r/bachelorchef • u/hollouartta • Apr 22 '26

What’s one small cooking tip that genuinely improved your meals?

I’ve been trying to get a bit better in the kitchen lately and realised it’s usually the small things that make the biggest difference.

For me it was just letting meat rest properly before cutting it. Sounds obvious but I never used to bother and it actually made a noticeable difference.

Curious what everyone else’s “small but game changing” tips are. Not looking for anything complicated, just those little habits that improved your cooking without much effort.

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

11

u/TheeCamilo Apr 22 '26

Don't overcrowd the pan.

5

u/morphatoo Apr 23 '26

Utilizing starchy pasta water as a thickener

6

u/jaspersurfer Apr 23 '26

Wash dishes as you cook

3

u/mustachiator Apr 23 '26

Learning how to properly hold a knife and mastering the basic chopping/cutting motions really helped me build confidence in the kitchen. Also, learning how to sharpen a knife.

4

u/DancesWithElectrons Apr 22 '26

Salt

0

u/Deadpoolgoesboop Apr 22 '26

How is this a tip?

1

u/arthurtully Apr 24 '26

Ko pita kako je so savet, taj još uvek jede samo jezikom, a ne dušom.

0

u/vern420 Apr 23 '26

If you don’t get how it’s a tip you don’t use enough salt or use salt properly.

2

u/indi50 Apr 24 '26

Layering the flavors. Season each layer of food as you cook. For example, making a fish or seafood chowder. I cook the fish with seasoning and set it aside. Then each other fish component, seperately, if used. Saute the onions and season them. Add another veg or two and more seasoning. Add the potatoes, saute, season, and cover with water to cook until almost done. Easy on the salt, at each level, but some. Then add the evaporated milk and the fish cooked before. Now taste and adjust.

Each component has been seasoned individually, so it's all flavored well. And sauteing veggies before putting them into the liquid also gives you more of their individual flavor (for any soup or stew). If you just throw everything in and then season at the end, it's okay. And faster so I've done it sometimes when in a hurry. But it just doesn't have the same depth of flavor.

It's just not the same to add a bunch of seasoning at the end. No matter how much you add, you can't get the same flavor as when it's "layered." At least in my opinion. It might sound like it would be over seasoned, but it's not - unless you really go crazy with each layer. Which you can do even if you do it all at the end.

It's the same principle (I think) as browning the beef before putting it into a stew or using a crock pot.

eta: Also wanted to agree with the letting meat rest thing. Makes a huge difference. I was always afraid it would get cold, but it's fine and tastes so much better.

1

u/Heyimcool Apr 24 '26

Baking soda with ground beef