18 People Who Love To Cook Are Sharing Culinary Tips That Most People Get Wrong
Maybe you love cooking and preparing gourmet meals from scratch, or perhaps you're a beginner home cook who is still learning to feel your way around the kitchen. Well, no matter your comfort level, we all have plenty we can learn when it comes to cooking. Redditor u/someanonymousoctopus asked, "What do most average home cooks do wrong?" Here's what people said (including members of the BuzzFeed Community) about popular cooking mistakes you might be making.
1."Fidgeting too much with their food. If it's stuck to the pan, grates, or whatever, the Maillard reaction (which causes browning) hasn't occurred yet, and it's not ready to flip. Don't fidget with it."
2."Only using a frying pan. The frying pan isn't the only pan in existence. Other pans exist for a reason. Same with materials. One material does not do all jobs equally well."
3."They always cook with extra virgin olive oil. It burns too quickly. Regular olive oil or other oils (vegetable, canola, avocado) have a higher smoke point and are better for cooking with."
4."Over-frying. Remember that when something frying stops making noise, it's burning. It means there is no more water at all."
5."They don't realize how important caramelization is when cooking vegetables. I love the look on people’s faces when I introduce them to brassicas (like Brussels sprouts) that have benefited from a little heat and transcended. I firmly believe so many people could learn to love a lot of vegetables if they got to eat them in a form other than boiled beyond all recognition."
6."Overseasoning too quickly. You can always add more seasoning, but you can never take away."
7."Not prepping in advance. Prep work takes away SO much stress when cooking, especially if you're using different cuts of veggies or are adding the veggies in at different stages. You may think there's enough time to mince the garlic while the onions are sautéing, but just do it all before, and you're set!"
8."Overcrowding the pan. Ground beef, for example, should not look like it’s boiling! Take out half and do it in batches."
9."Not following a recipe. Follow a recipe the first time, then start adjusting. Soon the recipe will become your own."
10."Not tasting as you go. You added salt but can't taste it? Try some acid (it brought the salt toward the front); Legumes don't feel right to your teeth. Cook it a bit longer, but remember it's in a simmering liquid so that it will cook for a while afterward."
11."Not using enough salt. Salt is not simply added for flavor. You're adding salt to draw out moisture so your food gets crispy."
12."Cooking food at too high a heat and for too long. I always told my kids you can't undo overdone, but you can cook something a little longer if need be."
13."Poor temperature knowledge and management. This includes things such as heat retention, smoking points, cookware selection for any given purpose, and the burner setting in on itself. This is the difference between a crispy smashed burger or a grey meat circle."
14."They start with a cold pan. Your pan and the oil in it should be heated to temperature before you add your onions (or other aromatics)."
15."Using dull knives. Your favorite chef's favorite kitchen tool is a surgical-grade sharp knife."
16."Not cleaning rice before cooking it. Always rinse rice unless it's that fake instant version, which is so overly processed you don't need to! Rinsing helps to de-starch and clean the rice, as there are often tiny little bugs in it.
17."Not reading the recipe first. Read the whole damn recipe first. I cannot tell you how much this trips people up. Make sure you have enough of everything and plan it out in your brain beforehand."
18."They don't use their sense of smell while cooking. Smell as you go! That garlic got fragrant quicker than you expected, so drop the heat!"
What do most average home cooks do wrong or overlook in the kitchen? Tell us in the comments or on this anonymous form.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.