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
How to Clean an Oven and What Is the Self-Cleaning Pyrolytic Cycle?
Clean an oven regularly because accumulated grease and burned-on residue cause smoke and odors every time it is used. For manual cleaning, a paste of baking sod...
How Much Food Can You Put in the Oven at Once?
As the amount of food in the oven increases, it becomes harder for the oven to maintain its temperature: cold food absorbs heat, the temperature drops, and reco...
Can an Oven Be Used to Heat the Kitchen?
An oven should not be used to heat a kitchen. Gas ovens release colorless, odorless carbon monoxide during combustion; leaving the oven door open lets this gas...
How to Tell If Your Oven Door Is Losing Heat
You can tell whether an oven door is losing heat by checking whether a piece of paper held in the closed door pulls out easily; if it slides out without resista...
What Is the Difference Between an Instant-Read and a Probe Thermometer?
An instant-read thermometer is inserted only while taking a measurement, gives a reading within a few seconds, and is removed right away. A probe thermometer st...
How to Fry Egg-Dipped Bread So It Absorbs Less Oil
Egg-dipped bread absorbs oil when you use fresh bread and start before the pan is hot enough; bread that acts like a sponge soaks up both the egg and the oil. W...
Why Shouldn’t a Baking Sheet Be Placed on the Oven Floor?
A baking sheet should not be placed on the oven floor because it is closest to the lower heating element and receives direct heat; the bottom of the food can bu...
Why Do Water and an Oven Cook Differently at the Same Temperature?
Boiling water is at 100°C / 212°F, and an oven is often set to 180°C / 355°F; even so, a dish cooked in water heats faster than one in the oven. The reason is t...
How to Use an Oven Bag
An oven bag is a heat-resistant bag that cooks food in its own steam. Put the food in the bag, close it with a clip, and make a few small slits so steam can esc...
When to Cover Food with Foil in the Oven—and When to Uncover It
Cover food with foil in the oven to retain moisture and keep the top from browning too soon; uncover it when you want a crust, color, or crispness. As a general...
How to Render Lamb Tail Fat
Dice lamb tail fat into small cubes and render it slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally; strain it when the fat turns clear and the remaining pieces turn...
Why Does Butter Pop in the Microwave, and How Can You Melt It?
Butter contains water, and a microwave heats that water most of all. When pockets of water trapped beneath the melted fat suddenly turn to steam, the butter pop...