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5 Cooking Skills to Make You a Better Cook

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Isn’t eating great? There is nothing as pleasurable as a tasty, interesting meal. For most of us, eating out at a restaurant every night is not an option. That habit just gets too expensive (not to mention the negative effect on our waistlines). The only way to ensure that you get great meals on the regular is to become a competent home cook. Learning to cook, and to cook well, takes time. It is an art and a practice. The thing is, we have to cook everyday anyway, so why not spend that time wisely by learning proper technique? The following cooking techniques are sure to improve any home cook’s cooking game.



1.) Stop Overcooking Meat


The mistake most home cooks make over and over again is that they overcook meat. There is nothing appetizing about a dry, dense, tough piece of meat; yet this is what you encounter during most home dinners. Home cooks need to spend time learning when to take meat off the heat. Invest in a good meat thermometer and look up ideal cooking temperatures for different kinds of meat. Eventually, you will be able to recognize what a piece of meat looks and feels like once it has hit that temperature. Remember! Meat still continues cooking from residual heat after you take it off the stove. Make sure to take that into account.

2.) Learn to Season to Taste
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If you watch a chef cook and a home cook cook you will notice something important. The chef constantly tastes the food as he is cooking it. When you cook at home, make sure you taste your food and adjust the seasonings. For example, if you’re making a soup taste it. Add salt. Taste again. Notice that difference. If you get into this practice you will up your cooking skills instantly.



3.) Don’t Forget About Acid
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Most people know that salt makes food taste better and stronger. But, something home cooks don’t realize is how important “acid” is as a seasoning. Acid can mean lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes, really anything that is a little acidic. If you food tastes bland, it is often because it is missing an acid of some kind. Experiment with adding acids to your meals and you will be shocked how your food improves.

4.) Stay Organized and Clean When Cooking
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Most kitchen accidents and failures happen due to messiness or disorganization. Keep your cooking and prep area clean, neat, and organized. You will be less likely to make mistakes and the cooking process will be more enjoyable.



5.) Don’t Be Afraid To Play
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Cooking does not have to be a chore. Cooking is a creative endeavor. When you’re cooking a meal at home, do not be afraid to play with flavors and add your own spin. If something doesn’t work, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, you will have learned something valuable from that failure. If something is delicious then you have discovered the joy of culinary creativity. Every home cook can benefit from making their time in the kitchen a joy instead of a chore.


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