Things to Keep in Mind When Cooking

The difference between a good cook and a great cook can usually be as simple as a few good cooking tricks. Cooking tips can help us make cooking dishes much simpler and avoid the many obstacles in cooking. While it has been said that experience, patience and knowledge are key when cooking, a few practical cooking suggestions can fortunately make many good cooks look like master chefs. Here are just a few cooking suggestions that will ultimately help you in the kitchen.

Food Safety Tips

First off, the best way to make sure that your food tastes the very best that it can is to make sure that it is fresh. When shopping in the grocery store or produce market be sure you view each item that you buy, looking it over for freshness or ripeness. While many packaged foods include an expiration date located on the container, many foods such as fresh produce must be viewed individually. It’s also a good suggestion to familiarize yourself with general produce and the art of finding top quality produce in your local grocery store.

As far as meats go, make sure that the meats (beef, poultry and fish) you purchase are fresh. In addition, when preparing meat for a meal keep all meats refrigerated until using, any utensils you use with the meat or that come into contact with the meat should be cleaned with soap and water. Regarding serving, make sure that meats are cooked thoroughly and reach a safe temperature. Cooked foods should reach at least 140 degrees F. Use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature. It should be noted that while cooked foods should reach 140 degrees F., foods that are chilled such as dairy products should always be stored refrigerated less than 40 degrees F.

Use the Right Tools

Just like a good car mechanic has the proper tools to fix a car, make sure your kitchen is stocked with items that will help you create dishes easily and correctly. This includes a great set of knives, pots, pans and measuring cups. You might also want to invest in a nice blender and food processor.

Low Fat Cooking

A lot of people make the mistake of associating low fat cooking with bland, tasteless cooking. This is not the case. In fact, low fat cooking can be colorful, vibrant and extremely tasty. The key is to utilize a variety of fresh spices, herbs, olive oil and put some thought into the dishes you choose. For instance, you can make almost any dish a low fact dish just by ensuring the least amount of oil is used, and opting for lean cuts of beef and pork. In general, chicken and turkey are usually low in fat and fish is also a great alternative for any reduced fat dish.

Beverage Selection

Keep in mind that a meal includes not only the food, but the beverage as well. You can enhance almost any meal by accompanying it with a quality beverage. Whether it is a great wine, flavorful sparkling mineral water or a top notch cocktail, a beverage can easily make a ho hum meal outstanding.