15 Cooking Tricks of the Trade

"Cooking up some delicious" by Kelly Sikkema is licensed under CC BY 2.0

With the holidays quickly approaching, you will undoubtedly be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. You don’t have to be a trained chef to be a good cook, but it is very easy to burn or over-season meals, among other minor kitchen snafus. Regardless of how skilled or experienced of a chef you are (that’s what the internet is for), be sure to keep these tips from House Beautiful in mind, and your meal cannot go wrong!

1. Master mise en place.

This might be the most important tip of all. “Mise en place” is French for “everything in place.” What it means to a chef? Before you cook, have everything measured, peeled, chopped, pans greased, etc. and within reach. This will keep you from running around looking for the dried basil while your sauce is on the brink of burning.

2. A sharp knife is essential.

Sharpen it on a regular basis and hone in between sharpening. Dull knives are dangerous and make cutting much more difficult.

3. Taste as you go.

You should know what the dish tastes like before serving it. Sometimes a little more salt or a dash of spice brings perfection. Which brings us to the next tip…

4. Salt as you go.

Don’t be afraid of salt! Since you’re cooking a fresh meal instead of eating a packaged one, you’re starting out with much less sodium to begin with.

5. But lose the salt shaker.

Use a small bowl of kosher salt and add pinches as you cook and taste. It’s easier to control the amount and ensures even coverage.

6. Tongs are an extension of your hand.

Walk into any restaurant kitchen and you’ll see a set of tongs in almost every cook’s hand — usually gripped low down on the handle for maximum control. Use it to flip meat, pull a pan out of the oven, stabilize a steak while slicing, the list goes on and on.

7. Put a wet paper towel under a cutting board.

Not only are cutting boards that slide on the counter annoying, they’re extremely dangerous when you’re holding a knife and trying to chop something. Wet a paper towel and lay it under the board and it won’t budge!

8. Sear chicken breast and finish in oven.

Chefs sear a piece of meat, poultry, or fish in a pan and then place it in the oven. Not only does this free up burners, it results in a much moister result.

9. Don’t overcrowd your pan.

When roasting or browning anything, the tendency is to cram as much in the pan as possible — resist! Do it in smaller batches instead. Crowding the pan leads to steaming and lowers the temperature of the pan so you won’t get the caramelization you’re looking for — and that’s where the flavor is.

10. Cook with a 1:1 ratio of butter and oil.

Oil stops the butter from burning and the butter adds richness to the dish.

11. Cut the ends off onions, tomatoes, cantaloupe, etc.

Pretty much do this for any other food that does not stay stable on the cutting board to make a flat surface. This allows you to have complete control of the item as you chop.

12. When baking, only mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

Over-mixing causes toughness by developing gluten in the flour. For light and fluffy cupcakes, only mix until the batter’s come together.

13. Your broiler is basically an upside down grill.

Use it for more than storage!

14. Don’t forget the power of your nose.

If something in the oven smells done but the timer’s still ticking, check on it.

15. Clean as you go.

This simple tip makes a world of difference. Wipe down your cutting board in between items. Not only is it hard to chop something that is swimming in tomato juices, it’s unsafe to chop on a wet surface.