Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Better Food, Faster, Cheaper: Quick Ways To Improve Your Cooking

By Roxane J. Talisen


There are lots of methods and techniques to learn when cooking. Some are a snap and only take a few minutes, while some are really involved and can take hours. Regardless of you current cooking aptitude, you may find the following tips helpful for improving your cooking skills.

You must stay organized so that you don't burn any food. An organized kitchen is a much more productive kitchen. Also, organize your refrigerator and pantry to avoid buying unnecessary items that will eventually be thrown out.

When not in use, put your spices in an area that receives the lowest amount of light and heat. Shelf life can be significantly decreased for those spices which have been exposed to too much light, dampness and heat. To keep your spices spicy and fresh, store them in an area that is cool and dark. Fresh spices can greatly enhance your meals, making this effort well worth your time.

You should instead set the watch timer and the oven timer. If you engage in another activity away from your oven, you will hear your watch timer beep.

Always slice your meat thinly and on the bias when you are cooking stir-fry. This is not easy to do and could take some time. Take the meat out as soon its gets firm (not frozen), then cut it across the grain at a forty-five degree angle.

Brine is a method that is great when cooking. Marinate any sort of poultry in brine for about an hour before you cook it, so that it becomes very flavorful.

Use a few spices to flavor your cooked meals. Salt and pepper are everyday seasonings, but a little garlic, ginger, or cayenne can add an interesting zest to a prepared meal. Many people have different tastes when it comes to spice. Make these available for customization after you cook the meal, instead of adding them during cooking. This will make it so everyone can have it their way.

If you are just beginning to cook more of your meals, go straight to the nearest bookstore or library to find a cookbook that has simple, fun recipes. Cooking might take a while to master, as it requires perfecting certain techniques.

If you have extra meat and vegetables in your refrigerator, make up a delicious stir fried rice. Day-old rice is prime for making fried rice, but if you have none lying around, try this tip. You can reduce the water to make a slightly drier rice. To prepare fried rice, saute your meat and vegetables together until tender, then add in your rice along with soy sauce, ginger, garlic and other spices.

You can use this on a variety of foods, not just meat. A little on seeds or eggs can liven it up. All your guests will be left wondering where the delightful flavor came from.

If you buy unripened fruits, keep them in a plastic bag fitted with holes. Fruits produce ethylene gas when they become riper. When you keep these fruits in aerated bags, the gas that might normally build up and be trapped is released and allows the fruit to maintain freshness longer.

Store all spices and herbs in dry, dark and cool conditions to get the maximum amount of flavor from them. Spices will rapidly lose flavor if exposed to heat, light or humidity. This just exposes them to the elements and degrades their flavors.

Thousands of great dishes have been destroyed as a result of a chef over-complicating the cooking method or the combination of ingredients. When you stick to simple, you can usually create quick and healthy meals that taste divine. This article can help you to make your next meal your best meal.




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