17 Issues Skilled Cooks Say You’re Doing Incorrect

I not too long ago baked a six-pack of frozen croissants, and since I dwell alone, I had an issue: I didn’t need to eat a half-dozen croissants in a single sitting. So, I gave 4 to my neighbor, ate one, and put the opposite one in a zip-top bag within the fridge to benefit from the subsequent day — huge mistake. In line with Chef Aubrey O’Laskey of Perenn Bakery in Nevada and Tennessee, refrigerating any laminated pastry really dries it out as a substitute of maintaining it recent. And that plastic bag wasn’t transfer both. 

It made me surprise the place else I may be going flawed within the kitchen, so I consulted a bunch {of professional} cooks to seek out out which kitchen habits annoy them essentially the most and precisely the best way to repair them. Listed here are 17 of their greatest pet peeves, together with kitchen instruments to do issues appropriately, together with Rubbermaid containers, our favourite Zeppoli kitchen towels, and a well-known Rachael Ray hack.

Chef-Really useful Kitchen Instruments for Fixing Dangerous Habits

• Longzon 4-in-1 Knife Sharpener, $13
• U-Style Silicone Spatula Set, $27
• Rachael Ray Melamine Rubbish Bowl, $20
• Mini 3.5-Inch Meal-Prep Bowls, Set of 6, $15
• Mercer Culinary Genesis Solid Santoku Knife, $37
• Zri Bamboo 3-Tier Expandable Spice Rack, $21
• Zeppoli Traditional Kitchen Towels, Pack of 15, $20, initially $30
• Thermopop 2 Immediate Learn Thermometer, $47
• Joseph Joseph BladeBrush Knife and Cutlery Cleaner, $11
• Rubbermaid Brilliance 8-Cup Glass Meals Storage Containers, Set of two, $27, initially $29

Don’t Use Uninteresting Knives

Do Sharpen Knives Earlier than Every Use

“A uninteresting knife within the kitchen drives me loopy,” says Richard Sandoval, chef and proprietor at Maya and Tán in New York Metropolis. “It slows you down, crushes components as a substitute of slicing them, and may really be extra harmful than a pointy one.” He suggests taking a minute every day to hone your knife with knife sharpener and scheduling a correct sharpening commonly. “Good approach at all times begins with the correct instruments,” Sandoval says.

Don’t Waste Substances

Do Get Each Final Drop From Containers

“With rising prices of products, each ounce of product issues,” says Michelle Wallace, chef and proprietor of Houston’s B’tween Sandwich Co. and a season 21 High Chef contestant. “It makes me loopy to see product left behind in a container, to get washed out and thrown down the drain.” As an alternative, Wallace suggests outfitting your kitchen with a set of silicone spatulas in numerous dimensions and shapes to get each final drop out of a tin, jar, or container.

Don’t Peel Produce Over a Trash Can

Do Use a Rubbish Bowl

“One in every of my kitchen pet peeves is peeling fruits or greens straight over the trash,” says chef Lior Lev Sercarz, proprietor of worldwide spice model La Boîte. “It not solely will increase the danger of unintentionally dropping the ingredient within the trash, however it additionally exposes your recent produce to the less-than-sanitary surroundings of the rubbish the whole time that you simply’re peeling.” A greater choice, Lev Sercarz says, is to peel over a bowl on the counter and let it catch the scraps. 

Don’t Maintain Olive Oil in Glass Bottles

Do Maintain Olive Oil in Tins

Sure, glass bottles could look fairly, however there’s a threat that they’ll expose olive oil to mild and have an effect on its high quality. “I choose olive oil packaged in a tin as a result of no mild can penetrate it,” says chef Bruno Chemel of San Francisco’s Le Parc Bistrobar. “Which means the flavour lasts longer, and the colour of the oil doesn’t deteriorate.” Whereas Chemel is a fan of La Tourangelle’s tinned olive oil, you too can buy steel containers to retailer it safely.

Don’t Be Disorganized

Do Have a Mise en Place

“In a restaurant kitchen, having every thing prepped and able to go earlier than you begin cooking is vital, and it’s finest to do the identical at house,” says Steve MacLean, chef and proprietor of The Farm at Glenwood Mountain in New Jersey. That’s why a mise en place — French for “placing as a substitute” — is a house prepare dinner’s finest buddy. “Having all of your components chopped and seasonings on standby makes the cooking course of a lot simpler and fewer tense in comparison with scrambling and trying to find issues when you’re in the course of cooking.” Numerous-sized bowls of the mandatory components, positioned in a sheet pan, will assist to maintain every thing on the prepared. 

• Mini 3.5-Inch Meal-Prep Bowls, Set of 6, $15
• Viking Stainless Metal Mixing Bowls, Set of 10, $60, initially $99
• Mora Ceramic Ramekins, Set of 6, $30
• Le Creuset Stoneware Pinch Bowls, Set of 6, $30
• NordicWare Naturals Half-Sheet, Set of two, $28

Don’t Use Simply Any Pan

Do Use a Pan Designed for the Job

“Don’t boil a pound of pasta in a saucepan or attempt to sauté in a tiny pot,” says chef Ed Cotton of New York Metropolis’s Leonetta and Jack & Charlie’s. “You’re combating the pan as a substitute of cooking.” To get one of the best outcomes, it’s essential to make use of the right instruments. Cotton recommends boiling pasta in a stockpot and sticking to a sauté pan for searing. 

Don’t Stick Out Your Fingertips When Utilizing a Knife

Do Use a Claw Grip

Everytime you’re slicing, dicing, or mincing, at all times preserve your fingers tucked right into a claw grip to keep away from getting lower by the knife. A Santoku knife is among the finest knives for this methodology, says govt chef Steven Hubbell of Bar Lumière in Brooklyn, New York. “It’s versatile, an ideal dimension for small kitchens, and the deep ‘stomach’ of the blade makes it straightforward to observe your claw grip.”

Don’t Maintain Onto Outdated Spices

Do Set up to Monitor Their Freshness

“Don’t preserve an vintage spice assortment; exchange them yearly,” says Ann Ziata, chef on the Institute of Culinary Training’s New York Metropolis campus. “Floor spices and dried herbs have a shelf life; they gained’t spoil per se, however they may lose their taste and efficiency over time. Recent spices add a lot depth and aroma to your cooking.” Ziata recommends swapping out any floor spices and dried herbs which have been in your pantry for over a 12 months and buying smaller quantities so that you’ll use them up earlier than they go unhealthy. A great way of maintaining tabs in your spices is to get a tiered spice organizer, which prevents jars from getting misplaced on a shelf. 

Don’t Retailer Minimize Sourdough in Plastic

Do Retailer it in a Kitchen Towel

One of many worst issues you are able to do to your valuable sourdough is retailer it in plastic wrap after slicing into it. “It kills the crust,” says Aubrey O’Laskey, chef and co-owner of Perenn in Reno, Nevada, and Franklin, Tennessee. “Maintain it cut-side down on a board or wrapped in a kitchen towel so it stays crisp.” The finest kitchen towel to make use of, says O’Laskey, is one which’s 100% cotton or linen, and the bread ought to keep recent for as much as two days.  

• Zeppoli Traditional Kitchen Towels, Pack of 15, $20, initially $30
• City Villa Kitchen Towels, Pack of 6, $37
• Bumble Mushy Kitchen Towels, Set of 8, $11
• LK Pure Life Pure Flax Linen Kitchen Towels, Pack of two, $27
• All-Clad Kitchen Towels, Pack of three, $27

Don’t Minimize Baked Items Contained in the Baking Tray

Do Minimize Them on a Chopping Board

You’ve most likely spent a good sum of money on bakeware, so the very last thing you need to do is lower your baked items within the baking tray. “This scratches and ruins each the tray and your knives,” warns Jack Slobodian, chef on the Grand Lodge River Park 5-Star Lodge in Bratislava. As an alternative, he recommends transferring the product to a massive slicing board earlier than slicing. “Additionally, you will get cleaner, sharper cuts,” Slobodian says.

• Kenosha Heavy Responsibility Acacia Wooden Additional-Massive Chopping Board, $44, initially $50
• John Boos Wood Maple Chopping Board, $87
• Gaomon Massive Acacia Chopping Board, $35, initially $41
• Hieare Additional-Massive Chopping Board, $15, initially $19
• Kikcoin Additional-Massive Bamboo Chopping Boards, Set of three, $55, initially $100

Don’t Prepare dinner Rice Earlier than Washing It

Do Use a Colander

Rice is a pantry staple, however many house cooks are likely to make a couple of widespread errors when cooking it. “Don’t skip rinsing or stir rice an excessive amount of whereas it cooks, or you’ll find yourself with clumps and a gummy texture,” says chef Maricel Gentile, cookbook creator and proprietor of Maricel’s Kitchen in East Brunswick, New Jersey. “Rinse rice till the water runs nearly clear earlier than cooking. This removes extra starch and helps the grains prepare dinner fluffy and separate.”

Don’t Minimize Meat to Test for Doneness

Do Use an Immediate Learn Thermometer

“My greatest kitchen pet peeve is when folks test the doneness of meat by slicing into it,” says chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon. “I cringe each time I see it finished at a BBQ or get collectively, because it dumps the meat juice, dries out the meat, and ruins the general presentation of the meat.” Randhawa at all times makes use of a digital instant-read thermometer to test for doneness, following the USDA secure minimal temperature chart: 145˚F for beef, pork, fish, and shellfish; 160°F for floor meats; and 165°F for poultry. “When the meat reaches the beneficial temperature, I let it relaxation 5 to 10 minutes earlier than slicing or serving in order that the juices can redistribute, leading to a greater and juicier meat expertise,” says Randhawa.

Don’t Retailer Breadcrumbs within the Pantry

Do Retailer Them within the Freezer

Whereas most house cooks retailer breadcrumbs of their cupboard or pantry, it’s really higher to maintain them within the freezer. “It retains them more energizing for longer,” says govt chef Twine Chatham of the Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona, Arizona. “You’ll be able to retailer breadcrumbs in any kind of freezer-safe and hermetic container or bag, simply be certain to take away all the air from the baggage to stop freezer burn. At my house, I choose to make use of vacuum-sealed luggage.” 

Don’t Place Knives within the Dishwasher

Do Hand Wash Them As an alternative

“Don’t be lazy right here — at all times hand-wash your knives,” says Lev Sercarz. “Dishwasher jets can bang the blades in opposition to different gadgets, dulling or chipping them. Harsh detergents may also injury the sharpness and end.” Joseph Joseph’s BladeBrush is a intelligent cleansing software that has opposing bristles and a textured grip to maintain your palms secure, however different scrub brushes will do the job as properly.

Don’t Put Croissants within the Fridge

Do Retailer Them at Room Temperature

Should you can’t get pleasure from recent croissants or laminated pastries the identical day you bought them, don’t retailer them within the fridge till you’re able to eat them. “The chilly air dries them out and dulls the butter taste,” says O’Laskey. “As an alternative, preserve them hermetic and re-warm within the oven. That method the layers keep flaky and the butter stays aromatic.” A paper bag works finest in the event you’re planning to eat the pastry the identical day or the following morning, however O’Laskey recommends an hermetic glass meals storage container for something longer.

• Rubbermaid Brilliance 8-Cup Glass Meals Storage Containers, Set of two, $27, initially $29
• Vtopmart 63-Ounce Glass Storage Containers with Lids, 2 Pack, $23, initially $31
• Razab 6.5-Cup Glass Meals Storage Containers, Set of two, $30, initially $38
• Amazon Fundamentals Glass Meals Storage Containers, Set of seven, $29
• M Mcirco 36-Ounce Glass Meals Storage Containers, Set of 5, $29, initially $40

Don’t Let Leftovers Linger

Do Use Containers That Present Contents Clearly

Retaining your fridge organized is vital as a result of in the event you can’t discover meals or it’s not simply seen, it’s prone to go to waste. “Don’t shove leftovers right into a graveyard of mismatched containers with no lids,” says Cotton. “You’ll by no means discover them once more.” He recommends stackable, clear meals storage containers that allow you to see the contents and seize them as wanted. “Purchase deli-style quart and pint containers with matching lids and use masking tape for labeling.”

Don’t Check Sizzling Oil with a Drop of Water

Do Check Sizzling Oil with a Wood Spoon

“Don’t drop water into scorching oil to check it,” warns Gentile. “Water will splatter dangerously and may burn you or make a large number. Test if oil is prepared by dipping the top of a picket spoon or chopstick into it.” Should you see regular bubbles forming across the wooden, the oil is scorching sufficient for frying. “That is one in all my favourite ideas,” says Gentile. “Each class, I show this to my college students.”