo on the bread. Make sure they get the flavor of your spread in every bite for the optimal sandwich experience.
Becoming a great cook is no easy feat. It takes a lot of time and effort, not to mention sometimes making a mess. But these tips can give you valuable advice that others learn through painful mistakes. If you follow these tips, making healthy, delicious meals will be simple and easy.
