5 Cooking Tips People Always Remember When It’s Too Late

You had it all in the palm of your hand. The pasta was coming together beautifully. The sauce. Oh, the sauce. You could write an epic about that sauce. But alas, amidst your flow at one point or another, you completely forgot to take the chicken (the chicken to be used with the pasta) out of the freezer. How? That will forever escape you. If you’ve ever suffered a moment of humbling forgetfulness while cooking, this list is for you. Maybe these people’s confessions to their slip-ups will help you avoid making the same mistakes.

1. Adding Pasta Water To The Sauce

You wouldn’t think such a simple tip could exercise such impressive power over a dish and its ability to elevate the flavor profile. Yet, here we are. Pleasantly humbled. The pasta water is a complete game-changer. The starch in the actual pasta water acts as an emulsifier. It can make your sauce extra nice and creamy and even works to bind the sauce better to the pasta noodles.

2. Start Cooking Rice Before Everything Is Almost Done

Rice can be a silent killer when it comes to timing out the different parts of your meal well. Rice does not take as long to cook as you might think. It’s ferociously quick, and you’ve got to keep an attentive eye on it to prevent it from being burned.

3. If You Botched Your Bread, Turn It Into Croutons

Croutons are great. Everyone loves croutons. Just because you swung and missed your attempt to make bread doesn’t mean it’s all a wash. You can easily cube that bread up, toss it in olive oil and seasoning, and then place it in the oven. The croutons will surprise you with how good they are.

4. When Adding Something Cooler To A Hot Pan, Take The Hot Pan Off The Burner FIRST

Okay, I get it. Adding a cooler liquid to a hot pan for that dramatic sound effect is wicked fun, but it’s also working against you. Think of all the grease splatters, flare-ups, and situations where you got blinded with steam that could be avoided. Just take the pan off the hot burner first.

5. Use Disposable Gloves To Cut Hot Peppers

This one’s so easy and shouldn’t be as hard to remember as it is. Yet, suddenly, there you are, living on the edge of a chef’s knife, chopping jalapeños without even paying a moment’s notice as to how it’ll leave your hands. Just opt for the disposable gloves. You won’t regret it, and your future self will thank you.