How would you rank your cooking skills, pandas? On a scale of “somehow manages to burn cereal” to “can bake a flawless soufflé with your eyes closed”, where do you fall? Personally, I grew up watching way more Food Network than I would be proud to admit, but despite the fact that my child brain was supposed to be soaking up information like tres leches cake soaks up milk, many of the tips and tricks I heard went in one ear and right out the other. So as an adult, I’ve put in countless hours reading recipes, experimenting in the kitchen and studying videos to feel confident preparing a homemade meal. And I have to admit, it was totally worth it, because I love cooking now!
But there's always more to learn, especially for my fellow amateur cooks out there. So below, we’ve gathered a list of helpful tips and tricks Redditors have been sharing that might be the exact game-changers you need to feel more at home in the kitchen. From learning how to properly dice veggies to purchasing small appliances that will save you loads of time and energy, these tips might go a long way in elevating your culinary skills. Be sure to upvote the responses featuring hacks you plan to utilize the next time you're responsible for dinner, and then if you’re hungry for even more tips from Bored Panda that can improve your kitchen literacy, check out this delicious list next!
#21
When you need to remove the pit from an avocado, just give the back of the half holding the pit a little push with your thumbs. It falls right out and you don't have to do the slippery knife twist maneuver. Ngl was kind of pissed at how easy it was when I learned it.
52points
#22
Food processors are underrated. I've just started using mine (after using the blender for years) and behold! Nice tomatillo salsa or chimichurri, no problem. But then I saw that you can use it for pie crusts and biscuits and OH MY GOD WHAT A GAME CHANGER FOR CUTTING IN MY BUTTER. Pre chunk the butter, throw it in, and a few pulses later youre in business.
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45points
#23
1. I now freeze my left over tomato paste. I can cut off the amount I need for a recipe and throw it back in the freezer.
2. If you store asparagus in a mason jar of water, standing up with the heads out of the water, it can stay fresh for weeks.
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43points
#24
For snacking on veggies instead of spending all that time chopping, getting a Mandolin slicer and cutting up cucumber, bell peppers, carrots etc is so much easier and they look great too.
Also, baking bacon on foil in the oven instead of standing stove side the entire time.
Also, baking bacon on foil in the oven instead of standing stove side the entire time.
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43points
#26
Putting a damp paper towel underneath the cutting board so it doesn't slide around while chopping!!
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38points
#27
Exact measurements are not essential in 99% of things(not counting baking.) Cook to taste, and taste as you cook.
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35points
#28
Realising I can make hollandaise sauce without having to use a bain-marie was a wonderful discovery for me.
Just slowly whisk in 50g of melted butter to one egg yolk, then add lemon juice and season. The consistency’s ever so slightly different, but I wouldn’t say it’s a bad difference.
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35points
#29
Keeping a lemon in fridge, adds freshness to many things. A little acid into soups, gravy, on veggies...
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34points
#30
I guess this counts: when I need minced garlic, I just smash the garlic with the flat of my knife and then give it a quick rocking cut for a few seconds. That's almost always good enough- I'm not spending minutes mincing garlic.
Either that, or I'll microplane it
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33points