Cooking Tips — little secrets from the pros
Why does rice turn out fluffy, why won’t dough rise, why does meat get tough? 2163 tips tested by chefs and the community — sorted into categories and explained one by one.
All Tips
2,163 tips listed
Why and How Should You Warm Serving Plates?
Warm serving plates keep a hot dish from losing heat as soon as it touches cold porcelain. Food served on a preheated plate arrives hot and cools more slowly wh...
Why Does Each Dish Need Its Own Serving Spoon?
Each dish on the table should have its own serving spoon. A personal spoon that has been in someone's mouth carries bacteria and food residue into the shared di...
How to Transfer Rice Pilaf to a Serving Dish and Mold It for Serving
After resting, lift rice pilaf from the edge of the pot with a wide spoon to fluff it into the serving dish; do not press into its center with a ladle. This kee...
How to Set the Table: Where Do Plates and Cutlery Go?
Set each place around the plate: put the fork to the left, the knife to the right with its blade facing the plate, and the spoon to the right of the knife. Plac...
Should You Serve Food from the Pot or a Serving Dish?
Food is usually brought to the table in a serving dish: a pot holds heat better, but it is heavy at the table, its handles are hot, and everyone dips a serving...
How to Debone a Whole Cooked Fish at the Table
Open a whole cooked fish along its back and lift off the top fillet over the bones; then pull the backbone out in one piece, from tail toward head, leaving the...
How to Plan a Meal for a Vegetarian Guest or a Guest with Allergies
Start by asking the guest in advance what they do not eat, which ingredients they avoid, and how strict the restriction is. Serve meat-free and allergen-free di...
How to Carve a Bone-In Leg of Lamb at the Table
After resting, hold the bone at one end of the leg and slice the thickest part of the meat across the grain; cut down to the bone, then free the slices with a h...
Should Sauce Go Under or on Top of Food on the Plate?
Where sauce goes depends on the texture of the food. Put it under crispy food or serve it in a separate bowl, since sauce poured on top softens the crust. Grill...
How to Add Yogurt to a Hot Dish at Serving Time
Add yogurt to a hot dish just before serving. Take it out of the refrigerator ahead of time so it loses its chill, and mix in the garlic at the last minute. Pla...
How to Plan a Prep Schedule for a Dinner Party
Plan backward from the time you want to serve the meal. Move tasks that need time to rest, or improve while resting, to one day ahead: syrup-soaked desserts, ol...
How to Cut a Watermelon and Remove Its Rind
Cut off the two ends of the watermelon and set it on one of the cut sides. Remove the rind in strips from top to bottom; the peeled watermelon will not roll aro...