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
Can Breaded Foods Be Frozen Before Frying?
Breaded foods can be frozen before frying: freeze the coated pieces individually on a tray, then transfer them to a bag, and on frying day put them directly int...
How to Control Grill Flare-Ups When Fat Drips on the Coals
When dripping fat causes a flare-up on the grill, move the meat at once to the zone without coals. Once the flame is separated from its fuel, the dripping fat,...
Why Do Oil Bottles and Baking Sheets Get Sticky?
A thin film of oil gradually reacts with air and heat, turning into a sticky layer and then a hard varnish; that is why drips around an oil bottle’s neck and st...
What Can You Use Instead of Egg for Breading?
For breading, you can use yogurt thinned with water, mustard, a pourable batter made from flour and water or milk, or a gel made from ground flaxseed instead of...
Why Do You Spoon Hot Fat Over Meat in a Pan?
Spoon-basting meat as it cooks heats not only the side touching the pan but also the top. Cooking moves faster, heat reaches the meat from two sides, and the bu...
Why Does Cheese Leak Out When Frying Breaded Kashar?
Cheese leaks out of breaded kashar when there is a gap in the coating or when the cheese melts before the crust sets. The fix has three steps: apply the coating...
Why Does Pişi (Turkish Fried Dough) Absorb Oil or Stay Doughy Inside?
Turkish fried dough absorbs oil when the oil is not hot enough; in cool oil, the dough cannot form a crust, so the oil soaks into it. A doughy center usually ha...
How to Reheat Cooled Fried Foods So They Get Crispy Again
Reheat cooled fried foods on a wire rack in a preheated oven at 200°C / 390°F for 5–10 minutes, or in an air fryer at 180–190°C / 355–375°F for 3–5 minutes, to...
How to Put Out a Grease Fire—and Why You Must Never Use Water
If oil catches fire in a pot, turn off the burner and smother the flames with a metal lid or fire blanket; cutting off the fire’s air supply puts it out. Never...
Why Do Zucchini Fritters Fall Apart When Frying?
Zucchini fritters usually fall apart because the mixture is too wet: grated zucchini releases water, and the flour and egg cannot bind all of it. The second cau...
Why Shouldn’t You Put a Hot, Greasy Pan in Cold Water Right Away?
A hot, greasy pan should not be put straight into cold water because water hitting the hot surface instantly turns to steam and splashes the hot oil onto your h...
Why Are Tulumba Fried in Warm Oil While Lokma Go into Hot Oil?
Tulumba are piped into warm oil because the boiled dough slowly opens up with the steam inside it; if tulumba go into hot oil, the outside closes immediately, t...