So you've decided it's time to learn your way
around the kitchen, but you don't really know where to start. From knife
basics to budget stretching to proper food storage, here are the most
important things you'll want to learn as you become a master chef.
10. Get the Right Tools for the Job
If your kitchen's feeling a little bare, it might be time for a shopping trip. We've gone through some of the must-have tools for any kitchen before, as well as a guide to buying knives (and keeping them sharp). You don't need to break the bank, but with the right tools, you can make cooking much easier on yourself.
9. Learn Your Basic Kitchen Skills
Once you've got those tools, it's time to learn how to use them. You
might already have a few tricks up your sleeve, but to make sure, check
out our station by station guide to becoming a kitchen pro,
where you'll learn how to use those knives, how to keep your oven in
shape, make the most of your dishwasher, and more. You might also want
to check out these six kitchen skills you can pick up over the weekend, which is great if you're a bit short on time.
8. Make Recipe Creation and Organization Easy
Even the best chefs start with a basic recipe, and the more you can
start building up your library, the better you'll get at cooking those
dishes. Start with our 10 dishes and drinks everyone should know how to make, and file them away in a recipe organizer on your iPhone or Android. When it comes time to cook something you don't have a recipe for, we've got you covered with the five best recipe search tools, too. If you really want to make your life easy, you can mount that iPad right in your kitchen for $3 and have quick access to your recipe tools at all times.
7. Stretch Your Budget
We can't repeat this enough: Just because you want to get into
cooking doesn't mean it needs to cost a ton of money. You can improve
your meals a lot with some simple tricks and skills, moreso than you
might buying expensive ingredients from fancy stores. Check out our
guide to eating like a foodie on a budget for more info. If you're having trouble sticking to your budget, try a grocery delivery service—you won't have that same temptation you do in the market, and you won't even have to make the trip to the store.
6. Pick Out the Right Produce
One of the things that can make or break a good meal is the quality
of produce you use, and it isn't hard to find good produce at a cheap
price. Make sure you buy locally and in season to start. Each fruit and vegetable has its own tricks to finding out whether it's ripe or not, so be sure to learn these simple tricks for selecting fresh, ripe produce, no matter where you are.
5. Use Your Refrigerator Effectively
Once you start loading up on food, chances are your fridge is going to get a little crowded. You probably don't need to store
all your food in the fridge; though, check out our guide to what can stay unrefrigerated and what needs to be chilled for freshness. Then, be sure you're using your fridge and freezer to their maximum potential, so your food stays fresh and safe for as long as possible.
4. Learn to Grill Like a Champion
Don't be afraid to venture out of the kitchen once in a while,
especially when the weather's nice—just because you're a foodie now
doesn't mean you can grill the heck out of some steaks. We've got the full guide to becoming the Memorial Day grill master, but it's applicable any time of year. If it's too cold to head out to the grill, though, you can still cook a great steak in the oven, or cook it sous-vide for perfection every time.
3. Perfect the Art of Substitution
Every great chef knows a little experimentation never hurt anybody,
and with some clever substitutions, you can take a good dish to great
with no work at all. We've featured a few of these before—like using lemon juice instead of salt, substituting applesauce for eggs in baked goods, baking pie crusts with vodka instead of water, and flavored salts instead of messy sauces. Don't be afraid to try new things; you never know where they'll take you.
2. Bust Those Food Myths
We hear a lot of things in popular culture about food that just
aren't true—like that wooden cutting boards don't go well with meat, or
that salt makes water boil faster. If you really want to be a whiz in
the kitchen, make sure none of these myths are in your knowledge base,
since they can often make a big difference in how you cook your food.
Check out our list of 10 stubborn food myths that just won't die for more information.
1. Stay Healthy
Food is tasty, but it can also mean the difference between a high-energy workday and lethargic, midday exhaustion. Take a look at the modern version of the food guide pyramid
(it's probably much different than you remember) and learn how it works
to better craft your meals for good health. When it comes time to shop,
use a grocery list template to keep you on track,
and make sure you get all the right food groups in your trip (and to
avoid the bad ones). Food is great for a lot of things, but you don't
want to do more harm than good. Make sure you keep everything balanced
and all things in moderation, and you'll be on your way to becoming a
master foodie in no time.
