Did you know that over 28% of Americans don’t know how to cook?
Don’t let yourself fall into that crowd! It’s important to become a better cook because you can’t rely on fast-food and expensive fine dining forever.
Cooking can be both fun and affordable. It’s also good for your health. You control what you cook, allowing you to decide how much fat, oils, meat, and other ingredients go into the food you prepare.
Don’t fret if you feel a little lost. We’ve got seven tips below to help you learn how to be a better cook.
- Mise En Place
One of the most important cooking tips is to prepare everything before you ever turn on the stove or oven. “Mise en place” is a French term that means everything is in its proper place or order.
Chop the onions, peel the potatoes, and set aside the cup of water you’ll need for the dish. Don’t do these things while cooking. Preparing while something is already cooking is a quick route to burning a dish.
- Start With a Recipe
Learn how to be a good cook by following the footsteps of those that came before. Cooking is an art and baking is a science, so they say, and fortunately, there are many masters to study from. You don’t even need to enroll in a culinary school!
Start by picking up recipes, like the ones available at recipeworkbook.com. Don’t deviate from the recipe listed — not yet. Practice first and then experiment later.
- Herbs, Spices, and Acids
When you will experiment, play around with different herbs and spices. Try everything from saffron to all sorts of peppers. Don’t feel afraid of breaking conventional cooking ideas by adding vinegar or lemon juice.
Don’t worry about making a dish too hot and spicy. A dash of pepper will work up the dish’s flavor without making it noticeably spicy.
- Salt as You Go
Adding salt early allows it to fuse with the rest of the ingredients and heighten the flavor.
Adding salt at the end makes the dish taste coarser and saltier, even if you only added a pinch or two. Balance these two extremes by adding salt during the middle phase of cooking, salting as you taste.
- Invest in a Thermometer
An important tip when cooking for beginners is to use a cooking thermometer. Don’t try to eyeball things. Slicing into the meat while cooking will also cause the juices to flow out, making the meat dry.
- Get the Right Tools
Invest in a professional knife set. There are different knives for different needs. Make it a point to keep them sharp too.
Of course, you shouldn’t stop with knives. Get a wok, pan, strainer, and a proper chopping board.
- Keep Practicing
Simply knowing the best foods to cook isn’t enough. The only way to master a dish and be able to alter it with experimental ingredients is to keep making it.
Practice cooking the base version. Learn how each ingredient affects the flavor. Once you master that, start experimenting and learn how each addition affects the dish.
Now You Know How to Be a Better Cook
Learning how to be a better cook isn’t as impossible as some make it out to be. Follow a recipe, prepare the ingredients first, and experiment!
Of course, you shouldn’t stop with these tips! If you enjoyed our guide and want more, feel free to read our other lists and posts today! We also have guides about marketing and business too!