Old-School Cooking Habits That Can Ruin Your Food
Some cooking habits get passed down for generations, but not all of them hold up today. With better equipment and safer food standards, certain old-fashioned methods do more harm than good.
Here are some outdated cooking habits worth letting go if you want your food to be safer and tastier.
Adding oil to pasta water
Adding oil to pasta water doesn't actually prevent noodles from sticking together. Instead, the oil often pools at the top of the pot and gives the noodles a greasier texture when strained.
The best way to prevent clumping is to stir pasta frequently as it cooks.
Overmixing batter
Many home bakers were taught to mix batter until perfectly smooth. Overmixing, however, develops too much gluten, leading to dense or tough results.
Stir only until ingredients come together for lighter cakes, muffins, and pancakes.
Pressing down on burger patties
Smashing burgers with a spatula might seem helpful, but it squeezes out the juices that keep them moist.
Let burgers cook undisturbed until browned edges form before flipping. Less handling means a juicier result.
Rinsing cooked pasta
Rinsing pasta washes away starch that helps sauce cling to noodles. Unless you're making pasta salad, skip the rinse.
Toss freshly cooked pasta with sauce immediately for the best flavor and consistency.
Using cold ingredients straight from the fridge
Cooking or baking with cold ingredients can lead to uneven results. Butter, eggs, and milk mix better at room temperature.
Let them warm up slightly before using to achieve smoother textures and consistent cooking.
Rinsing raw chicken
Washing chicken before cooking spreads bacteria around your kitchen. Instead of cleaning it, water splashes harmful germs onto counters and nearby foods.
Skip the rinse and cook chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bacteria safely.
Overcrowding the pan
Crowding your pan traps steam, preventing food from browning properly. Give ingredients enough room to sear instead of steam.
Cooking in smaller batches might take more time, but it results in better flavor and texture.
Breaking old habits
Old habits can be hard to break, especially when they come from trusted family traditions.
But updating your cooking methods makes food taste better and keeps it safer. With a few small changes, you can enjoy all the comfort of classic recipes with modern know-how.