Browse links
US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.
These are seriously useful.
The brown bits that collect on the bottom of the pan are called fond — and they're packed with flavor. The easiest way to scoop up that flavor is by deglazing your pan, or using liquid to dislodge the fond, then folding it back into your sauce or meal. Don't waste it!
Recipe: 20-Minute Honey Mustard Chicken
In culinary terms, this is known as "monter au beurre." Next time you're making a sauce, add a few pats of cold butter at the very end to add depth of flavor and shine.
Residual heat can quickly take a dish — like eggs or meat — from perfectly cooked to overdone. Take eggs off the stove when they're just a bit under. Remove meat from the oven just before it reaches the internal temperature you want. While meat rests, its temp will continue to rise. (Learn more about carryover cooking here.)
Recipe: Southwestern Scrambled Eggs
Not only is homemade broth or stock easy to make, but it's also a great way to reduce waste — and boost the flavors of future stews, soups, or sauces. Stash scraps in the freezer!
It only takes a few minutes to sharpen your knives, and it makes a big difference — both in ease of use and overall safety — if you're cooking with a ready blade. (Relatedly, don't toss knives in the dishwasher.)
Watch more: How to Sharpen Your Knives Like a Pro
You'll get a tastier end product if you rinse rice in a bowl or quickly run it through a strainer before cooking. Doing so removes the surface starch that can otherwise make rice clump together and get gummy.
This one's less about taste, more about process — but still. We tested ten of the most popular tricks for cutting onions without tearing up, and chilling them in the fridge or freezer first made the biggest difference. Read more here.
Prepping ingredients and tools ahead of time makes the actual cooking part much easier. Also, reading the entire recipe upfront (including the comments, where there's often useful suggestions!) means there's no surprises later — and you're setting yourself up for a more efficient cook.
If you're just starting out, one of the toughest things can be deciding what to even cook. A good starting point? Once you find a recipe that you think tastes amazing, work backwards. Seek out other stuff by that same chef, cookbook author, or blogger.
One of the best parts of cooking = leftovers. And the key to making them taste just as good on the second round is to reheat them the right way. This varies depending on the food; brush up on the basics here.
Read more: 17 Leftovers You're Probably Eating Wrong
The right drink can enhance the flavors of what you've cooked — and vice versa. 🍷
Read more: The Basics Of Pairing Food & Wine
Power up your favorite playlist or podcast while you cook, and always have a snack handy. (In short? Don't cook while hangry!)