Chefs have many tricks up their sleeves. Some of these tricks can turn sub-par or ordinary ingredients into a gourmet-level meal, while others will save you a lot of time and effort in the kitchen.
No matter if you’re looking for better and
faster preparation or tastier and better-looking food, we’ve got you
covered. This article includes pro tricks, which will solve 10 common
kitchen problems and elevate your cooking skills to a pro level fast and
easy.
Problem 1: Dry, rough meatballs
Solution: Add a few ice cubes
This chef’s tips is not very well-known, and it’s a shame, as adding ice
to foods made of minced meat will make sure your meatballs or burgers
remain soft and juicy after cooking.
Next time you want to prepare a burger,
meatloaf or meatballs, just mix in a handful of crushed ice as the final
step right before cooking, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the
juicy results.
Problem 2: Rice too sticky
Solution: Fry it before cooking
There are different types of rice, and the round-grain varieties are
usually used in risottos and sushi because they tend to become sticky
due to a higher concentration of starches. If you happen to have only
the round variety on hand, but you still want to prepare rice that falls
apart instead of sticking together, it can be easily achieved.
All you have to do is swap your cooking pot
for a frying pan, and fry the rice for a few minutes in the tiniest
amount of oil or butter before cooking it. A guide that it’s time to add
water and start cooking the rice is when it becomes more transparent
and releases a pleasant aroma.
Also, don't forget to rinse your rice at least 3 times before cooking,
this will wash away any rice flour from the surface of the grain, which
can also make rice stickier.
Problem 3: Chicken breast too dry
Solution: Cook it with the bone attached
A dry and stringy chicken breast is the plight of every kitchen because
it’s so easy to overcook chicken breast.
To avoid this mistake once and for all, just cook the chicken breast
together with the bone it is attached to (like shown on the picture
below). It doesn’t matter if you’re baking, grilling, steaming or
boiling, this method just works!
Problem 4: Dry meatballs or meatloaf
Solution: Replace breadcrumbs with cooked quinoa
Another reason for meatballs turning out dry is that you're adding dry
breadcrumbs to it, which suck out all the moisture from the minced meat.
There are several ways of going around this situation, but my true and
tested method is replacing the breadcrumbs with cooked quinoa.
The benefit of this method is that you will give a beautiful texture and juiciness to the
meatballs. Apart from that, you will replace the less healthy wheat
flour from the breadcrumbs with a wholesome grain that contains fiber
and essential micronutrients. In terms of proportions, use as much
quinoa as you would breadcrumbs in the meatball mixture.
Problem 5: Full fat mayo is too heavy
Solution: Use milk instead of eggs in the recipe
Mayo may not be the healthiest condiment on Earth, but it sure has its
support team in the culinary world. For example, if you’re cutting down
on fats, it may be a good idea to replace butter with homemade mayo,
especially if you opt for the lighter version of the recipe with eggs
replaced by milk.
Just take your favorite homemade mayo
recipe and replace the eggs with milk. The proportions are as follows:
for every egg you use, add half the amount of milk.
Problem 6: The color of the carrots fades in the cooking process
Solution: Peel the carrots before cooking
Even the most outstanding turkey dinner or pot roast can be ruined by
muddy or gray-looking carrots. Carrots absorb the color of the meat when
they are cooked together, and they easily lose their color in the
cooking process.
The sad gray color can be avoided if you peel the carrots before
cooking, as the discoloration usually starts from the skin.
Problem 7: Pastry doesn't turn out right
Solution: Pay attention to the temperature of the ingredients
It isn’t a coincidence that certain pastry recipes call for ice-cold
ingredients, while others require room temperature ones. The temperature
of the ingredients is generally linked to the texture of a given
pastry.
The rule of thumb is as follows:
Crumbly, crispy recipes, such as croissants, sugar cookies, and pie
crusts call for cold ingredients.
Soft and spongy recipes, such as muffins and bread require room
temperature ingredients.
Problem 8: Whole chicken doesn’t cook through evenly
Solution: Bake it thighs and wings down (as seen on the picture)
The common problem while roasting a whole chicken is that the breast
dries out while the thighs and wings turn out not crispy enough. Many
chefs swear by the upside-down roasting method. They explain that by
flipping the chicken, you're letting the juices go down to the breast
and, at the same time, allowing the fattier wings and thighs to brown
up.
This way, you're guaranteed to end up with a juicy interior and achieve
that crispy crust just in the right spots.
Problem 9: Pizza takes too long to prepare
Solution: Increase the temperature and preheat ahead of time
Did you know that, in Italy, they rarely cook a pizza for more than 10
minutes? The main reason for that is that pizza is traditionally
prepared in a stone oven outside at very high temperatures.
And though most people in other parts of
the world don’t own one of those amazing ovens, you can still simulate
the results by cranking up the heat on your oven to the maximum and
preheating it for at least 20-30 minutes before cooking the pizza.
This way your pizza will be ready in 10-15 minutes and have that
signature brown crust on top.
Problem 10: Uneven portions of cookies and
other foods that require measuring out
Solution: Use an ice cream scoop instead of a spoon to measure out the
portions
When preparing cookies, muffins, pancakes or meatballs, it is way more
convenient to use an ice cream scoop instead of a spoon. Not only will
this help you measure out the perfect amount of the mixture every time,
but it will also significantly speed up the cooking process.
Ever since I saw a chef use one of those for cookies on a TV show, I do
not part with my trusty ice cream scoop.
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