When it comes to cooking meals at home, it is obvious that many people wish that they were better at cooking. If you’re one of those people, then you’ve come to the right place.
There are tons of ways that you can learn how to get better at cooking! Of course, practice makes perfect but there are actually quite a few tips and tricks that you can start using right away to make you a better cook in the kitchen quickly.
Keep reading for our guide on the top tips you need to know for how to get better at cooking.
Learn How to Use a Knife
When it comes to using a knife there is a right way and there is a wrong way. Learning how to hold and use your knife the right way is so important when it comes to learning to be a better cook.
Holding your knife correctly can help give you confidence and even make the cooking process go much faster.
You will first want to start by gripping the handle of the knife with three fingers underneath. Your first finger will be on the outside of the handle while your thumb is on the inside of the handle.
Make sure that your other hand is holding the item that you are chopping with fingers curled inward so that they are protected from the knife.
Check out this illustrated guide on the proper way to hold a knife if you’re still having trouble!
The next time you’re in the kitchen you should practice holding your knife this way. You’ll find that if you’re not already holding your knife like this that it makes a huge difference when it comes to cutting and chopping up anything and everything!
Do Some Planning Beforehand
Unfortunately, when it comes to cooking you can’t just walk into the kitchen and expect to whip up a quick meal. A good cook will always do a lot of planning before they even think about turning the oven on.
Planning starts when you decide what you will want to cook. For example, if you’re going to be having a dinner party get together and want to prepare a meal, then you’re going to have to do a lot of planning beforehand.
Look up some recipes and write down all of the ingredients that you will need as well as how much. Then you will want to take inventory and see which ingredients you’ll need to go to the store to buy.
Planning before you cook may even go a step further than just figuring out what ingredients you’re going to need. You may also want to figure out what steps should be done first or if something can be done early. Cooking takes time to complete so having a plan will be important when it comes to finishing the process.
Read the Whole Recipe Before You Start
One mistake that many amateur cooks make is that they forget to read the entire recipe before they start cooking which can just lead to a huge mess. You may realize halfway through the cooking process that you forget a specific ingredient or don’t have a piece of equipment that you need to complete the recipe.
Make sure that before you even start cooking a recipe that you read the entire recipe and visualize yourself cooking it. This is a good way to make sure that you have all the ingredients and that you will be able to make the recipe.
You might even want to read it a few times just so that it is fresh in your mind and you don’t have to keep referring back to it every time a new step comes up.
Foods Guy is a great resource to have bookmarked if you’re ever looking for tips on cooking or some delicious recipes to try out.
Taste as You Go
One thing that a lot of cooks forget to do is taste their food as it cooks! The flavors of food can change develop as it cooks meaning that you should remember to be tasting it as it cooks.
For example, the longer a dish cooks the moisture will evaporate which could make a dish saltier. A dish could even lose acid the longer it cooks.
This is why good cooks will taste their dishes as they cook. You will know as you go if your dish needs more salt, acid, or any additional spice so that it is perfect once it has finished cooking.
Preparing Your Ingredients First
One thing that many great chefs do is follow the art of Mise en Place, which is a French phrase that means everything in its place. This means that you will bring out every single ingredient, chop them, measure them, or peel them before you even start cooking.
You may notice that a lot of chefs that you watch on television use Mise en Place because it is a stress-free way to begin cooking. Have you ever started cooking and then burned something on the stove because you were busy measuring out another ingredient?
If so, then this is why you should start practicing Mise en place!
Of course, it may take you a bit of extra time to prepare all of the ingredients instead of multitasking while everything is cooking but it will help you to be less stressed and make sure that your food comes out perfectly.
How to Get Better at Cooking Quickly
When it comes to learning how to get better at cooking there are plenty of different tips and tricks that you can use in the kitchen. Implement the advice we’ve given you and you’ll notice that your cooking skills will improve greatly.
Of course, when it comes to cooking you’re going to want to practice but make sure you’re practicing good habits in the kitchen.
If you’re passionate about food, then make sure to keep scrolling our blog as we have tons of delicious recipes that you can try in your own kitchen.
