Savvy Chefs - 5 Handy Cooking Hacks That'll Change Your Life

Photo by Tucker Good on Unsplash

No matter how good of a cook you are, there are some simple cooking hacks that everybody should know. Things such as the quality of your cookware, temperature of your pan when you start cooking, and even how much use you make of your freezer can all have an impact on how your meal turns out. Below, you’ll find five super easy ways to take your meals from home-cooked to delicious gourmet:

Have Quality Cookware

Your cookware touches your food and you, quite obviously, eat your food. It stands to reason, therefore, that your cookware should be quality. The better your equipment, the lower your chances of burning or scorching food, and you’ll also find it easier to cook things evenly in top quality cookware. Additionally, quality breeds quality, so the higher your standard of cookware, the better your food will turn out.

Don’t Cook by Looks

Sure, chefs can take a peek at the chicken and know whether it’s done properly, but for the average cook, a kitchen thermometer is going to be your new best friend.

Literally everything will taste better when it’s cooked to the right temperature. It helps bring out the flavor of your meat and any seasonings you’ve used and has the added benefit of significantly helping in your quest to avoid the dreaded dry chicken breast.

Sear It

In almost every case, searing your meat is a good idea. Spend time learning how to get the perfect sear and your taste buds will thank you for it. Once you’ve mastered the art of searing, you’ll be rewarded with a crispy outside and juicy, flavor-packed insides.

Pro tip: if you’re not sure if the pan is hot enough, flick some water onto it. If it forms two dancing beads then you’re good to go. Just make sure to wipe it out of the pan before you start cooking.

Paper Towel Tricks

There isn’t a single cook on earth who hasn’t had to deal with the annoyance of a rogue chopping board. They somehow always manage to find a way to escape at the most inconvenient moment. Luckily, some ingenious individual discovered the perfect way to combat this hindrance: if you wet a piece of paper towel and place it under your chopping board before you start cutting then you’ll find it much easier to keep it in one spot.

Essentially, the moisture and friction form a bond, making it almost impossible for your chopping board to do its famous disappearing act.

Freeze Herbs

One of the easiest ways to instantly up your cooking game is to freeze your favorite herbs in olive oil. This may sound weird, but it makes seasoning super simple and ensures you’ll always have the perfect portion. Finely chop up the herbs, place them in an ice cube tray, cover with olive oil and freeze. It’s that easy. When it comes time to season your meals, simply pop the cube in, wait for it to melt, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Cooking is an art, which means no two people are ever going to do everything the exact same way. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should just throw the rule book out the window and do your own thing. You’re afforded a certain amount of creative liberty but following some basic conventions – or in this case, super useful hacks – can seriously improve the outcome of your cooking adventures.