40 cooking errors to avoid
These cooking errors could play your meals.
Of course, no one leaves Yelp's reviews on your homemade dinners. Nevertheless, the pressure is lit, that you cook a meal for yourself, have a friend onhaving dinner, or feed all your family. You do not want to spend an hour in the kitchen trying a new recipe only to servePasta It's too crazy or driedchicken plate. Or maybe you avoided thatSnap You bought too many dishes of too many people.
The truth is said, cooking is both an art and a science. It's not difficult toruining one side of the rice If you do not get the right water ratio right. And yourvegetablesIf you do not boil them or you do not marinate them properly, it can become soggy.
Here is 40Common cooking errors This can hold you from these critics of five hypothetical stars. And for more, do not miss these15 classical American desserts that deserve a return.
Error: Do not read the entire recipe before starting to cook.
Many cooks at home like to take a recipe one step at a time, says Laura Miner, who runs the recipe siteCooking at home mom. But when you go this road, you can accidentally neglect some important information.
How to repair it: Spend a few minutes to read the complete recipe from start to finish, says Minor. "The recipe will give you useful information about the ingredients, the preparation and equipment you need, but it can also include terms that you are not familiar with who you need to look for."
Error: Thaw meat on your counter.
Defrosting raw meat can take hours and bacteria will push on meat just like any other perishable food, says Katie Heil, a certified food security professional toStatefoodsafety. "In fact, if you leave meat too long, I did not even do it, it will make it safe," she says.
How to repair it: You have some options for thawing meat. The defrost in the refrigerator is the safest method, but is the coarse, explains Heil. Plan a day of defrosting for five pounds of meat.
You can also leave your meat in its original packaging and immerse it completely in cold water, she says. It recommends replacing the water in the sink every 30 minutes. Plan two and a half hours of thawing for all five pounds of meat.
Or, you can go to microwave (but proceed with caution, because we will dig why it's not the best method).
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Error: Defrost food in a microwave.
The truth is said, many cooks at home do not know too much the defrost function on their microwaves, declares that the food scientists Kurt Anderson, also the owner ofPretty Great Catesecake. "Most of the time, the meat finishes partially cooked outside and raw inside," says Anderson. "Essentially, you cook the meat twice, leaving it dry and hard."
How to repair it: Although it takes longer, it is better to plan and thaw your meat in the refrigerator or even sink.
But if you thaw your food in the microwave, make sure it's a secure microwave dish so that it catches the juices thawing, Heil said. Follow the instructions in your microwave closely to thaw meat.
Error: Do not cook food long enough.
Poultry needs to reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and seafood and ground meat should be at least 155 degrees Fahrenheit, according toStatefoodsafety. "Cooking foods at appropriate temperatures kills potentially dangerous bacteria," says Heil.
How to repair it: Do not count on how food seems to determine if it is done or not, says Heil. "The safest and easiest way to make sure your food is over is to use aFood thermometer"She says. Also, do not forget to clean and disinfect the thermometer between the uses.
Error: Cool your remains.
PREPPERS mealsYou know the scenario: you cook a large batch of food for the week, then store it in the fridge. But the outside of the container will cool faster than the inside, and if the container is too large, the bacteria can multiply at dangerous levels in the middle of the container where your food is still hot, Heil warns.
How to repair it: Divide your meals into smaller containers before refrigerating or freezing, Heil suggests. "It may also be a good idea to leave the lids on your loose containers initially allowing the steam to escape, then tie them correctly after the food has cooled," she says.
Error: Count on regular salt.
Do not miss the salt table as your go-to. It can leave an acrid aftertaste, declares Amanda Frederickson, author of the cookbookSimple nice food.
How to repair it:Skip to Salt Cosher, Frederickson suggests. Basher salt does not dissolve as quickly as the table salt, so you can gradually salt your dishes.
Error: Turn or move your food too often when it cooking.
It is tempting to want to tend to your dishes. But, if you fish flicker too often or move your meal too often in the pan, it will never be a good or Sear brownish, says Frederickson.
How to repair it: If something is stuck in a saucepan, which means it's not ready to be overthrown, even if there is oliveoil Or a fat in the background, she said. "Give him a few minutes of cooking, then try again, and you should be able to easily slide a spatula below and with moving leaves," says Frederickson.
Error: Cut your vegetables unevenly.
When you cut off your vegetables unevenly, some of the smaller pieces end up over cooked, which makes them taste and without shattered flavor, says Coleen Janeway, a chef and culinary alchemistSkinfoodbodylove.
How to repair it: Cut the vegetables always! If you miss in the accuracy department, get help from a vegetable slicer or dictate.
RELATED: The easy guide to cut the sugar is finally back there.
Error: Do not use enough liquid in your snapshot.
Pressure cookers Must have liquid, or there will be no steam to create pressure, explains mine. "If you do not contain enough liquid, the content will burn and your recipe will be a catastrophe," she says.
How to repair it: It must always include at least the minimum amount of liquid recommended, depending on the size of your minute casserole, says Miner. For a three-quarter oven, the use of at least half a cup of liquid; for a six-quarter stove, the use of at least one cup; And for an eight-quarter stove, use at least two cups.
Error: The use of the quick release method of instantaneous meat.
The fast method is used by turning the button on the top of the "sealed" instantaneous pot at "Evacuation" explains. It allows all pressure and steam that is built to be released quickly, which will have the effect of grasping the meat. Do this will ruin a roast because your meat needs time to rest in order to stay tender, it explains.
How to repair it: Ideally, you allow your casserole minute to relax the pressure on itself. The natural release function but could take between 15 and 40 minutes, says mine, depending on how much pressure built up. "If the weather is a factor, you can allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10-15 minutes, then turn the button to release the remaining pressure using the Quick Release method," she says.
Error: not bacon by cooking.
Bacon wrapped around shrimp, a false net or asparagus can take your dish of a notch. But, if you wrap the bacon when it is believed, the bacon could cook unevenly, said Eliza Cross, author of101 things to do with bacon.
How to repair it: Arrange the bacon slices on a pucker plate covered with parchment paper and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until some of the fat is rendered and the sides are just starting to brown, says Cross. The bacon slices will always be flexible enough to wrap around your dish, she says.
Error: boiling water incorrectly.
It's a secular enigma: a looked pot comes down again, but turn your attention from the boiling pot and begins to overflow.
How to repair it: Try the wooden spoon tower, suggests Alexa Blay, the recipe developer and cook behindKey to my lime, A blog of environmental budget recipes. When you place a wooden spoon on the pot of water, it prevents it from boiling above the spoon because the bubbles appears.
Error: Over-seasoning your food.
Finding the right balance to the right of the seasoning of your dish can be difficult. But remember, it's easier to add spices than to remove them, says Blay.
How to repair it: Season Your food A little at a time, and this taste after each addition, Blay suggests. In this way, you can adjust as you go along.
Error: No preheating your cast iron stove before adding the fat.
For yourcast iron Being an anti-adhesive surface, he needs to heat before adding the oil, butter or lard, says Blay. The oil should also be hot before adding your food.
How to repair it: Fortunately, the oil warms up very quickly when it is added to a hot stove. You can say that the oil is hot, because it becomes more shimmering and watching smooth, says Blay.
Error: Not the seasoning of your cooking water.
You stir your pasta or potatoes in plain ol. "Boiling water. But, by doing this, you miss an opportunity to give them more flavor.
How to repair it:Salk water that potatoes or pasta will be boiling. These seasons coming from the inside and give you a tasty and delicious dish, "says Blay. Add the salt after the water starts to boil. And do not be skimpy: salt that water like it is the sea, and you can be particularly generous with potatoes because they are so dense.
Error: boiling vegetables incorrectly.
Did you know that different boiling protocols apply to root vegetables like potatoes and vegetables above vegetables like corn? If you launch cold potatoes in hot boiling water, you get a pasty outdoor because the gelatin starch, explains theAlmanac of farmers. But if you put vegetables above the earth in cold water and let them boil too long, they will become faded or soggy.
How to repair it: When you cook vegetables over the wind, you just want to soften the walls of the cell, which is a fairly fast process. So that's why you should give up corn and other vegetables above the ground in boiling water, according to the farmers' Almanac. But, potatoes and other root vegetables have starchs that have to dissolve before eating and starting them in cold water allow you to cook even more, the farmers' Almanac explains.
Error: Do not rinse canned beans.
When you open a bean box, they are often in a cloudy liquid. Not only is it not appetizing, but this liquid can also add a lot of sodium and additional starches to your dish. In addition, the rinsing canned beans can not lead to a metallic taste for some, explains Blay.
How to repair it: Unless the recipe calls the liquid in the bean box (it is sometimes the case in pepper recipes with chili beans), go ahead and drain this liquid and rinse your beans in a colander. If you plan to roast beans, make sure to enter dry so they can reach a crunchy outdoor.
Error: drainage of all your pasta.
When you have finished cooking pasta, do not let all this pasta water filter out of the strainer. Save some of these starches, salt water will make your pasta sauce even better and can work as a thickening agent.
How to repair it: Book half cup of pasta water, add it to your pasta sauce and mix, suggests that Blay. He will add from the flavor to your sauce, and this will also help your paste sauce, she says.
Error: Croop on the oil.
Many recipes will only use a small amount of oil, says Don Baiocchi, the developer of the recipe behindGuy free gluten paleo. Seeding or jumping food in a pan too dry, however, creates dry and burned foods that often glue
pan.
How to repair it: Start with a tablespoon of oil, or a whole recipe says you think you need. But keep an eye on the pan, says Baiocchi. Adjust as you go. If you fear that the food is too fat, Dragez-la on a button plate button before serving, it suggests.
Error: Season the meat too late.
Nobody wants bland chicken or steak without aroma! If you season protein after you cook them, salt and seasonings bounce and will not stick, saysFrank Proto, Director of Culinary Operations at the Culinary Education Institute.
How to repair it: For tasty main dishes, season your proteins just before cooking, says Proto.
Error: Add oil to water when making pasta.
Many house cooks think you need to add oil to your boiling water pot to prevent your pasta from glue, says Proto. But the oil can make it difficult to sauce to your pasta, he says.
How to repair it: Pass the oil. "Instead, justGive your pasting a good stir A few times after adding to the water to move it until the water begins to boil again, "he says." You can also stir a few times during the cooking process. "
Error: Add pasta to the water too early.
Whether you make Spaghetti, Penne, Macaroni or any other dough, a rule remains the same thing: do not add your pasta to cold water. Do this and your pasta dish will be grazed.
How to repair it: Patience is a virtue when it comes to perfect pasta. Wait until the water is boiling (not just simmer) to launch in your pasta, the proto says.
Error: No boiling pasta in sufficient water.
Pasta must have enough water so that it is not congested in the pot and has space to move, the proto says. Skimping on the water will cause pasta that tasted gummented or starchy.
How to repair it:You want about four to six liters of water for each pasta book, Proto says. If you are using a hot quarter (usually the biggest pot in a home kitchen), you will want to fill it at least halfway before boiling the water and adding a dry pasta book.
Error: Marine your seafood too long.
Marinades contain an acid, oil and aromas and can give a delicious taste to shrimp dishes and fish. Although you are used to marinage, for example, or a flank bifteck baittle up to 24 hours, fish and shrimp can not be let mariner long. An acidic marinade will be essentially "cook" seafood, leaving rosewater.
How to repair it: You should not marinate fish or shrimp for more than two hours, says Jess Dang, the founder ofSmart, An online meal planning service. But, if you have a very acidic marinade with ingredients like citrus and vinegar, you will want to marinate your fish or shrimp dishes for only 20 minutes, says Dang.
Error: Marine the vegetables too long.
Not only oneMarinade Add from the flavor to all, zucchini mushrooms with aubergines, but it also helps caramelize your side dishes when cooked to high heat. But, marinate your vegetables too long can make them Mushy because they will free water.
How to repair it: In general, Dang suggests marinate your vegetables for only 30 minutes. Very harder like carrots, asparagus, peppers can resist the marinade longer than softer vegetables, so go ahead and add tomatoes or broccoli in the marinade for the last 10 minutes.
Error: No Cubing Your Tofu.
Tofu does a great job absorbing the flavors of a marinade, but only if you remember some key towers. It will not absorb the marinade easily if you do not empty the liquid or if you try to marinate a block full of tofu.
How to repair it:Tap the liquid of your tofu or drag on its own for 15 minutes, Dang suggests. Tofus farms do best with a marinade. You want slice or cube the tofu so that he can better absorb the flavors, "she says. The tofu can marinate for as little as 30 minutes up to 24 hours, according to Dang.
Error: Mariner in a metal bowl.
Most marinades contain an acid, and which reacts with the metal conferring a metallic taste in your marinade, according toBeyond the meat of advice. Mariner
How to repair it: Instead, marinate in a plastic bag, a plastic bowl, Tupperware, ceramic flat, or a hollow plate, the experts recommend beyond meat. Just avoid metal!
Error: cooking white rice and brown rice in the same way.
Brown rice and white rice need different water relations during cooking. With brown rice, you need some more water because its outer layer is still intact, explains Matt Slem, culinary scientist and rice expert toLundberg Family Farms In Richvale, California.
How to repair it: "As a general rule for a white rice, I would recommend 1: 1.5 rice water ratio of brown rice needs a little water more, so 1:. 1.75 rice water ratio works well, "says Slem. "In case of doubt, I recommend that you follow the instructions on the back of the package you bought. »
Error: cutting meat too early after you cook.
As soon as the steak is on the grill or meat bread is done in the oven, it may be tempting to cut into and dig. But, doing this, liberating you and drying your meat, says Anderson.
How to repair it: Let your meat rest, Says Anderson. This will help your meat dishes retain their flavors. How long to let your meat rest depend on the size of your cut, but in general, you will want to give at least five to 10 minutes, he says.
Error: Peeking to your rice during cooking.
When you open the lid to check on your rice as it is cooking, you release steam and heat, which can disturb rice with the ratio of water, says Denise Bustard, a professional food blogger atSweet peas and saffron. As a result, your rice could finish hard rather than mellow, she says.
How to repair it: Trust the process. Leave your Rice Covered SIT for 10 minutes after cooking is over (or as long as your recipe suggests). Once it's done, you can fluff with a fork.
Error: Cut your opening of chicken breast to see if it is still pink.
"Sling your chicken before he has rested can release the juice on all your cutting board, leaving you with dry, hard chicken," says bustard.
How to repair it: A better bet? Use a digital thermometer to check if your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, she says.
Error: Do not have a meal plan.
It's a big mistake because she can get you wasting time trying to understand what you need to cook for dinner, says Bustard. When your stomach grows, you probably do not have time to defrost freezer or Google protein a new recipe and set up an instatacart command for missing ingredients.
How to repair it: You do not have to prepare meals at full preparation. But having a base flour plan in place for the loaded work week will allow you to show up in action when you return home and quickly dine on the table, "said Bustard.
Error: Forgetting postponement cooking.
When you remove a dish, you cook on the oven, grill or stove, remember that it will continue to cook as it is, says Bustard. If you forget to take into account the return cooking, your dish could be dried, "she said.
How to repair it:As a general rule, the bigger the protein, the more it will continue to cook as it rests, says Bustard. Temperatures generally continue to increase between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit once the food is removed from the oven or cooking zone. Again, a digital hand thermometer can help you make sure your meals reach the right temp. "I like doing things like pork net or salmon on the part of the pork, because they will continue to cook as they rest and will be perfect for eating 5-10 minutes after removing," says she.
Error: Do not brown meat before putting it in the slow cooker.
It is tempting to throw these roasters, chop chops or chicken breasts directly in the slow cooker and many recipes will suggest that you do exactly that. But if you do not burn meat first, your dish will miss the flavor, "said Jill Winger, author ofHomestead Prairie Kitchen Book. Giving a quick Sear will help meat develop a more complex flavor.
How to repair it: Heat your stove over medium-high heat and add one to two teaspoons of cooking oil. Generously grasp meat with salt and pepper, then place it carefully in the pan. Allow each side of tanning for two to three minutes, to tilt with a pair of pliers or spatula to a crust and a little color develops on all sides. You are not trying to cook meat - we simply create this delicious crust outside, she says. Then transfer the meat to your slow stove and recipe as usual.
Error: Cook an aluminum potato.
If you envelop a potato in the sheet before cooking it, you will finish smoking instead of cooking, according to theIdaho Potato Commission. You will get a soggy baked potato instead of soft light you want to go next to your dinner.
How to repair it: There is no need to use aluminum foil. In fact, the sheet will also increase the cooking time, according to Idaho Potato Commission. The best way to cook a potato is to do it for 55 to 60 minutes in a conventional oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. You want your oven potato to have an internal temperature of 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
Error: over-crushing potatoes.
Starch is released when you crush your potatoes. If you go too far and crush your potatoes too far, they will become too tights with a glue-shaped texture, according to theIdaho Potato Commission.
How to repair it: Avoid using a culinary mixer or robot, because they will crush your potatoes. To help you bring them, try adding a half-teaspoon of cooking powder to your mix, the Idaho Potato commission suggests.
Error: Do not let lawyers ripen enough.
The lawyers are the perfect addition to a salad, taco or ceviche. Let them become too ripe and your lawyer becomes brown or even moldy. But if it's too firm, it's not tasty, either.
How to repair it: A lawyer is perfectly mature if there is a slight give pressure when you hold it in your hand. If it feels firm, leave it on the counter until it slightly slightly pressure, whole foods recommend. If you need to speed up the ripening process, try putting your lawyers in a paper bag with a banana or an apple, the grocery store recommends.Store the bag at room temperature on a counter or above your refrigerator.
Error: Always choose lean chopped beef.
The chopped beef is a staple in many meals. Although you can gravitate to lean chopped beef, do not give up enough fat can lead to a dry hamburger or meat meat.
How to repair it: Chopped beef which is 93% lean or lean works better in dishes requiring crumble, such as meat sauce, tacos, stuffed peppers or pans, depending on the "beef. That's what's for dinner, "which is managed by theNational Cattlemen Beef Association. A mid-range lean-gras ratio aged 80 or 85% is good for meat or meatballs. The chopped beef which is 73 or 75% lean made juicy burgers.
Error: forgetting to preheat your oven.
Certainly, this one is a bit not obvious. But, the foods cook faster in a preheated oven and if you will simply appear your dish in the oven without preheating, this will probably not be available as planned and will require unnecessary guess.
How to repair it: It usually takes about 15 minutes for your oven to be heated, according toTest cuisine of America. In addition to following the preheating instructions, it is also advisable to make sure that your oven racks are in place because the recipe suggests that America's test cooking experts say.
Error: Roll your pizza dough.
The roll of your pizza dough with a rolling pin can overwrite the air pockets, thus preventing your dough from rising when you cook it.
How to repair it: Pizza manufacturers are not just putting a show when they go back to pizza! Stretching the dough with your hands and hands in hand, it will give it this soft and sparkling crust that you expect from your pizza.Here are more mistakes that risk ruining your pizza night!
Keeping these advice easy and approved by experts will help you take your night dinners at the next level. Never again, you will not need to order take away because the dinner has gone against!