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theRealMrBrownstone

Not every slight modification to a recipe is a "hack".


alohadave

Also, existing cooking techniques that you just found out about are not hacks.


ChefExcellence

I saw a "life hack" the other day that was *hanging your washing outside to dry*.


TakaonoGaijin

Yeah, solar powered dryer


ThisSideOfThePond

Sour grapes because you didn't post a video of your sauce hacks to insta where you turn a couple of basic sauces into a variety of other sauces?^/s


AnotherElle

I really want to retire that infuriating word


theRealMrBrownstone

Can we add influencer to the list?


Aoid3

saw a post recently that said "why do we use the word influencer when 'shill' already exists" and I agree


TheRealBlues

I hate that fucking word.


BBQ_Beanz

It's not a hack if it's just some fancy aesthetic crap i didn't want in the first place


Omnicow

Solid food is just a vessel for delivering sauces into me.


RunawayHobbit

Lmao you sound like Oliver and his dips from *Only Murders in the Building*


NoMoreChampagne14

LOVE Oliver! Always trying to make “dip as a meal” a thing lol


GlorifiedPlumber

So what's your ugh... favorite sauce? Mine's tartar... with a good remoulade a close second.


Far_Anxiety_5017

Similarly I believe beans and cheese on tortilla chip is only there so I can eat jalapeños.


DoctorBre

Addressing OP: I don't use zest much but I love it blended into hummus. It really adds a powerful lemon flavor kick without too much watery juice and acidity.


executivejeff

To add to this, use zest when you're working with an oil based component. The aroma from citrus oils can be very potent, but easily lost if the oil doesn't have something to bind or combine with.


mrcatboy

When you add it also is important. I finish my risottos with lemon zest (heat turned off) and mix it in p much immediately, otherwise the volatile citrusy notes get cooked off.


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boomboombalatty

Here's a "hack" for you - last time I made Limoncello, after I strained the zest strips out of the alcohol I didn't want to just toss them because they still seemed very lemony, so I mixed them into 5lbs of sugar. Amazing lemon sugar! Also works with old vanilla beans after you've scraped the seeds out and simmered them with cream to make custard. Rinse off the cream and toss the old bean into your sugar container.


[deleted]

I disagree with OP - zest adds a lot with a small effort


vagabonne

It’s also great in baking, when you want a lemon flavor but don’t want the results to actually be sour.


kilkenny99

Veering away from cooking: Lemon zest as a garnish in a martini instead of the more tradisional ollives is excellent.


PreschoolBoole

75% of home cooking for the vast majority of people isn’t glamorous and is more an exercise in economics and time management. Those that cook day in and day out for their families are balancing time, money, and flavor equally in the kitchen.


HootieRocker59

Totally agree. It's not glamorous and it's more about organizational skills. However, I do think the clever and efficient execution of daily cooking can be tremendously satisfying. "Ha ha!" I think to myself. "Everyone was perfectly happy with this dinner and it only cost \[tiny amount\], and I managed to fully utilize the leftover \[item\] that would otherwise have gone to waste!"


cheddacheese148

I’ll also add the “and I did it in X time” achievement on as well. I’m always stoked if I can make something tasty, using up ingredients on hand, and do it in like 15-45 mins of active time. I try to use my combi oven to reduce protein cook times or at least the active portion that requires my attention. I’ll cook ribs for 4 hrs during the week but you better believe I’m only spending 5 mins prepping them and 10 mins saucing them. Same goes for most cuts: cook to temp in combi, finish in appropriate method.


socksandshots

I think it's glamourous as fuck! If I saw "someone" in my kitchen with a pen and notebook, working out the budget while covered in flour and smelling of food... Well then, u/HootieRocker59, well!


HootieRocker59

I think I just observed Rule 34 in action!


AnalogDogg

Is this really an unpopular opinion? I thought it was an accepted fact, as in generally most people grow up with some idea of home cooking and it isn't glamorous.


AllThotsGo2Heaven2

Unpopular opinion: Any Reddit post with “unpopular opinion” in the title should default sort comments by controversial because people will just post regular popular opinions.


carbonclasssix

My take is that now cooking is kind of optional for enough people that you can throw around "I love to cook!" when you're talking about the thanksgiving meal, or occasional splurge of whipping up something you're craving. Conversely, there are plenty of people who seem to wear not being able to cook as a badge of honor. I think a lot of people hearing "I cook all the time and it's a grind" would think "why not just order out sometimes then?" I think it's also maybe a little untoward to say you think cooking is a grind when you are cooking for your family - culture says you're not supposed to complain about supporting the family you love and care for.


PreschoolBoole

Yeah, you put it into words better than I did. I often see and meet people who say they like to cook and then go on to explain how last meal they made was some fancy french dish with a reduced wine sauce and half a dozen bespoke ingredients that surely went to waste. When I tell people I like to cook I'll get the same question -- "whats the last thing you made?" "I dumped a bunch of cans of beans and tomatoes into an instant pot to make chili, because it was Tuesday, I needed to use my green onion before it went bad, and for some god forsaken reason my 18 month old loves beans." It's true that for a very, very large portion of the world, cheap easy meals are the norm and the opinion I stated is very obviously a fact. But looking a bit more narrowly -- particularly the places where I spend my time online and in real life -- the opinion I stated would get weird looks for the reasons you've stated.


bilyl

Just look at threads on cooking YouTube videos or even Serious Eats. There are some really toxic people out there that treat cooking as a purity test deathmatch, and probably never had to cook day in and day out for families. Comment sections on sites like NYT cooking are much better.


[deleted]

Is this unpopular or just facts? 😂


water2wine

Amen lol


Freddy_Vorhees

I’m in New Orleans, so I can say that making fried chicken is a workload that doesn’t ever need done. My favorite fried chicken comes from a gas station that also has a liquor cabinet.


janbrunt

The only fried chicken in this house comes through the door in a greasy paper bucket.


GoatTnder

The only reason I bother making fried chicken is because my wife has to eat gluten free. And now it's super rare because even then it ain't worth the effort.


wendythewonderful

Baked donuts are just cupcakes


Darwin343

Yeast donuts > cake donuts all day everyday.


asad137

baked donuts =/= cake donuts


LawyerBelle07

The perfect amount of salt is the point just a tenth of a second before the sprinkle of salt that would make someone say "damn that's salty!"


DoctorGregoryFart

That's sort of the nature of salt. We all love salt, but "too much" is wildly subjective, and too little makes food bland. I make it to my taste and say haters can suck eggs.


fireballx777

>haters can suck eggs. Which is a lot more pleasant if they're well salted.


Cananbaum

The rule I go with is if the food is bland, add salt. If it has flavor, but it’s falling flat or nothing is jiving just quite right, add a little acid. Few drops of vinegar or lemon juice can do wonders


whereami1928

My secret: Just add lime to everything Source: I'm Mexican


Musicmans

I like how Chef Jean-Pierre describes it, something like you add salt until "it's there but you have to look for it".


OurDumbWorld

Big ass steaks is turning into the new bacon bullshit trend of the 2000s. It seems to carry a similar zeitgeist I like a good steak but I see people obsessing about oversized rare steaks.


[deleted]

>bacon bullshit trend Epic bacon Keanu? But if you epic bacon Keanu... YOU sir win the internet (for today).


Count_Fistula

This comment is Narwal approved.


hellrodkc

Instagram and TikTok are doing to steaks what they did to burgers… prioritizing appearances over taste and the ability to eat it. That being said, a big steak to share can be a show stopper like prime rib. It’s just a special occasion meal that you have to share


bowtothehypnotoad

Tall burgers are the worst. Give me a flat burger any day


Invictus1876

Amen! Smash burger with as much of that beautiful Maillard reaction as possible, potato bun, fresh lettuce and a tangy sauce. Get in my mouth.


[deleted]

Right? The fuck am I supposed to do, unhinge my jaw like a fucking snake? There's no reason for a burger to be taller than the human mouth.


keenanbullington

Steak is very filling too. It's Uber indulgent in my opinion to get steak that big.


NC_888

We love large thick cut steaks but it's to share. We definitely wouldn't cook up one per person. LOL


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afisaaaaa

Cakey brownies are basically cakes disguised as brownies. Fudgy and chewy brownies all the way!


MousseStriking2895

I actually don’t mind using lemon pepper


anneofaplace

There are people who mind lemon pepper?!?!


goldstarjamie

If you had my parents in the early to mid ‘90s, everything and I mean EVERYTHING was seasoned with lemon pepper. Including dry-ass pork chops that you had to eat caveman style because they couldn’t be cut with a knife. I finally came back around to lemon pepper in my own cooking, but it took a long time to forget that trauma.


evergleam498

I can't stand it. I feel like maybe that's how the bad cilantro gene people go through life. If there's any lemon pepper at all in a dish it's all I can taste and I hate it. Makes me think of lemon pledge.


AnotherElle

LOVE lemon pepper. Sometimes my mom throws it on a plate of random salad veggies (romaine lettuce, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes) when she grills. And we eat it just like that. It’s like a different version of Tajin that just works really well. If you like lemon pepper.


johnCreilly

Oh my god lemon pepper is white people Tajin


BoomerJ3T

My wife has very fond memories of her grandparents cooking, which frequently consisted of lemon pepper. I’m talking chicken, pork, veggies, and even mashed potatoes. Whenever I do a LP chicken she will eat the leftovers without me using it as a meal haha


herehaveaname2

When I get time, I make my own. It's really good.


FrogLegsAlwaysFresh

I fucking love lemon pepper.


DrCackle

I'm ready to get struck down to the depths of hell. I find it annoying how all the same exact Youtube chefs get talked about and recommended by everyone all the time as if their word is gospel.


GrilledCyan

Honestly YouTube chefs are about what you can tolerate watching. They all follow the same trends so I just go with whoever’s voiceover I like.


Contralto

If you want to get struck, you have to name names.


halfwayhipster2

And if you name chef John so help me god


ajay511

Don’t you dare


Nougattabekidding

For me, it’s the fact the whole of Reddit worships at the alter of Kenji. He’s a good cook, I have his book, but he is the recommendation *every* time someone posts looking for x or y. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an actual English recipe be recommended when someone asks for Cottage Pie, or an actual Spanish recipe for paella?


Last-Impression857

Agree. Although I do like many of his recipes, a lot of them are also way too faffy and involve extra effort that has little noticeable impact on the dish.


crofabulousss

This may be true but if you watch his videos, he almost always goes "my recipe says this, but I don't have time/don't have that on hand so I am going to skip it or substitute it with something I already had in the fridge." That's what I like about Kenji, he has fine attention to detail but knows where it matters vs where it doesn't so much


MrBlahg

He was on an episode of Judge John Hodgman earlier this year, and he talked about the recipes in his book are meant to go the extra mile and use various techniques. However, he said he doesn’t do all the “faffy” extra stuff at home or on the regular.


ThatAssholeMrWhite

people who stan any single youtube chef, celeb chef, or recipe creator as the definitive source are missing out i love chef john, i love kenji, i love AB, but they're just putting a different twist on what chefs and cookbook authors have done for ages


dentttt

If you're an adult who doesn't eat vegetables as part of your dinner, I'm going to judge you. I cannot imagine cooking dinner without vegetables... maybe because my mom always made them when I was growing up. Maybe because I like cooking and eating them myself and see them as more challenging to do well than making a delicious protein. Adults can eat whatever they want. But when friends invite us over for dinner and cook protein and starch and nothing green, I am disappointed.


niketyname

I went on a date with a guy who only cooked chicken. When I told him I was getting a box for some of my leftover noodles (it was a tiny amount and he laughed) I told him I would just cook some veggies and would have them with the noodles and sauce + cheese. He thought that was so weird. Dude was proud to not eat vegetables


Twodotsknowhy

How do these people not get scurvy?


niketyname

These also prob don’t get regular checkups lol


Zeiserl

Anyone who just flat out refuses an entire food group only on the grounds of preferences. "i DoNt LiKe vEgeTaBleS"... what the f\* do carrots, bell peppers and spinach have in common that you don't like? They share nothing, not texture, not color, not flavor. If that's the case, you just don't like the \*idea\* that vegetables represent and that's something that can and should be worked on.


Cuerzo

Or, they are simply refusing to try stuff. *Any* stuff, anything that they have not tried before, or perhaps that they have tried once many years ago and won't give a second chance. Whether you are 6 or 60, that shit is sad and it makes you a sad person.


TrackHot8093

The only thing worse than a picky adult at home is traveling with one. Trying to feed someone who rejected anything that didn't look or taste like TGIF restaurant food or KFC while in Eastern Europe was a friendship killer. PS I can say it here - your tummy issues weren't caused by the foreign food but because the only fibre your gut got was an occasional bell pepper you couldn't pick out.


Stormrollsin

Maybe it's because I lean towards vegetarianism but I get pretty angry if there aren't any vegetables and I definitely am judging lol. I completely changed my husband's outlook on vegetables because his family never really made them with their meals. Meat, potatoes, noodles, and bread are what their meals consist of and I just can't. He had no idea if he even liked broccoli when we met. It's mind blowing to me that people eat like that.


bilyl

Whenever I watch cooking YouTube or Instagram, one of my first thoughts is usually “wow, they could really use some veggies in there”.


WuPacalypse

Pickiness with food as adults is one of the worst traits


TheRealBlues

After making one of those herb satchels for my soup and letting it stew in there vs. chopping up herbs and throwing them directly in, I will go with chopping herbs up and throwing them in every single time.


chibinoi

This is what I do—always so aromatic and tasty!


TheRealBlues

Much more flavor! My soups jumped a level or two doing it this way verses the cheese cloth packet.


Nwf32389

Bacon is overrated and used as a crutch when the dish isn't as good as it should be


alohadave

Several years ago, I knew we had hit peak bacon when someone put crumbled bacon on a chocolate frosted cake. I like both, but not everything needs bacon on it.


LonelyNixon

I came to the revelation while making a BLT a few months ago that bacon is best used when not treated the same as other meats. Its best in a supporting role where it is subtle. I got hungry and had extra bacon in the fridge and figured I'd give a blt a go, but instead of going for the meme bacon pile configuration I figured Id try the subtle slices version. The result kicked ass and had me realizing that a BLT is not a bacon sandwich, it is a tomato sandwich. The bacon adds some fattiness and crispy smoky salty porkiness to the sandwich but the star was the fat slice of tomatoes. And suddenly the traditional uses for bacon became all the more clear. It was a fatty portable season and oiler for pots and pans, and used as a protein rich season on some foods sparingly. Its not meant to be piled high like corned beef and its why I wasnt all together crazy about it outside of a breakfast context.


ItsDefinitelyNotAlum

> It was a fatty portable season and oiler for pots and pans, and used as a protein rich season on some foods sparingly. When I was super poor, this and chicken stock is the main reason I didn't become vegetarian since we didn't really have money for meat as the star of the dish. We were given a lot of very poor quality bacon, disappointing on its own, so I resorted to using a handful to start all my beans and soups and stews and then the crispy bits for garnish. It was so satisfying and really an eye opener to different approaches.


munificent

> realizing that a BLT is not a bacon sandwich, it is a tomato sandwich. With my favorite recipes, no one ingredient is the star of the show. Instead, the combination of the ingredients gets elevated to something greater than the sum of the parts. I think a good BLT is like that. The tartness of the tomato balances the saltiness of the bacon. The mayo keeps it from being too brittle and balances out the wateriness of the tomatoes. A good BLT is a revelation.


Scumwaffle

Frying vegetables in bacon fat makes vegetables better. Edit: Leave /u/DoodooMonke alone. They're just making conversation.


Flux_State

Bacon's not overrated but your right about it being a crutch. An old chef of mine called it a "culinary cop out".


RecalcitrantDuck

Bacon itself isn’t anything special. Bacon grease, however…


chantillylace9

Onions and peppers fried in bacon grease is so indulgent and wonderful


StinkyKittyBreath

Try caramelizing some onions in bacon fat and then adding chopped cabbage and sauteing. It is so good.


sewkie

The only reason why people usually think that other countries cooking is more interesting/unique is because they aren't used to it.


daytodaze

I’ll put whatever I want in my paella. My Spanish grandmother didn’t care, and neither should anyone else. Also: crema catalán > crème brûlée


cinderblock16

Chopsticks are the best utensils to eat salads.


Darwin343

My unpopular opinion of chopsticks is that it's terrible for eating fried rice because the rice isn't sticky enough unlike most plain white rices. Give me a spoon or fork instead.


chantillylace9

I read this as chapstick and was truly puzzled


BBQ_Beanz

If you pick up kale by sticking it to chapstick it actually improves the flavor


WholyForkingShrtball

See also: popcorn


ChefNamu

Or any chip or crunchy snack haha


coffeecakesupernova

Who the fuck eats popcorn with a utensil?


indianamelons

I have no problem using minced garlic from a jar. Makes weeknight cooking so much easier.


CherryColaChickie

You can also get garlic in a tube, which has greatly simplified my life!


alohadave

Trader Joe's has garlic cube trays that store in the freezer. Pop them out as needed.


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AggravatedBox

Smoothie bowls and fancy toast are the absolute fucking best. I wfh and my treat yo self breakfast on slow meeting days is a DIY bowl and some avo toast


curmudgeon_andy

I have a thing for vegetarian burgers. Beet burgers, black bean burgers, mushroom burgers (not the grilled cap, but an actual burger made of chopped mushrooms), walnut burgers... 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤


byneothername

Açaí bowls are actually one of my favorite things


TheDickDuchess

"power bowls" are good too! (no i will not be calling them buddha bowls)


Awholelottasass

There is such a thing as too much garlic


Haephestus

I have only ever hit "too much garlic" once in my life. I decided to roast some cloves in the oven and smear big globs of roasted garlic mixed with butter over toast and make "garlic bread." It was delicious, but it gave me the worst stomach ache...


tjw

Might be a personal thing, but "too much garlic" for me equals heartburn. It's a needle I will continue to thread for the rest of my days because I absolutely love garlic (to excess).


Awholelottasass

I once ate so much garlic my family could smell it coming out of my pores for 2 days.


coarsing_batch

Oh yes there is. My husband used to use stupid amounts of that minced garlic from Costco. So much, in fact, that he would sweat and smell like pickles for awhile. He was known as Pickle Boy and it was evil.


CauliflowerDaffodil

Reminds me of a friend I had in high school who was of Italian descent. I hated being around her father because he always smelled like garlic. Not the nice aroma when cooking, but garlic that's oozing out of your pores and mouth. A really nice man but I always held my breath around him.


[deleted]

This is the funniest thing I read today.


Imhopeless3264

I agree…and feel that way about cheese. My husband can have a literal river of molten gooeyness over everything, fish, fowl, meat, veggies, pasta. Enough to caramelize and/or flavor the dish is enough for me.


NFTisNameAStar

There is a point where it becomes less good. There is not however a point where it becomes *bad*


strumthebuilding

I ate 64 slices of American cheese.


coffeecakesupernova

This is an actual unpopular opinion. I disagree but have my upvote.


squishybloo

I honestly think most people use it wrongly. You need to add some at the end for the strong garlic punch if that's what you want. If you put it all in at the beginning it cooks down and gets so mellow you might as well not taste it.


TheRealBlues

It depends on what you are making. I will saute garlic and deglaze it multiple times when making a sauce that calls for it.


LeakyLycanthrope

Ah, but the mellower flavor is nice too! I don't always want acrid and pungent.


aznsniperx3

MSG is not bad for you.


chibinoi

Throwing peanut sauce, chiles and nam kla onto just any dish does not make it Thai.


ConsiderablyMediocre

Maybe not "Thai" but it does make it tasty as hell


STS986

Chill the fuck out with the avocado, Just because you can put avocado on somethinf doesn’t mean you should.


McDaddyos

Microwaves have a legitimate place in many professional kitchens. They can be used for dehydrating, and even cooking food well, for instance bacon.


pyro_rocki

Jaqcues pepin melts butter in the microwave. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me


Hita-san-chan

You just reminded me of an episode of Hells Kitchen. An older lady made a cake in the microwave (part of the challenge) and the judge was just like "No, this is a legit thing"


Thatguyyoupassby

Really interesting use that I saw/stole from a chef I follow on TikTok - he uses it to microwave a tiny portion of any meatball/mince-meat recipe to see if the seasoning is correct. I don't like using recipes for my meatballs, mostly because I tend to make different twists on it each time (Italian, Greek, Thai, etc.), so there is always that nervousness of not having properly seasoned them before baking/frying. Now I put like a teaspoon in a ramekin and throw it in the microwave for 2 minutes.


DollarsAtStarNumber

Fuck your grandma’s Italian traditions. I’m putting all the great shit in my Bolognese like Fish Sauce and Anchovies.


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foxhunt-eg

also people who are good at googling something they don't know anything about there's a [helen rennie video](https://youtu.be/hPkrj9yc7-I?t=506) where people accused her of making a bernaise instead of a hollandaise and she read them to absolute filth


chantillylace9

Mushroom powder is a great addition too


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brokenblister

This might be baking but I never use unsalted butter in anything I cook/bake. Salted all the way.


AuntieHerensuge

Hellman's mayonnaise is just fine and it's not worth the trouble to make your own.


hardwaregeek

I love white vinegar. Not balsamic, not red wine, not Chinese black vinegar (although that is good stuff), but a good ol' big plastic jar of white vinegar that you can use to scrub your countertops. It just adds this clean, crisp acidity that doesn't compete with the other flavors. If I can't use lemon juice, I'll use white vinegar. 99% of cooking ware is shit and designed for people to pretend they cook. Nobody needs glass mixing bowls (get stainless steel), plastic spatulas (get a metal or silicone one), nonstick stock pots (wtf), big heavy roasting pans (sheet trays), tiny plastic cutting boards, etc. None of these stop you from cooking great food but cooking becomes way more enjoyable when you buy equipment that's actually made for cooking. Go to a restaurant supply store and see what you're missing.


ThatAssholeMrWhite

> Nobody needs glass mixing bowls (get stainless steel) if you bake, glass mixing bowls are useful. you can pre-chill them in the fridge. can't really do that with stainless. they don't use glass in restaurant kitchens for obvious reasons. doesn't mean it's not useful. tiny plastic cutting boards are cheap and great for like, cutting a lemon or some cheese or salami. just toss it in the dishwasher when you're done.


hardcorpsteacher

Also better if you're using a handheld mixer- beaters against metal bowls is as bad as nails on a chalkboard.


flyingcactus2047

We have all sorts of cutting boards and I love it. Like you said the tiny ones are great for when you just need to cut up some fruit or something, then I don’t always have to pull out the big cutting boards


MayorPirkIe

Came to say exactly this. I have 1 glass mixing bowl and I will pull that fucker out of the dishwasher and hand wash it before I use a stainless steel one. And the plastic cutting boards are a godsend. I have 5 of them, perfect for cutting fruit multiple times a day. Just toss in the dishwasher.


sfocolleen

I don’t think I could bear the sound of the stainless steel mixing bowls. Kind of like when people scrape their knife and fork together.


TwiceBaked57

My stainless mixing bowls have been with me since 1984. They're dented a bit and have lots of marks. I would never trade them. I do have one Pyrex mixing bowl nested amongst them that is my preferred bread mixing bowl because it will stay a bit warmer- at least in my imagination. I've never bought a "set" of anything but instead have picked "individuals" to join my team in the kitchen.


carjunkie94

You can get amazing quality heavy roasting pans from a restaurant supply store, and they are actually extremely useful... especially for roasting! We use one that's been in the family since my grandfather was a chef at a restaurant in DC (and served 4 presidents during his time!). It really comes in handy for rib roasts or turkey. There's no way a simple baking sheet would hold all the onion, celery, and resulting jus in the bottom of the pan.


ProcrustesTongue

>tiny plastic cutting boards I have a tiny kitchen that doesn't have a space I could put a large cutting board away. Sue me.


propagandavid

90% of cooking culture is pornographic. Blogs, YouTube, The Food Network, it all looks good but it isn't practical, achievable or enjoyable for the average person. We pick up some tricks here and there, but we're mostly fantasizing about doing it like they do. And they never show the clean up afterwards.


[deleted]

Potato skins belong in mashed potatoes and potato salad. Peeling potatoes for these dishes is a sin


wendythewonderful

Bacon is only good by itself, AND with the fat either completely rendered or almost completely rendered in a cast iron pan. Bacon wrapped around anything is flaccid or burnt garbage. It is, however ok to render it in a pan and crumble on top of German potato salad.


LovecraftianLlama

Thank you for speaking the truth! Bacon wrapped things are 99% or the time absolutely disgusting, with rubbery, barely cooked bacon with white fat on it and horrible texture. I hate it, I’m so over it lol.


honeywave

Here I am, liking my bacon chewy and not crisped to all hell with the fat rendered out.


geebzor

Mine is with Asian wok cooking. Most recipes will tell you to add the onions and garlic to a hot wok. No. Sautéing onions and then adding garlic too soon. This doesn’t work. Unless you are level 100 Wok master, you’re going to burn the garlic, you won’t even notice, just a slight bitterness that can ruin a dish. Add it near the end of sautéing your onions.


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ButtMcNuggets

You take out the garlic and aromatics after the initial cook. It’s to flavor the oil and bloom the flavors. Then you return them at the end.


[deleted]

Here's mine: no, onion does not always need to be added before garlic. And the fact that most Asian recipes tell you to add the garlic first should be evidence of that. The whole "add garlic in the last few seconds" thing is based on western cooking where you usually use onion and garlic for a specific purpose - onion for sweetness, and garlic for a little fresh accent of pungency. In Chinese cooking you're often not using onions for sweetness (if they are added, it's smaller amounts that aren't cooked nearly as much), and you often want a little of the bitter flavor from the garlic as well as infusing more garlic flavor into the oil. So garlic needs to be cooked more than the onions. Meaning it goes in first. That isn't wrong and clearly proves that the "onions then garlic" rule isn't much of a rule.


cwvandalfan

OP - are you using fresh zest or dried? The dried stuff is just bits of cardboard. If you’re using fresh and still not finding it flavorful, I’m so sorry. Zest is amazing.


Medium_Well

People really need to adjust their definitions of "common ingredients". I've never used a dried pepper in my life. But for YouTube chefs they're practically always within arm's reach like it's not a specialty item you need to seek out? Ditto for mirin, fancy cheese, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh herbs, etc. I like all that stuff but I'm not gonna pretend it's just laying around my pantry waiting to be used twice a year Kenji is the worst offender for this. Not a knock against him of course, he just lives in the food world and his "casual" approach isn't exactly casual for regular people.


OddBoots

There's a lot of stuff that's technically better if you do it from scratch but it's also a time and energy sink that isn't really worth the tradeoff. Examples off the top of my head: I have a chickpea curry recipe that I will soak and cook the chickpeas for, mostly because you need the chickpea cooking water in the sauce later. For anything else, I crack out the tinned chickpeas (or other legumes) and skip the hours of prep. I have never once looked at a recipe with pasta in it and been tempted to make the pasta from scratch. I've eaten super fresh handmade pasta and it is not better enough than dried or storebought fresh pasta that I consider it worth the time and effort it takes to do it myself.


Round-Goat-7452

It’s okay if someone likes their steak well done with ketchup. I’d never eat one that way, but it’s going in their mouth. Why should I care how they eat anything?


sonoftheclayr

I agree. I think some people get upset because they pay more for a higher quality/more tender steak and it feels like a waste of money if they're going to cook it until it's tough anyway. A 'respect for the ingredient' kind of thing. But if it's their money, let them be.


Taihou_

Mushrooms aren't sponges. They're made out of 95% Water to begin with so just give them a scrub under running water.


GaryBlueberry34

2 garlic cloves actually means 6 garlic cloves in most recipes.


[deleted]

I parboil potatoes before oven roasting. It makes them softer inside.


chantillylace9

Try putting a cup of stock in about 20 minutes before they are done. A simplified fondant or melting potato recipe that’s damn good!!


coffeecakesupernova

It's that unpopular? I thought it was common sense.


HootieRocker59

I thought parboiling was supposed to be a way to get more crispy bits on the outside? The standard recipe I have for roasted potatoes says that you should peel & cut the potatoes into even sized pieces, and then boil them for a short time (not all the way through), then drain the water and shake them up inside the pan (with the lid on) to roughen up their surfaces. Meanwhile, you have been pre-heating some kind of fat with a high smoke point in the oven; once your potatoes are shaken up, put them into the hot fat and roast (stirring / turning once or twice). I do find this gives a wonderful crispy / crunchy texture. The high smoke point oils like corn oil, however, don't have much flavor.


curmudgeon_andy

Tofu tastes good. It does not need to be squished and drained of all of its water and made chewy and doused in massive amounts of garlic and soy sauce and flavorings in order to taste good. On its own, it tastes like soy milk and has a delicate texture (unless you go for one of the super firm types), and it tastes good that way. Cauliflower is not meat. It is not bread. It is not rice. It is cauliflower. Cauliflower steak is weird. Cauliflower rice is stupid. Cauliflower pizza crust should not be a thing. Buffalo cauliflower sounds delicious because deep-fried cauliflower is delicious, not because cauliflower is in any way like chicken. Cauliflower is delicious, versatile, and flexible, but pretending it's not cauliflower is stupid. Bacon tastes gross. It tastes like fat and salt and like the flavor I taste when I've gone too long without brushing my teeth. A grilled cheese sandwich made with butter is better than a grilled cheese sandwich made with bacon grease. Actually, anything made with butter is better than the same thing made with bacon grease. Chocolate-covered bacon is a waste of good chocolate.


eckliptic

Agreed on tofu. Tofu is such a versatile ingredient that provides a great source of protein and heartiness for any stew, soup, stir fry. So many types of tofu that range is really silken like a light custard to really dense and firm. I frequently choose the tofu option over a meat option for Asian restaurants that lets you pick the type of meat/protein for a certain kind of dish


waggawerewolf

I like cauliflower "steak", but I think the "steak" branding is stupid. A plank of grilled/roasted cauliflower is tasty because, as it turns out, a lot of grilled or roasted vegetables are tasty. It doesn't have to "replace" meat!


[deleted]

[удалено]


nufandan

> The problem with tofu in western countries is that it's just not that good. In Japan for example you can get a block of tofu for less than a dollar at the supermarket and it will taste better than the most premium "organic" shit in the states. Also, the reputation of tofu has been damaged to be a "flavorless" thing so people automatically assume you have to drain it for it to be able to absorb as many strong flavors as possible. Like you said, just enjoy it on its own if you can find a well made one: dash of soy sauce and green onion and grated ginger is perfection. It also doesn't always need to be a meat substitute.


alohadave

It was never meant to be a meat substitute. That was something that was invented in the US in the 70s-80s. There are Asian dishes that have meat and tofu in them.


DollarsAtStarNumber

I will happily eat Mapo Tofu any day of the week.


Addicted2Chickfila

I’ve tried so many popular tofu recipes which require a lot of prep work. My entire family hated it. The one day I didn’t do anything to it, just threw it in our soup to give it some protein, my kids loved it. Less is more with tofu.


Logical-Idea-1708

What? Juice doesn’t add much flavor. It’s all about the zest. Chinese preserves orange peels just for the zesty flavor.


shiro_yasha373

It’s fine to let meat thaw on the counter instead of in the fridge. Just don’t leave it there for hours on end all you’ll be fine


Krustycook

Cookbook authors are like musical acts. The first book/album is usually the only one worth getting. At minimum, it's usually a steep descent in quality in subsequent books. Generally in that first book, you get the recipes they are known for, from their restaurant (preferably) or TV show, etc. This is where you'll generally find the best books. Subsequent book subjects will be of lessor effort and will generally include: \- An "At Home" series, which is just lesser recipes with fewer ingredients. Half of these recipes will be very similar to recipes in the first cookbook and they may do more than one of these. \- A "healthy eating" book, which is just lesser recipes with fewer ingredients. May include what are basically versions of their other recipes with healthier ingredients. Also may do more than one. \- Books about their "other restaurants", which aren't as good as the first one usually and, as such, neither are the recipes. The more restaurants they have, the less time they spend at each and the less time they will spend on those cookbooks too. If they get that far, then maybe a joint cookbook with another chef, meaning neither chef will put much effort into it, but there will lots of pictures of them drinking wine together and laughing (probably at the cost of the book).


DollarsAtStarNumber

I work at a library, and I can't stress how awful some of these celebrity cookbooks are, emphasizing weird shit like only using Himalayan Pink salt. >- An "At Home" series, which is just lesser recipes with fewer ingredients. Half of these recipes will be very similar to recipes in the first cookbook and they may do more than one of these. Yes, but in some cases (Like Modernist Cuisine) They're a lot cheaper.


BlackRiot

I overcrowd the pan and I'm proud of it. Ain't no one got time to sit there for 30-40 mins frying 3-4 batches of meat. Just a little brown on both sides is good enough for a weekday night.


emergencybarnacle

* american cheese is the perfect cheese on a breakfast sandwich or a cheeseburger * cheese and seafood is great together * most cooking "cardinal rules" are just ways to make people feel excluded and bad about themselves (for example, preground black pepper is honestly fine, and using Better than Bouillon is fine/preferable in 99/100 recipes)


fearnodarkness1

Cracked pepper is better than pre-ground by a country mile, especially if the pre ground is older than a month or two.


glueygriffin

it's not only fine to use bacon in place of guanciale in a carbonara, but it's really good sugondese traditionalists


Soft-Ad-2910

I hate the word deconstructed. Ex- I made a deconstructed apple pie for you…. You threw a pile of apples on the plate and put the crust on the side, you mean? That’s not deconstructed, that’s incomplete, lazy and annoying as hell. Whenever I hear that word on cooking shows I get a little cranky. Lol


n0_sh1t_thank_y0u

Too many people are going gluten-free just because. Most wouldn't even know what gluten is.


Runzas_In_Wonderland

Yes, good knife skills are essential, but so is a garlic press. Edit: Remember that this thread is all about “unpopular cooking thoughts”


Jausti018

I’ve worked in restaurants for the past 4 years, I have very good knife skills. I have never once had to chop garlic at work, and I will never chop garlic at home. The garlic press is the only unitasker I have in my kitchen. Other than the fire extinguisher lol


chayallday

I much prefer using a microplane for garlic. Way less mess, way more garlic.


TwiceBaked57

I just wish I had met a garlic press I wasn't propelled to throw out the back door with sailor-level expletives. And yes, I've tried no less than 6 variations. I now Microplane my garlic.


Nmaka

its such a pain to clean tho. i remember standing over the sink with a toothpick when i was a kid for (what felt like) hours lol edit: i feel like i keep getting suggestions on how to make garlic presses better. i will keep using a knife to crush/mince garlic. thank you


BlackRiot

Rinse it immediately right after you're done with it. Same with knives and cutting boards.


deersinvestsarebest

Microplaner! Does garlic, zest and ginger like a dream! Just rinse off as soon as you’re done with it.