ST Alpha - "Quick: What's your favorite cooking trick/tactic?" (Reading a Post)

SlickerTalk
Search Archives
The Leaderboard
The FAQ

Down to Post

Backboards:

Posts: 153

Quick: What's your favorite cooking trick/tactic?

Posted by Name Withheld by Request (aka BlueKopo) Nov 20 '17, 14:01

Mine: Using sugar to cut salt. How did I not learn this until earlier this year?

Responses:

Package of dry vanilla instant pudding to home made choc chip cookies batter. Makes them thick -- nm - Epiphany Nov 20, 15:12 3
- a version with that is one of my family's faves - can also use chocolate pudding for a change-up. (we don't just add, though, the recipe is altered - - b. Nov 20, 15:42 1
  - :) -- nm - Epiphany Nov 20, 16:30
- That's the secret ingredient in the 'genuine' Cinnabon recipe I've used. -- nm - Meg Nov 20, 15:19
Tip well at the restaurant. -- nm - David Nov 20, 14:51 4
- The steaks might not be well done if you don’t! -- nm - Roger More Nov 20, 15:27 3
  - I actually order them medium now. -- (edited) - David Nov 20, 15:34 2
    - :) -- nm - Epiphany Nov 20, 16:31
    - Excellent! -- nm - Beryllium Nov 20, 15:58
Bacon bits on *EVERYTHING*. Hormel makes great bacon bits. -- nm - Mop Nov 20, 14:49 2
- I brine & smoke pork belly's. I don't buy bacon bits. you need the pink salt for this, too. -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:51 1
  - Seriously, next vegas con we need to have dinner at your place -- nm - zeitgeist Nov 20, 16:08
brown first, finish in the oven....for big things like turkeys, rib roast, slowwww bake in the oven, when just about done, remove, turn up oven to 500 - zeitgeist Nov 20, 14:43 2
- if you need to use a can of beef broth, use a mix of beef and chicken to get rid of the 'tin' flavor beef often gets -- nm - zeitgeist Nov 20, 14:46 1
  - that's a good tip.. don't really care for beef broth on its own. -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:49
Lately, using invert sugar for ice cream. Makes it much more creamy -- nm - Guigue Nov 20, 14:39
make your sauces from scratch. they're generally really easy and taste 1 billion times better than the pre-made. (enchilada, cheese, pasta, pizza..) -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:35 2
- every time you trip up veggies, toss the trimmings in a bag in the freezer. when it's full, toss in some herbs and make a kickin veggie broth. -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:50 1
  - Note this includes onion and garlic paper, skins -- nm - zeitgeist Nov 20, 16:11
Let your chicken and pork swim in a brine for 12-24 hours before cooking. -- nm - ReluctantCynic Nov 20, 14:33 5
- 1 week brine for beef if making pastrami or corned beef -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:38 4
  - isn't there a special salt you need to get? -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:40 3
    - pink salt -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:50 2
      - we had a long canadian bacon discussion a few months back.. i recall that now.. need to ebay me some salts. -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:52 1
        
        it has 2 names. Prague powder or pink salt. most recipes only need 1-2 tbsp. but it is a lot cheaper at the 5-10 pound price -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 15:18
Do whatever Ottolenghi says. The man is a genius. -- nm - mafic Nov 20, 14:32
Putting water in a pot, and then putting that pot on a hot burner. You won't believe what happens! -- nm - Mop Nov 20, 14:31 1
- more after the jump! -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:34
for packaged cups and cupcakes, using applesauce instead of oil. - groiny Nov 20, 14:13
Cooking ribs in the oven before grilling them -- nm - budice Nov 20, 14:12
when making lemon bars [Krusteaz] use lemon juice instead of water..the same with cupcakes, use a fruit juice instead of water to ad another flavor -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:11
Grubhub.com -- nm - ty97 Nov 20, 14:09 3
- We still use the Seamless website. :-) -- nm - Krusty Nov 20, 14:16 2
  - Seamless is the one they advertise in NYC. Grubhub, IIRC, was big in Chicago, then they merged. - ty97 Nov 20, 14:18 1
    - Same reason we haven't switched, habit. -- nm - Krusty Nov 20, 14:21
using a bit of a fish sauce (either asian or worcestershire) to add depth to soups/stews....nm - x Nov 20, 14:06 2
- Just a drop adds awesome depth to a sauce, -- nm - zeitgeist Nov 20, 16:13
- I saute a lot of meals and generally use a little worcestershire to de-glaze the pan. -- nm - Meg Nov 20, 14:14
refrigerated onions do not make you cry when cutting them -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:06 2
- Another: Don't remove the root until finished cutting them. -- nm - Name Withheld by Request Nov 20, 14:10
- I find red onions to (normally) not be bad to cut, and I like red onion so win-win -- nm - ty97 Nov 20, 14:10
no matter what the recipe says, always do a two step custard. -- nm - amanda jones state university Nov 20, 14:05
I use 00 flour. it costs a little more, but it really makes pasta & pastry better. -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:05 2
- higher gluten content? -- nm - colin Nov 20, 14:40 1
  - finer grind....mom used Wondra for sauces -- nm - zeitgeist Nov 20, 14:44
brown the butter first...Hotpie -- nm - peglegpete Nov 20, 14:04
lemon goes with everything -- nm - Max Nov 20, 14:02
tablespoon of balsamic in sauces. -- nm - Reagen Nov 20, 14:02 1
- I use it instead of wine in my marinara sauces. -- nm - groiny Nov 20, 14:07

Post a message top

Quick: What's your favorite cooking trick/tactic?

Replies are disabled on threads older than 7 days.