Most people cook for their family on a daily basis. The issue is, most people make some common cooking mistakes, simply because we don’t know any better.

Unless you have had formal training or watch cooking shows on a regular basis, it’s likely that you are unaware of some important aspects of cooking. Here are some common cooking mistakes that you are probably making.

Cutting into Meat Immediately

Most people cut into their meat as soon as they pull it out of the oven or take it off the grill. You’re hungry and the meat looks delicious, it’s difficult to resist.

Many people cut into meat as its cooking because they want to make sure it’s fully cooked before serving it. The juices will flow out of your meat more quickly while it’s hot. If you cut into it right away, it will dry out quickly. All of those delicious juices will flow out before it even cools off enough for you to take a bite. It will destroy the flavour that you have painstakingly allowed to develop. All the spices and herbs such as hungarian paprika will be wasted by your lack of patience!

The first thing you need to do is buy a cooking thermometer. It will allow you to test the temperature of your meat without you cutting it. All you have to do is poke a couple of tiny little holes into your meat to test the temperature and make sure it’s hot enough to eat safely.

The next thing you need to do is resist cutting into your meat after it’s done being cooked. Take it off the heat completely, even the pan it is sitting on, and let it rest for at least five minutes.

 

Cooking Multiple Foods at Once

The next mistake that people make is putting more than one food in the oven at one time. It seems like it wouldn’t be a big deal if they can be cooked at the same temperature, but it can actually mess your food up quite a bit.

When you put food in the oven, the oven has to distribute the heat evenly to cook the food properly. The more food you have in the oven, the more difficult it is for your food to heat evenly. If you have more than one pan, the food will take much longer to cook and will end up with cold spots.

The amount of time you need to leave the food in the oven can cause it to burn on the outside and dry out on the inside. It’s worth it to cook your foods one at a time or find a second cooking method to use.

 

Not Breading Foods Properly

Breading foods that you need to fry can be a tricky science. You probably dip your meat in egg, roll it in flour, and then stick it in hot oil. You pull your food out of the fryer and then half of your breading falls off.

One thing you need to think about is the batter that you’re dipping your food in. Eggs are standard and they work, but creating a delicious batter can give you something stickier for the breading and it can give you a better tasting fried food.

Along with your eggs, you can add other liquids such as buttermilk and honey. A tablespoon of honey will give your food the stickiness it needs and a hint of sweetness. Mayonnaise is another great addition to a batter and widely underused. You can try different mayonnaise flavors such as garlic or chipotle mayonnaise from Hamptoncreek.

The next important thing you need to know is not to dip your food directly into the liquid before your flour. For example, if you’re making fried chicken, your chicken can’t go into your egg mixture first or most of it will drip off.

First, dredge it through the flour on both sides. Next, dip your chicken into your liquid mixture. Your liquid will stick to the flour, and in turn, stick to your chicken. Next, roll your chicken into your flour mixture, which should also include breadcrumbs and seasonings.

 

Refrigerating Tomatoes

Your ingredients are important, and you need to make sure they’re as fresh and delicious as possible. If you’re adding refrigerated tomatoes to your meal, it doesn’t taste as good as it could.

Tomatoes have tiny cells that can’t handle cold temperatures. When you put them in the fridge, these tiny cells burst and it changes the entire chemical compound of your tomatoes. They become mealy and don’t taste as good as they would if you stored them in the pantry.

 

Before you cook your next meal, make sure you aren’t making any big mistakes. Try out these tips and impress your family when you cook dinner tonight!