When you were a kid it is very likely that a parent took care of just about every meal you ate. From your first memories to moving out there was likely someone at least pitching in to make dinner. Suddenly you are on your own with a kitchen full of utensils, a fridge full of food, and a rumbling stomach. For a lot of people this is a crux moment in time: Do they try to cook, or bake, their way to a meal? Or do they reach for the take out menu. We are here to help the first group of people. Listed below are 10 delicious tips to cook and bake your way to a perfect dish. Get your apron on and keep reading!
Master the art of butter consistency.
You don’t need to be Paula Deen to appreciate a solid stick of butter. When it comes to baking, almost every single dish you’ll come across will require butter in some capacity. Butter, while fattening, is the cornerstone to an entire part of the culinary world. So you need to know how to work for it. Culinary institutes and cooking colleges all over the world will expect you to learn and be capable of reproducing consistent butter. The temperature that your butter sit at can dramatically change how your baked food tastes and feels. So be aware of these five categories: Softened butter, chilled butter, and frozen butter — along with melted or cold. If your recipe calls for chilled butter, don’t serve it frozen (or softened, or melted — you get the point).
Master the art of butter consistency
Go the extra mile with your meat browning.
When you go out for fine dining and eat up a meaty dish you’ll typically notice how savory, juicy, and filled with flavor the meat is. In culinary arts schools you are pushed toward understanding the efficacy of browning your meats. Browning meats in your own home dishes is so much more than just shoving ground beef around a hot pan. You want to heat your meat at a high temperature and monitor as its color changes. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan and really give the meat time. Don’t let it burn, but don’t let the meat get away with coming out before it is ready. When you get that crispy, juicy bite you will know your plate is perfect.
Go the extra mile with your meat browning