Bad Cooking Habits That You Need To Cut Out Of Your Life
As a relatively inexperienced home cook, I learn something new practically every day when I make dinner. Truth is, everyone makes mistakes (even Bobby Flay), and there are many different factors involved with cooking, so it can be easy to slip up sometimes.
No need to worry though, because here are some common bad cooking habits that can be easily fixed, such as how to properly cook garlic or when to use the right oil.
Not Cooking Garlic Correctly
Even though onions are typically always sautéed first, garlic tends to burn pretty easily when overcooked, and it doesn't taste (or smell) nearly as good that way. Turns out, you don't need to cook it for very long. Add garlic over medium heat, and after about 30 seconds, as soon as you can smell the garlic, it's done!
Trying To Do All of The Prep On The Go
Sometimes, people try to ignore the preparation part of a recipe, and instead, want to just jump right in and do everything as they go. It's always a good idea to peel and cut your vegetables before you start making the meal so everything is ready to go right when it is needed.
Throwing Away All of Your Boiled Pasta Water
The water that your pasta boils in is actually filled with starch, which helps bind the pasta and sauce together when it is added to the sauce. In addition to being used to improve your sauce game, pasta water can be used for making soup or bread. So, next time you make pasta, save a cup or two for later instead of straining it all.
Moving Your Food Around Too Much
Watching too many cooking shows has caused me to always want to move or flip my food when I'm cooking so I can feel like Gordan Ramsey. But, constantly moving food around in the skillet can prevent your meal from browning properly. It's important to at least understand the basics of sautéing, and to only stir constantly if the recipe you're working with says to!
Rinsing Meat Uncovered Under the Sink
Rinsing meat before you eat it won't kill you, but it is important to note that it's really not necessary. There's a chance that lightly washing your meat with water will cause bacteria from the meat to spread to surfaces as far as three feet away from the sink.
Using Your Spices For Far Too Long
Spices don't actually go bad or rot (unless they're fresh), but if you've had the same shaker of chipotle pepper for years on end, it might be a good idea to finally let them go and buy a new one. Spices lose their flavor and potency over time, depending on the type of spice.
Only Tasting The Finished Product
For my fellow germaphobes out there, this one may make you cringe a little. Yet, if you are making a sauce or a dish on the stovetop, it's best to taste your concoction as you go to see if you're heading in the right direction. This helps you learn as a cook, and allows you to tweak the flavor to your liking! If you want to be uber clean about it, but still want to try this, you could use a clean spoon each time.
Not Using A Meat Thermometer
Meat thermometers are a great way to ensure that your meat is cooked properly. You don't have to obsessively check your chicken's temperature every minute like I did when I first started cooking, but when the timer goes off, it's a good practice to check your food's temperature to see if it needs more time to cook.
Cooking On A Burner That's Too Hot
Cooking a dish on high heat is completely normal for some dishes, so make sure you do what the recipe recommends for heating. But, just because high heat cooks your food quicker, this does not mean that you should always use it. Even scrambled eggs get pretty dry and lose their fluffiness if you cook them on high heat.
Forgetting To Read The Entire Recipe Before You Cook
It's a good idea to read a recipe completely before you start cooking. This is to ensure that you have all of the ingredients and to know how long it will take. Something as simple as this has the potential to save you from a freakout over the fact that you're missing an ingredient (it's happened to the best of us).
Using The Same Sponge Or Cloth for Ages
Bacteria can start growing on sponges after as little as two uses. Gross, right? Looks like I need to sanitize my dish sponge ASAP... Putting your dish sponge for 60 seconds in the microwave between uses is just one effective way to clean it. If you use a washcloth to clean dishes, make sure you're washing them semi-regularly.
Chop Ingredients As Uniformly As Possible
Veggies always cook best when they are all around the same size. For example, a smaller piece of carrot will cook quicker than a thicker piece. Honestly, taking the time to cut your veggies horizontally and vertically will make sure you don't have any bites that are a bit too raw.
You Forget To Sharpen Your Knives
A sharp knife helps with efficiency when cooking and also allows for a cleaner cut. Take it from someone who tried to cut a sweet potato with a dull knife and the knife proceeded to get stuck in the potato. Sharpening knives is a must.
You Need To Measure Dry Ingredients Correctly
Without a scale for perfect measurements, a great, super-effective way to measure your dry ingredients such as flour is by using the good old Fluff, Sprinkle and Scrape method. You don't need to pack in all your flour tight. I know it seems tedious, but taking little steps like this one will ensure that your measurements are correct.
You Like To Check On Your Food Too Much
It can be hard to resist the urge to check on your cake or your pasta bake every few minutes to make sure it's not burning, but it's imperative that you don't check on your food too often. It's better to use the oven light because when you open and close the oven too much, the oven loses heat.
Using Metal Utensils On Nonstick Cookware
Forks are great for eating, but they're kind of a no-no for stirring on a non-stick pan. Using metal utensils with a non-stick pan is never good. It actually ruins the pan over time, so it's best to spend a few extra bucks and use wood or silicone utensils instead.
Olive Oil Isn't Always The Right Option
I'm not sure if this is embarrassing to admit, but I use olive oil for everything. Turns out, olive oil should not be used for anything that you're cooking on high heat. Olive oil can be used for sauteing and grilling, but if you're looking to cook at very high temperatures, avocado oil might be a better option.
Cleaning Up At The End
Honestly, if you like to do all of your dishes when your food is done, that's up to you! Personally, if I'm just waiting while I'm cooking something in the oven, I always think that it's a good idea to do some dishes. Start to clean up any messes you've made on the counter with any free time you have.
Over-Softening Your Butter
Many baking recipes call for softened butter. It's a common practice to simply microwave the butter, but this can cause your butter to be way too soft, or even cause it to melt, which can cause your treats to be too chewy. The best solution to this is to always take your butter out of the fridge around 45 minutes before you start baking.
You Don't Season Your Food As You Cook
Seasoning your food as you cook is a great way to make sure that the flavors blend together well. Always be sure to season your food (even if it's just a little bit of pepper). But, if you're nervous that you might overdo it for your liking, here's a tip: season your food lightly during the cooking process and then add more if you need it before you serve the dish.