We’ve all fallen victim to a failing recipe. But was it the recipe? Or was it the way you prepared for it? It’s easy to make mistakes in the kitchen, especially if we’re not seasoned chef’s. On that note, most kitchen fails boil down to a handful of common errors that could have easily been avoided. Here are three common mistakes you’re likely making in the kitchen and how to avoid them.
Using Dull Knives
You might not realize this but dull knives are much more likely to slip when trying to cut through tough objects. This is how you end up cutting through your finger instead of through whatever it is you may be trying to chop. Buy a knife sharpener and use it frequently. You can also bring your knives to specialty kitchen stores or farmer’s market vendors to have them sharpened for you.
Using the Wrong Pan
If a recipe lists a specific type of pan to use, it’s usually for a reason. You don’t want to be searing a steak in a nonstick pan or trying to make scrambled eggs in a stainless steel skillet. Also, take into consideration the shape of the pan. The color of the pan matters too, you’ll notice that darker coated pans resulting in more browning.
Not Preheating The Pan
For more reasons than one, it’s important that you take the time to let your pan preheat. In scientific terms, a Maillard reaction is created when you allow your pan to preheat before you add the goods to it. This means you’ll get the proper browning and flavor that happens with meat, toast, and other foods when cooked at a high enough temperature. So, in most cases, you want to let your pan heat up for a couple of minutes before adding your ingredients if you want them to brown.
