What are some kitchen tips and tricks you've learned?

[Spaldeen]

Either the hard way, or the easy way (from someone else)!

I remember many moons ago when I learned that you should tear salad, rather than cut it! I know it sounds silly, but I didn't really get taught anything in the kitchen, so I'm still figuring things out for myself as time progresses.

I also learned just how many turnips you can hide in mashed potatoes with no one else being the wiser. (the answer is LOTS!)

[PoliticAverse]

1. Don't cook tomato sauce while naked. n/t

[Spaldeen]

4. Are you still recovering from the effects?

[PoliticAverse]

5. I was fine after a few days, thanks. n/t

[cbayer]

11. OMG! I learned that with bacon.

[csziggy]

26. Or fry bacon while naked! n/t

[Warpy]

2. Buying one or two good knives and keeping them razor sharp, it's all you really need

Using big knives rather than little ones because that's how to avoid lacerated fingers.

Using the veg. holder on the mandoline, ditto.

Washing the stainless steel knife by hand right after chopping garlic with it takes the smell of garlic completely off your hands. It's like magic.

Using a piece of flexible plastic or rubber to roll whole garlic cloves in to peel them quickly.

When making sandwiches for a crowd with iceberg lettuce on them, smack the whole head of lettuce on the cutting board, core side down. The core will practically fall out and you can then separate the leaves easily for all those sandwiches.

[Spaldeen]

6. Yeah that smell trick works

I wouldn't be without a chrome faucet in my kitchen anymore. It can really get those smells off your fingers. Just a little rub here and a little rub there, kapow, no smell!

[cbayer]

12. Absolutely agree on this on.

The most precious things in my kitchen are my knives.

After years of going cheap, I bought good knives and I care for them like they were my children.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

49. I have a Miyabi 600D that I use for almost everything.

I use a fine stone on it every other week and a steel every time I use it.

I also have an old Chinese cleaver (carbon steel, by Hoffritz) that I can cut a chicken up with in under a minute.

[cbayer]

54. I don't use a steel, just the stone.

I could use a good cleaver and will look around for one at the open markets here.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

59. Try this or something like it. It's quite similar to the one I own

http://echefstore.com/thunder-asian-cleaver-7-wood-handle-slkf001.html

I found it by googling Chinese cleaver

[cbayer]

60. That looks great! And really affordable.

I passed over some the last time I was in NYC China Town and have been kicking myself ever since.

[trof]

21. Peel garlic in a jar.

Save an old pickle jar.
Put a whole head of garlic in it and SHAKE!
Shake for all you're worth.
It will absolutely break up the head into cloves AND peel them.
I promise.
Try it.

[Warpy]

35. I don't often need to peel a whole head of garlic

I'm a 1-4 cloves at a time person.

Should I ever get another kitchen with an exhaust fan and do chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, I'll think about your tip.

[trof]

50. Oh it works fine on one or more cloves too.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

23. I only recently picked up that 'smack the lettuce head down' trick.

I was amazed at how well it worked, and can't believe it took me so long to learn it.

[sir pball]

29. Bigger isn't always better, develop skills & use the right knife for the job..

While you certainly shouldn't be using a paring knife to chop veggies (it perplexes me how many people actually do this), a 10 or 12-inch chef's knife is too much for anybody. And by the same token, a good standard 8 inch knife is entirely inappropriate for butchering a chicken or carving a turkey - you don't need a drawer full, but I'd recommend a chef's, a "petty" knife that can butcher chicken and roasts, do light vegetable prep, and be generally handy, and a paring knife, maybe a fillet knife if you break your own fish. After that, get a book or watch some videos on proper knife work and start practicing; the best blade in the world isn't much use if you can't use it.

[Warpy]

36. When it comes to peeling water chestnuts

I've found a big Chinese cleaver to be the best knife for the job. Instead of a chef's knife, too big for my hands, I use an 8" Santoku knife which is juuuust right.

[sir pball]

42. Chinese cleavers are a whole different league..

If you know how to use one it is an all-in-one knife. I myself don't, but I'm constantly awed by people who do..

[littlewolf]

43. I have a large cleaver - only thing I use it for is chopping BBQ nt

[Warpy]

48. You're missing its true potential, then

It was the only thing I used for years, able to hack a chicken apart while being delicate enough to skin water chestnuts.

The only thing it never did was cut my fingers.

[Auggie]

3. Cook with in-season fruits and vegetables you get at the Farmers' Market ...

and that good tasting food costs real money.

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. forget the mess of dumping hot soups into food processors to puree - immersion blenders are great!

Just used mine tonight to make a nice, spicy (ginger, garam masala) cream of pumpkin and kabocha squash soup tonight. Perfect for the newly chilled Raleigh air!

[Spaldeen]

8. Are those easy to clean? n/t

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. incredibly - the business end pops off and rinses off in no time - if you use hot water

and do it immediately, you often don't even need soap. (we use very little fat/oil/butter in our cooking these days)

[Spaldeen]

16. Neat. Is one brand better than others?

I've been thinking about getting one, but the cleanup worries had me thinking twice. I'm going to take another look at them. Are they all pretty much the same, if you're going to just use them for general purpose kitchen work?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

51. I own two immersion blenders,

One a fairly expensive Braun with a gazillion speeds, and the other a cheapo Cuisinart with two speeds (on and off). I use the Cuisinart almost all the time.

Both come apart, and the business end is very easy to clean.

[cbayer]

14. Mine doesn't come apart like his, but I just immerse it

in some hot soapy water and run it, then I repeat with clean water to rinse.

But be aware that accidents with these due to forgetting to unplug them if you are washing by hand can be serious.

They are very sharp.

[Warpy]

38. I put water and a few drops of detergent into a tumbler

and just turn it on and let it go for a few seconds. Give it a rinse, and it's done.

[cbayer]

13. Also works great for agua frescas.

I recently made a cantaloupe one that was delicious.

I use it for all kinds of things.

[wryter2000]

10. Unless it's a non-stick pan

Heat the pan before you put the oil in. Oil will stick to a cold pan, and so will the food. Even in an aluminum pan, eggs won't stick if you heat the pan before you add the oil.

[cbayer]

15. Cast iron skillets are amazing.

I didn't know this until well into my adult life.

Once I learned how to season and care for them, they become priceless to me.

Stove top to oven is a wonderful thing.

Just never, ever do anything that would cause them to rust.

But if you do, you can usually fix that too.

Plus you can always hit a burglar on the side of his head with one. It's true! I've seen it in cartoons!

[NJCher]

19. Oh, it's definitely true!

I had a girlfriend who once lived next door to Richard Nixon. She thought a burglar was trying to break into Nixon's home and she took after him with a cast iron skillet!

The burglar was scared enough that he ran off and she didn't even have to bang him over the head with it.


Cher

[Auggie]

20. Yes! And the tip: make sure they're hot before adding the fat ...

then make sure the fat is hot before cooking.

[cbayer]

25. Exactly!

[sir pball]

30. Watch for the smoke.

Not billowing clouds of burnt-oil stench mind you, but the first faintest whispers of smoke coming off the oil is what pros define as "hot". Think a pot of water just starting tonsteam.

You can also watch for the " shimmer", where it looks like the oil is rippling in the pan (obviously without you moving it), but that's not always reliably hot enough.

[Auggie]

33. +1

[csziggy]

28. Rusty cast iron can be salvaged

Years ago, before we got together, my husband and his first wife moved into a rental house. In the backyard they found a gas stove and several cast iron pans. They reconditioned the gas stove and used it in the kitchen (there is a whole other story about that stove). Same for the cast iron - took the major amount of rust off the surface with steel wool, seasoned the pans well and cooked with them until the first wife left him.

She left the pans, too, and I still have them, along with a cast iron Dutch oven (sadly with no lid) we found out here on the farm after we bought it.

Unfortunately, in the new house I went with a glass cooktop so the old cast iron is not used anywhere but the oven and over camp fires. But it still works great!

All that cast iron is a minimum of 40 years old - that is about when the pans were found. No telling when they were originally made!

[LawDeeDah]

61. Yes they are, and they give your body needed Iron

[cbayer]

62. Eek! You look just like me!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and make use of that skillet.

[LawDeeDah]

63. thank you ;) I'm the Grommet guy.

[cbayer]

64. I'm Grommet as well.

My husband named me after seeing the movies. I give him the same looks and he is very much like Wallace.

[LawDeeDah]

65. I have a couple old VHSs, I think I'll watch them again soon.

So wonderfully done - if anyone else is reading this and not familiar - I highly recommend taking a look at Wallace and Grommet, or is Grommet and Wallace.

[cbayer]

66. Yes! The original shorts are wonderful.

I also like the movie and there is a great game you can play on the iPad.

They never cease to make me laugh and feel good.

And it's definitely Wallace and Grommet!

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. Find good cast iron in "vintage" stores. Not the made in china stuff 1980 or newer.

We have 2 sets, a combo of his and mine, and mine are from my Grandma, they are heavy, his are of later vintage and are lighter.
Wash them ONLY in hot water, no soap.
If food sticks, put an inch or 2 of water in them, turn on burner, let come to a boil, turn off burner, and later rinse under hot tap.
Never ever use anything to clean them with except a light kitchen scrubber, made of plastic..I am thinking of what I used to buy as
"dobie pads" with the sponge inside.
I bake in my skillets, I cook bread in my Dutch oven, cannot cook without them.

Good knives and good cast iron with last for years and years.
Put them in your will.

[NJCher]

18. how to clean a scorched roasting pan

I wrote this one out about a week ago in response to someone who had a need for this info:

Put it on your cook top (hopefully you have a gas oven) with water in it. Heat to the temperature where it scorched on the pan. You don't have to measure it or anything, just watch it and scrape the pan with metal spatula.

It will come right off! I was amazed. It will take some time, but it's much easier than any other way I know of.


Cher

[Nac Mac Feegle]

22. Off the top of my head

A piece of that rubbery mesh shelf liner works wonders to keep a cutting board from sliding around on you.

Before you peel more than 3 or 4 potatoes, open up a section of newspaper, and peel over that. Then fold the peels up inside the paper and throw away.

Line a good sized bowl with a plastic grocery bag as a trash bowl where you are working on the counter. Just fold the trash up in the bag and toss in the big can when full. I have a cheap stainless bowl that I use for this, it's always on the prep island.

When roasting a piece of meat, use vegetables instead of a rack to keep it off the bottom of the roaster. It will flavor the juices for gravy, you can eat the vegetables, and you're 'killing two birds with one stone': cooking two things at once. They taste awesome. Use carrots, celery ribs, onion chunks. potato or turnip chunks, whatever you have on hand. Sprinkling some of the meat seasoning on them will help also. Just cut into bite size or easily manageable pieces.

Clean as you go. Of you have a few seconds free while cooking, CLEAN SOMETHING. Less dishes later on, and you might just need the dish again that you just dirtied.

When making pancakes from a mix, substitute beer for the water, it doesn't add that much beer flavor, but it enhances the existing flavor. Especially good when camping.

[dem in texas]

34. Clean as you go is the best advice of all when cooking

Keep the counter clear and wash up the bowls and pots you have used when you have a few free minutes. When you are done with your cooking, you will not have a stack of dirty dishes. We must be on the same wave length because I use a plastic grocery bag to catch my food scraps too. I used to have a Kitchen Aid disposer that would grind just about everything. It wore out and got a leak and I went to home depot and bought their most expensive disposer, it won't grind anything! So I am now bagging my food scraps. I used to compost all food scraps, but my arthritis is so bad that I must use a cane to walk, so it is too hard for me to go outdoors to the compost bin anymore.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

52. I have a couple of old plastic yogurt containers for my trash.

I just empty them into the trash and give them a quick rinse. If anything nasty were to happen to them, I'd just buy some more yogurt.

I just got a three pound plastic container of sour cream. I will probably use that when it's empty.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

24. When freezing whole bell peppers to use later for stuffing,

process them before freezing. A) You don't wind up finding out that they had mold in them when it comes time to defrost, B) if you let them thaw before stuffing and popping into the crock pot, they go mushy too quickly and are hard to stuff, and C) trying to cut the tops off and core them while still frozen is a right pain, and generally the top just breaks up.

I actually prefer cauliflower to stretch mashed potatoes, but then I like cauliflower already, and am not a big fan of turnips.

Crock pots are essential in any modern kitchen - I wish I'd known about them in college.

And 'use by dates' on canned goods are incredibly pessimistic. I frequently eat canned veggies up to 4 years after the can has 'expired', and have yet to come across a can that tasted, smelled, or looked odd. (I really need to find a way to rotate my pantry better so I don't have to even worry about 4 year old cans, though.)

[JimDandy]

40. Only exception I found to your experience with 'use by dates' on canned goods

is with canned tomatoes. Close to the 'use by date' they get brownish/black spots on the tomatoes that were in direct contact with the can and the whole can of them will have a bad taste.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

56. Good exception to know.

And, of course, it's always possible to get a can with botulism going much earlier. They're not necessarily universally safe forever, just many appear to be

[sir pball]

27. Three words: mise en place.

"Set in place" - before the slightest thought of putting a pan on the stove for a particular dish crosses your mind, you must have every last ingredient cut, peeled, measured, weighed, or otherwise prepared, all neatly organized and ready at hand. No rush and no surprises.

[sir pball]

31. Also, don't be afraid of high heat.

Besides having the oil hot to begin with, I mean. 95%/of the time if your food is sticking to the pan, you need to turn the heat up and wait. Assuming you put properly dry product into good and hot oil, it will come free from the pan when it's ready. Applies to everything, but chicken and especially fish are best handled this way. I can't count how many times I've seen people destroy trout or salmon by trying to peel them out of the pan early.

[A HERETIC I AM]

70. Your two posts above rank with the best advice in this thread.

I once heard the question asked; "What is the primary difference between an experienced chef and your average, at home cook?"

Answer?

Hot pans.

Preheating the cookware on the stovetop before the first thing is put in, including the oil.

Kudos on your posts. Excellent advice.

[sir pball]

71. Well...I *am* a chef after all

Not a self-aggrandizing line cook who lists "chef" as occupation, I have the legitimate title, managerial responsibilities, and (slightly) higher pay, along with the expected deep skillset.

Of course, as part of the above skills, including hot pans, proper mise en place, and always-sharp knives, I'd add drinking like an fish, swearing like a sailor, and having an almost inhuman tolerance for pain, especially of the burning type

[noamnety]

32. how to cut mangoes and avocados

slice a mango down either side of the pit, then draw a grid with a butter knife on both sides. Scoop out with a spoon to get nice little cubes. Same basic deal with an avocado, one slice to cut in half, then make the grid.

And smacking a pomegranate with a spoon to get the seeds out - that's probably my favorite, aside from the immersion blender for hot soups, mentioned above.

[Luminous Animal]

39. Smacking a pomegranate is the most efficient way to get the seeds out and a bonus...

I now eat more pomegranates!

[sir pball]

46. After you smack it break it into a big bowl of water

The pith floats and the seeds sink. Slosh it around a bit to make sure it's all broken up, run a strainer along the surface, and Bob's your uncle. The things you learn breaking fifty pounds at a time..

[cbayer]

57. What great advice about pomegranates.

I honestly don't buy them because I had no idea how to get the seeds out.

Genius! Thank you.

[locks]

37. Cheap tools for everyday

small tongs, wooden spoons, 1 1/2 cup electric chopper, vintage glass juicer, 2 Cup measuring pitcher, air-bake cookie sheets, glass pie plates, l Cup sifter, rubber jar and bottle opener, kitchen scissors.

[CottonBear]

41. Great advice! N/T

[littlewolf]

44. a pealed potato can be put in a pot if you added to much salt. nt

[sir pball]

47. Or acid, it balances salt even better.

Lots of people, even pros, do the potato or add fat to dilute the salt...but acid, vinegar or lemon, actually competes with your taste buds to block the salt flavor (ion channel inhibition, if that makes sense to you). Essentially if you made vinegar from seawater, it would taste OK.

I love to jack my food like that, it ends up being intensely flavorful yet palatable..

[Luminous Animal]

45. If you have children, their first kitchen chore should be the task you don't want to do.

Don't let them know this.

Smack a garlic clove with your chef's knife and the peel will slip right off. Smack it again but harder and it is practically minced.

Use scissor to cut up a crab instead of crab crackers. Instant access to the crab meat and zero-minimal shell shards.

Roast beets separately in their own foil wrap. Even the same size beet can reach optimum softness at a different time.

To peel roasted beets, wear kitchen gloves that have a nubby texture on the palms and fingers. The peel slips right off and no purple fingers.

When grilling a whole chicken, divide in half, trim the ribs, put each half separately in a large bag and smack the hell out of them with an iron pan until flat. Marinade, and toss on the grill, close the lid and the entire chicken will cook evenly and ready to cut into servings when off the grill.

Peppercorns not pre-ground. If you can, buy a full metal grinder with an adjustable setting. It will last for decades. I've had mine for 30 years and it is going strong.

Get a strawberry huller. It removes the leaves and the white flesh at the top efficiently.

To get the skin off of hazelnuts; rub, after toasted, in a colander with wide holes. This is a far better method than rubbing in cloth.

Whipping the eggs whites and folding into a pancake or waffle batter makes extra-ordinarly light and fluffy pancakes and waffles.

Also, whipping the eggs whites and folding them into pumpkin pie batter makes an amazing light and fluffy pumpkin pie.

After sautéing the onions, add your powdered spices for 30 seconds to a minute to release their essential oils before adding other ingredients.

Thyme and scrambled eggs are essential. Include pepper at the start but don't add salt until the eggs firm up a bit in the pan.

Freshly ground nutmeg and lemon zest is essential to near any dish.

Toast cocoa and sugar gently for a minute or two when making homemade hot cocoa.

When sautéing a multiple vegetable dish, build flavor gently. Add salt to each phase of an added ingredient sparsely and taste before adding another ingredient. You'll end up using a lot less salt than if you adjust at the end.

Roll up, in a log shape, leftover tomato paste in plastic wrap and freeze. Slice off any portion that you want to add to a quick lunch or dinner for a burst of flavor. Do the same with basil pesto. When basil is glorious and abundant, make a large batch and freeze extras in rolls.

A metal apple slicer will last forever. Plastic ones will crack.

A mandolin is a must. So is a mini food processor. And a nut chopper. And eared pie pans. The pastry that I make is so delicate that eared is a must.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

53. Fresh ginger will keep for months

If you peel it, slice it, put it in a jar which is then filled with dry white wine to cover, and kept in the fridge.

When you've used up the ginger, you have a cup or so of ginger flavored wine for cooking.

[flamin lib]

55. When making soups and stocks use your remote read thermometer to prevent boil over. Set

it at 200-208 and you'll be notified just before it boils.

When reducing sauces use a wooden spoon and a rubber band to measure the depth of the liquid at the start. Wrap the rubber band around the spoon handle where it just touches the liquid and it's easy to see when the sauce is reduced by 1/2 or 1/3.

If there is a restaurant supply store nearby check it out for small appliances and expendables. I can get a year's supply of plastic wrap and plastic gloves for the same price as grocery store sizes.

Thermometers are your friend! I have a dual probe remote read (RF), an instant read digital and an infrared thermometer. The infrared is great for preheating skillets for browning meat, preheat the pan to 325 before adding the food. Doesn't work with SS pans unless there is oil in them already. A dial/ probe type candy thermometer is good for measuring gas grill temperatures. Replace the cheezy factory thermometer which isn't even close to accurate and you've got an I pioutdoor oven.

Calibrate your thermometer with ice water and boiling water. Ice water should read 33-34 and boiling 210-211 at or near sea level. Then use it to calibrate your oven. Put a cup of oil in the oven and wait for the temp to stabilize then correct the knob to match the actual temp. Ovens cycle over and under the set temp and the oil averages the hi/lo temps.

If you vacuum pack wet foods like chicken parts put a paper towel folded into a rope near the top edge of the bag to absorb the moisture squeezed out of the food.

When vacuum sealing things like chopped bell peppers that you will parcel out for use, leave 2 inches of extra bag so you can open it, take out what you need and re-seal the bag.

Don't boil hard boiled eggs. Steam them using a steaming rack. Bring the water to a boil and steam the eggs for 10 minutes (at or near sea level). Works for one or a dozen. Also, store the eggs on their side for at least 24 hours before steaming them to center the yolk.

[Luminous Animal]

58. I like this one a lot.

When reducing sauces use a wooden spoon and a rubber band to measure the depth of the liquid at the start. Wrap the rubber band around the spoon handle where it just touches the liquid and it's easy to see when the sauce is reduced by 1/2 or 1/3.

[SheilaT]

67. After chopping onions or garlic

wash your hands with COLD water and a generous dose of salt to remove the odor. It's amazing how well it works.

[grasswire]

68. use a teaspoon to peel fresh ginger

it works so well!

[Little Star]

69. When following a recipe.....

I get all my ingredients out on the counter first as well as my bowls, pan/pot, mixer, etc. In other words, I find being organized before starting simplifies things. Doing it that way also lets me be assured I have all the ingredients needed.