No matter your level of confidence or experience in the kitchen, there are always little ways to tweak and improve upon your skills! Even the most experienced of chefs get it wrong sometimes. That’s why the best cooks are well informed of the best practices when it comes to cooking and baking. Here are a few basic mistakes everyone makes. Do you commit any of these kitchen crimes?
Not Using Enough Salt
Now, we know what you’re thinking. Your doctor might not be too happy about this advice. However, studies show that only 5% of your daily sodium intake comes from home cooking. The biggest culprit of high sodium is consuming processed foods. Therefore, it’s totally acceptable to consider adding a bit more salt to your meals! A mistake a lot of people make is only adding salt at the end. This causes the salt crystals to cling to the outside of the food, making it seem too salty. You’ll want to add salt during the cooking process to allow it to soak into the dish.
Storing Food The Wrong Way
Old habits die hard, we know, but you might not be getting the most out of your grocery items by storing them improperly. Sure, maybe your mom put the tomatoes in the fridge and kept potatoes out on the counter, but these methods of food storage are wrong! Some common food storage faux pas include not putting potatoes, garlic, and onions in a cool, dry cupboard. These items like the dark, and will go bad faster if they are exposed to the light. Another common mistake includes the storage of basil and other fresh herbs. Instead of sticking them in the fridge, treat these herbs like flowers – placing the roots in shallow cups of water. You might be surprised at how long this extends the life of your herbs!
Not Letting Meat Rest
That juicy steak you just grilled loses about 18% of it’s weight during the cooking process. When you slice into the meat right away, you could potentially lose another 9%. What exactly is being lost here? Juices! Tasty, seasoned juices that keep your steak tender and delicious. So, hold back for a few minutes and let your steak soak up the juices before devouring it. Trust us, it’s worth the wait!
