4 Ways To Be a Better Cook

Cooking is one of the key things that people can do to reduce the costs associated with eating out, as well as to start eating more healthily. However, many people grew up eating lots of fast food and never learned how to cook many meals into adulthood. Fortunately, there are many resources out there to help with learning to make delicious dishes in your own kitchen. Here are four ways to be a better cook. 

1. Prep

Prepping in the kitchen refers to getting all of your ingredients ready before you start using your stove or oven. “Mise en place” is the French term for this. Prep work commonly involves measuring spices, slicing vegetables, and grating cheese, among many other tasks.

The reason why prepping is important is because it reduces the chances of getting distracted by a task while something is cooking, leading to burnt food and a smelly house. This is especially important for someone who is new at cooking, as they may be less familiar with the temperature settings on their oven or stove. Prep work is also important if you find that you are out of a required ingredient. By making this discovery prior to starting the cooking process, you have more time to find interesting cooking substitutes.

2. Experiment With Flavors

For some people, cooking is easier and more fun than baking because there is more room to play around with different ingredients and flavors. There is a popular saying that cooking is more of an art, while baking is more similar to a science. Salt, acid, fat, and heat are the four basic flavor components of a dish. If you feel that something you are cooking lacks flavor, try adding something from one of these categories. For example, lemon juice often enhances the flavor of a homemade vinaigrette, and a bit of salt is useful to add to vegetables prior to roasting. 

3. Use the Right Knives

Using a dull knife or one that is not well-suited to your task is more dangerous than using a sharp knife that fits what you are trying to cut. Three basic knives include:

• The chef’s knife, which is very versatile and can be used for a variety of things, such as slicing, chopping, and carving
• The paring knife, which is used for altering smaller items such as berries
• The serrated knife, which is useful for cutting through squishier foods like soft cheese, tomatoes, and bread

Invest in some high-quality knives to make the task of cooking safer and easier. 

4. Have Staples Ready

Staples such as flour, eggs, spices, pasta, rice, and any other food that you cook with often should be components of your fridge and pantry. It makes it easier to grab fresh ingredients on a shopping trip if you already have many ingredients available at home. Buying non-perishable items in bulk can also help save money. 

Watch cooking shows and videos, peruse recipes online, and follow these four guidelines to help become a better cook for yourself, your family, and your guests.