Whether you’re a professional chef or a home cook, everybody makes mistakes in the kitchen! The good news is it’s not the end of the world. These mistakes are totally avoidable and today, we’re dishing out all the tips to make sure you don’t make them ever again.
1. Forgetting to taste the food you’re cooking
One of the most underrated kitchen blunders is forgetting to taste your food as you make it. While it’s good to have confidence in your cooking, tasting it early and often (even if you’re following a recipe) is the way to go. Trust us, you’ll thank us later.
2. Overcrowding the pan
Any TV chef will tell you that when frying or browning, a good rule of thumb is to leave enough room in your pan or skillet so your food isn’t touching. Chicken thighs, for example, need that extra space to ensure the heat from the pan gets distributed evenly, and all sides can brown up easily and equally.
3. Not putting enough salt in your pasta water
Hear us out; when it comes to pasta water, salt is your best friend. Why you ask? Salt flavours your pasta from the inside out, making sure each bite is jam-packed with flavour! Who doesn’t want that?
If you’re wondering how much salt you need, about 1 ½ tablespoon of salt for every pound of pasta is a good place to start. If it’s not quite salty enough for you, feel free to add more
4. When grilling meat, you flip it constantly
According to experts, a good piece of meat really only needs one flip to get a nice, beautiful sear. Moving it around in the grill will prevent you from getting that “charred” look on the skin of the meat.
5. Using a liquid measuring cup to measure dry ingredients
When it comes to baking, getting an accurate measure of each ingredient is crucial. Therefore, investing in a good measuring spoon or even a kitchen scale to get a precise measurement should be top of your list!
6. Adding garlic too early
It’s no secret that garlic burns very easily. For this reason, many recipes recommend adding it last or after the temperature in your pot has lowered. This is a great blanket rule to follow if you’re cooking minced garlic over high heat as it prevents any burnt bits from making it to your dish.
7. Cooking everything on a non-stick pan
According to NYC chef and restaurant owner, Amanda Cohen, non-stick pans are great for eggs, pancakes, or French toast – and not much else. This is because they give off a very specific type of heat – one that doesn’t quite get as hot (or as conducive to crispiness) as a regular pan.
8. Using the wrong cooking oil
While there’s nothing wrong with having a preference for your cooking oils, it’s important to understand that certain cooking oils have lower smoke points than others. Olive oil and butter are recommended for low-temperature cooking; olive oil and coconut oil for medium-heat cooking; and peanut oil, avocado oil and ghee for high-heat cooking.
I didn’t use to put salt in with the pasta and I did not know that you put in garlic last when cooking