Have you ever wondered how restaurants get the perfect crust on their bread or the perfect sear on their meat? Maybe you’ve been wondering how they incorporate all that caramelly goodness into delicate baked goods that would normally fall apart with the sauce?
As it turns out, while home cooks are getting better and better all the time, there are still a few pros out there with some tricks up their sleeves. The good news is, some of them don’t mind sharing them with you.
Here are 12 insanely useful cooking tips handed down by chefs taught in culinary school.
1. Use steam to get the perfect crust
Though it might sound counterintuitive, steam is the trick to getting the perfect bread crust- as long as it’s timed right. If you apply steam to your bread within the first 5-10minutes of baking, there are two key things it will do.
First, it will soften the bread while it expands and off-gases. Second, according to the wise folks over at Kitchn:
“The steam that has settled on the surface of the bread also dissolves sugars in the dough. As the bread stops expanding and the steam begins to evaporate, the sugars are left behind to caramelize (yum!) and create a glossy crust.”
2. Use a wet towel beneath your cutting board
Ever tried to chop something up while struggling to keep your cutting board in place?
It’s a nightmare many home cooks have had to deal with, but our chef friends tell us that placing a wet dish towel (or paper towel) beneath your board will give it grip and help hold it in place while you get the job done.
3. Sear meat before baking
Want that gorgeous browned look on all of your meats, but without having to deal with dry food to get it? Well, the trick to that is to put a good sear on your meat, especially with chicken or fish.
Not only will you get the look you’re going for, but it will also help lock in those flavorful juices while it finishes off in the oven.
4. Everything is better in batches
We know it can be tough to do, but if you can resist the urge to cram as much food into one roasting as possible, you’ll really be doing your cooking a favor. Why? Because when you overcrowd your pan, you’re no longer roasting- you’re steaming.
If you want the crisp, crunchy texture that roasting can bring (as well as the faster cooking), then control yourself and roast in small, spaced out batches.
5. Cook the edges of your steaks
If you want to get a nice crust on the outer edges of your steak while decreasing the oil you use at the same time, cook your steaks on their edges as well as their broadsides.
Most of the fat on your steaks will be on the edges, so start your sear by cooking the edges first (hold them upright with cooking tongs). This will melt the fat so that when you cook the flat sides of your steak, they won’t stick to the pan and you won’t need additional cooking oil to do it.
6. Cook with butter and oil in a 1:1 ratio
Have you ever burnt butter while trying to saute? It’s no fun, it stinks to high heaven, and absolutely ruins the flavor of your dish.
Instead, to get the rich flavor of the butter without the worry of burning it, just add the same amount of cooking oil to your pan as you do butter and worry no more!
7. Sour cream is the missing ingredient in your pancakes
We know, we know- you’ve been making pancakes since you could hold a spatula and you’re pretty sure you know how it’s done. On the other hand, if you haven’t tried making your pancakes with sour cream in the batter, you have no idea what you’re missing.
The sourcream acts similar to buttermilk and gives your pancakes the lightest, fluffiest, and creamiest texture you could ever imagine- all perfected with a buttery crisp texture on the outside. So, next time you’re going to cook up a stack of pancakes, toss 2 Tblsp. of sour cream into the mix and thank us later.
8. Brining will give you juicy meat every time
Whether you’re cooking up chicken, steak, turkey, or pork, you can’t go wrong with brining. This is especially true with cheaper, and normally tougher, cuts of meat.
Soaking it in a good brine will not only add flavor, but it will tenderize your meat and make sure it turns out juicy each and every time. You can learn more about this super simple cooking tip here.
9. Cook your pasta right in the sauce
It makes sense almost as soon as you hear it, right? Instead of dirtying up another pot for no reason, cook your pasta directly in the sauce. The starches will both thicken the sauce and help it adhere better to the pasta!
10. Know when to add your seasonings
Getting a good flavor in your cooking is all about using the right seasonings. But, the key to unlocking the full potential of those seasonings is all in when you add them.
For dried herbs and spices, you want to add them to your dish as they cook so that they can “bloom” and release all of their delicious oils. For fresh herbs, on the other hand, you want to add these toward the end or after the cooking process, as overcooking these can make them (and your dish) turn bitter.
11. The type of salt you use matters
Believe it or not, different types of salt have a different flavoring effect in your meals. Knowing that, trust us when we say that a coarse grind salt will add depths to the flavor of your food that you wouldn’t believe.
12. Caramelized sugar will take your baked goods over the top
Baking with caramelized sugar is a whole new ballgame when it comes to flavor, but can be used and stored exactly like regular sugar. The best part is, it couldn’t be any easier to caramelize your sugar. Basically, you’re just toasting it.
Spread out your sugar over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and toast in a 300°F oven for anywhere between 1-5 hours, depending on how strong you want the caramel color and flavor to be. Just don’t go over five hours, because then it will start to liquefy.
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