Cooking is a delicate art. In fact, many people say it’s a combination of art and science. For people who really love food, it’s not just about making something to fill your stomach, but about creating something that’s the result of great chemistry.
You might not be a gourmet chef, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from knowing how to cook amazing food. Not only will it make your weeknight dinners better, but it’ll also get everyone asking what your secret is in the kitchen.
Good chefs will tell you that great cooking is the result of a couple of things. First, you need knowledge of flavors. That means finding a balance of saltiness and sweetness, fat and acid. If you haven’t heard, there’s a Netflix show about that exact topic!
Of course, you’ll also need to develop some techniques when it comes to cooking. That comes, simply, with practice. So, if you want to become a great chef, don’t give up when you burn grilled cheese or add too much salt to a dish. Every chef has done that.
But here’s the best part: every chef relies on some tips that are guaranteed to make food tasty and satisfying. Here are some secrets of the kitchen to improve your food.
Some people find raw onions delicious, while others find them too pungent to enjoy. If you’re adding them to a dish, give them a bath in some ice for a few minutes to reduce their sting.
3. Make the best cup of coffee ever by adding cinnamon and salt.
Salt cuts back on a little of the bitterness of coffee, making a smooth, flavorful cup without the bite you typically taste. Cinnamon, meanwhile, intensifies the flavor and takes the flavor to the next level.
This applies to all sorts of dishes, from soups and stews to meat and more. If you’re using liquid to cook, reach for some vegetable stock over water. It’s a great way to intensify the flavor of whatever you’re making.
Low sodium stock is a highly versatile staple you can use. It’s always better to use the low sodium version. Not only is it healthier, but it also reduces the risk of ending up with an overly salty dish.
Kosher salt has a couple of things going for it, but it pretty much comes down to the size and flakiness. Large salt crystals flavor more effectively and improve the texture of your dish.
This goes for juicy vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. These have the tendency to leak, making a salad soggy. To draw out moisture, sprinkle them with a little salt and let them sit before adding to a salad.
The term might sound a little odd, but it’s really just a method of coating meat using a mixture of egg whites and cornstarch before cooking it. The result is a soft texture that helps distribute moisture and prevent overcooking.
9. Know your cake ratios off the top of your head.
You don’t need a recipe to make a cake if you know the correct ratio of ingredients. Just remember to keep the weight of sugar to flour and fat to eggs roughly equal. You’ll make a delicious cake and wow everyone with your culinary know-how.
Salt isn’t just for making dishes — well, salty. It’s a natural flavor enhancer, which means it makes every flavor taste more like what it is. It’s especially important to add a sprinkle of salt to dessert, to make every flavor stand out.
11. Thicken and enhance sauces with mustard or peanut butter.
It might seem like an odd idea, but a couple of tablespoons of mustard or peanut butter added to a sauce can intensify flavor while creating a nice, thick texture.
12. Add mustard to macaroni and cheese to make it gourmet.
Okay, “gourmet” might be a little farfetched, but it’ll add a pop of flavor to your macaroni that’ll take it to the next level. It’ll also improve texture for a thicker, cheesier sauce.
Basted eggs are essentially a better version of poached eggs. All you have to do is steam them in a pan with some water while covered. The result is delicious, softly-cooked eggs.
Vinegar is another flavor enhancer, and it can be paired with almost anything. Gourmet chefs frequently use it in desserts and with fruit dishes for an added pop and a more intense taste.
When you’re preparing ground meat for burgers, don’t forget to add a binder to keep them from falling apart on the grill. Breadcrumbs are a perfect choice. They add texture but without drying out the meat.
There are three steps to getting perfectly browned meat. First, pat it dry with a paper towel before cooking. Salt thoroughly. And cook in a hot pan that isn’t too crowded.
This might seem like a strange hack, but trust us — it’ll make flaky pastry as you’ve never tasted. The alcohol cooks off, so it doesn’t add vodka flavor. Instead, it produces an incredible texture.
Pie crust is all about flakiness, and the way to accomplish that is with cold ingredients. That means cold water and cold butter. Cut the butter into small pieces and toss them through the flour with your fingers until the dough resembles fine breadcrumbs.
19. Use cornstarch in scrambled eggs for perfect fluffiness.
Cornstarch is a versatile ingredient used to thicken baked goods, jams, frosting, and sauces. But it’s also a great way to get silky, fluffy scrambled eggs. Just add a spoonful before cooking and enjoy.
It’s actually pretty straightforward: salt the meat, rinse it, pat it dry, and sear it on high heat. This process ensures that the outside of the meat isn’t too moist, which means you’ll have a great crisp.
Iced tea is a delicious staple during the summer, but as it sits, the tannins tend to produce bitterness. To counteract this, add a spoonful of baking soda.
Baking soda is also a great way to impart extra tenderness and juiciness to meat. Rub a little on before cooking to let the baking soda react with the muscle.
Keeping your knives in great shape comes down to washing and storing them. Always hand-wash, as dishwashers are too rough on the blade. Store them in a wood block to keep them sharp.
There’s a reason that restaurants put your food on hot plates — it’s to keep dishes at the best temperature and avoid quick cooling. In general, match the temperature of your serving plates to the temperature of your food.
Melting chocolate is a difficult process. For smooth, shiny chocolate, melt butter in a pan, then remove from the heat. Mix the chocolate into the hot butter in a bowl until melted.
You probably wouldn’t think of putting an egg in potatoes. But it’s the perfect way to make mashed potatoes extra creamy. Just mix the egg in as you mash and then put back on the heat.
28. Brine your chicken breasts to get tender, juicy meat.
Cooking chicken is a delicate process: just a small mistake can make the difference between meat that’s juicy and tender and meat that’s dry and stringy. To get a tender chicken breast, soak it in salt water for 15 minutes before cooking.
Never underestimate the role that acid can play in taking the flavor of food to the next level. Add a splash of citrus or vinegar to dishes to make them pop.
Want to add a layer of depth to your chocolate cake? Put in a tablespoon or two of coffee grounds. It’ll yield a rich, complex flavor that sets your cake a tier above the rest — pun intended.
Most people don’t put mayonnaise and cake in the same sentence but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Mayonnaise is mostly fat, so it’s perfect for enriching baked goods and imparting a super smooth texture.
32. And use it in place of butter when you’re making grilled cheese.
Traditional grilled cheese recipes involve pan-frying in butter. But if you want a sandwich that’s the perfect combination of golden, crunchy, and fatty, substitute mayo for the butter.
33. Use an oil with a high smoke point for high-temperature cooking.
The key when you mix cake is to combine the ingredients, not whip them. When you mix too much, you can overdevelop gluten, which results in a dense, bread-like texture.
36. Cook potatoes in heavy cream instead of water.
For extra decadent mashed potatoes, boil them in heavy cream instead of water. Bear in mind, though, that these are extremely rich, so for the sake of your cholesterol, make them an occasional treat!
37. Use milk powder to intensify the flavors of baked goods.
Milk powder is a lesser-known flavor enhancer. It doesn’t have much of a taste on its own. What it does instead is to ramp up all the flavors that are already in your recipe.
38. Put an ice cube in the middle of burgers to keep them juicy.
Burgers on the grill are delicious, but you have to take steps to keep them juicy. To keep them moist, put an ice cube in the middle of the meat before tossing it on the heat.
39. Toss some brown sugar into your spaghetti sauce.
An old-school secret, brown sugar in spaghetti sauce is the perfect way to cut back on the acidity of the tomatoes while adding an extra level of flavor. You don’t need more than a spoonful!
Most of us naturally think high heat is better for eggs. But cooking them low and slow in a pan is a recipe for super creamy eggs without the dreaded rubbery texture.
41. Sprinkle flour on bacon to keep it big and crispy.
