Baking is a science, but cooking is an art. A true culinary master can simply follow their instincts and whip up a delicious meal out of seemingly simple and underwhelming ingredients. But we can all manage to improve our skills in the kitchen, so if you’re interested in learning some cooking hacks, you’ve come to the right place.
Redditors have been revealing their best kept kitchen secrets, so we’ve gathered the most brilliant ones down below. From incorporating creative ingredients to going against the grain and making up their own cooking methods, enjoy reading through all of these unconventional tips. And be sure to upvote the suggestions that you can’t wait to experiment with while making dinner!
#41
I'll tell anyone these "secrets":
I grate nutmeg into my English style scrambled eggs
I add a not shy amount of Chinese Five Spice to my ground Italian sausage when making a Zuppa Toscana
I add a healthy tablespoon of Smoky Harissa Paste to my Texas chili, bloomed in rendered beef fat.
I grate nutmeg into my English style scrambled eggs
I add a not shy amount of Chinese Five Spice to my ground Italian sausage when making a Zuppa Toscana
I add a healthy tablespoon of Smoky Harissa Paste to my Texas chili, bloomed in rendered beef fat.
8points
#42
I do the coffee trick as well. Mayo on grilled cheese I find abhorrent though. It makes the sandwich taste the way a wet dog smells. Butter forever and always.
I start regular dried pasta in cold water. They cook faster and it prevents sticking. People bristle when they see it because of the mandate to add pasta to boiling water, which I assume came from cooking fresh pasta where it is necessary. But cold water works better for dried pasta. Biggest proof is lasagne noodles. I can cook two boxes in a big pot that started in cold water. No stirring. No oil. And pull them out one at a time with no sticking. Do that with boiling water and it’s a big ball of pasta gum.
I start regular dried pasta in cold water. They cook faster and it prevents sticking. People bristle when they see it because of the mandate to add pasta to boiling water, which I assume came from cooking fresh pasta where it is necessary. But cold water works better for dried pasta. Biggest proof is lasagne noodles. I can cook two boxes in a big pot that started in cold water. No stirring. No oil. And pull them out one at a time with no sticking. Do that with boiling water and it’s a big ball of pasta gum.
8points
#43
A bit of red curry paste in pumpkin soup gives it a nice flavor.
8points
#44
1 TBSP mayonnaise in the batter when making a Dutch baby gets the most dramatic puff ever.
7points
#45
The classic restaurant cook technique: enough olive oil to k**l you.
6points
#46
Miso paste in creamy pastas and mushroom risotto etc.
6points
#47
I mince and fry saute my onions and garlic ahead of time.
50# of onions get minced and thrown in a pot with water and a touch of salt to break down cell walls. Then they're roasted with olive oil till golden brown and delicious. Cooled, flat-frozen, done for the year.
Garlic is blenderized then fried in oil, then put into a strainer to recapture the oil for re-use. The low-oil result is flat frozen too.
Doing multiple batches all at once on one day really reduces total time spent. I can leapfrog that 20 minutes that start every dang recipe!
50# of onions get minced and thrown in a pot with water and a touch of salt to break down cell walls. Then they're roasted with olive oil till golden brown and delicious. Cooled, flat-frozen, done for the year.
Garlic is blenderized then fried in oil, then put into a strainer to recapture the oil for re-use. The low-oil result is flat frozen too.
Doing multiple batches all at once on one day really reduces total time spent. I can leapfrog that 20 minutes that start every dang recipe!
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6points
#48
If you’re cooking chicken, ALWAYS add white pepper. No matter what recipe, it fits every single time. White pepper is the secret ingredient.
5points
#49
Tonka Bean extract in my chocolate chip cookies. Trust me on this.
5points
#50
I've used marmite in brownies and it gives them a chewy sort of chocolate cheesecake flavor and no one ever knows what it is but they always love it. I said what I said. I'd be happy to tell but a few people might be grossed out and not eat my brownies lol.
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5points