Things You Can Do to Be a Better Cook

 

You do not really need to go to culinary school. You don't need any fancy equipment. You don't even need a lot of experience. To be a better cook today, all you need is a little bit of information.

 

Purchase a digital meat thermometer with quick read.

What's the easiest way to sabotage a nicely marbled $25 steak? Cutting it open to see if it's medium rare.

 

Make a note in your cookbooks.

Could the soup have needed a little more tomato? Did the chicken require an additional 10 minutes in the oven? Make a note of it so you don't make the same mistake again.

 

Learn how to do a fast pickle.

In a small mixing bowl, combine a pinch of salt and sugar with some white vinegar. Pour over raw, thinly cut veggies. Allow 20 minutes. Eat.

 

Have your knives sharpened by a professional.

You may have a steel or a sharpener at home, but once a year, have a professional resharpen your blades. Your cutting will become quicker and more accurate.

 

Family pack of chicken thighs

Chicken breasts are costly and might get monotonous after a time; thighs are juicier, less expensive, and more delicious.

 

Toss the most of your spices, especially the ground cumin.

Spices that have been ground perish rapidly. So take a whiff of them, if they don't smell like anything, they won't taste like anything. And if they don't have any flavor, you're using a flavorless, dark powder.

 

Treat your herbs as if they were flowers.

Nothing is worse than limp herbs. Trim the stems and place the parsley in a glass of water, cover with a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator the next time.

 

Get a mandoline and don't be scared to put it to use.

Do you want beautiful scalloped potatoes or precisely julienned carrots? Purchase a mandoline. Are you a coward? Wear a cut-resistant safety glove until you are confident working barehanded.