Kitchen Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Food
NEWS
By HANNAH LAFOND
Not Preheating Pan
When added to a cold pan, food cooks unevenly as different parts of the pan heat faster. A hot pan, however, gives food a crispy, flavorful, browned exterior.
A hot pan also keeps food from sticking to it. Let the pan heat on its own for a minute, add in cooking oil, and let the oil heat evenly before adding your ingredients and cooking.
Incorrect Measurements
Incorrectly measuring ingredients listed in recipes can ruin baked goods. For example, packing dry ingredients down when measuring leads to adding too much.
Scoop dry ingredients with measuring cups and scrape the excess off the top using a flat tool. For liquid, get at eye level with a clear measuring cup to check how much you poured.
Skipping Rest Time
When cooked meat rests,
its fibers relax, and the flavorful juices get absorbed into it. Conversely, cutting unrested meat causes that excess liquid to spill out.
Generally, letting meat dishes rest for 5 to 10 minutes is enough to help the meat retain that juicy flavor. However, larger pieces of meat might need additional resting time.
Using Dull Knives
A dull knife makes cutting ingredients difficult, forcing you to push down on it harder. Since the blade is likely to slip in the process, it can lead to injuries.
However, a sharpened knife glides through the food easily, reducing your risk of cutting yourself. It also yields cleaner cuts, so your food won't have misshapen and jagged edges.
Incorrect Storage
Although many foods are best stored in the fridge, it can be detrimental to others. For example, tomatoes lose their firm yet juicy texture, and bread goes stale.
For similar reasons, avocados, bananas, potatoes, coffee, fresh herbs, and other items sold at room temperature belong on your countertop or in the pantry, and not in the fridge.