Wanting to cook well is something many want to do, but the process you go through to be a grand chef can be overwhelming. You can teach yourself to cook well by following the step-by-step directions in a recipe. The advice in this article will give you a head start. If you are first embarking on a quest to prepare more of your own food, head to the nearest library or bookstore and find a cookbook with simple, basic recipes that you will enjoy preparing. Try some recipes and be patient as you develop your skills. Add oil to the pan’s sides when cooking. Adding oil in this way allows the oil to heat before it reaches the food in the center of the pan. Doing so will maximize the flavors of the food you are cooking by keeping them inside the food. If you are preparing stir-fry, be sure to slice the meat on the bias and very thin. Cutting meat thinly can be difficult and time-consuming. Take the meat out of the freezer when it’s firm to the touch, and slice across the grain at an angle of 45 degrees. Sharp knives will make cooking so much more efficient. Not only can it be difficult to cut with dull knives, but it is dangerous to use them too. With a dull knife, you may have to struggle to cut a vegetable, making it more likely that you will get injured in the process. Using a sharp knife will make it easier to cut that vegetable, so you are less likely to get hurt. Having knives that are very sharp is essential when cooking. If your knife is dull, it’s obviously tougher to use, but it is also much more dangerous in general. You can cut yourself because you are forcing the knife through the food, use a sharp knife. In order to have plenty of fresh fall apples for cooking, store them properly to keep them from spoiling. Air that is dry and warm tends to make apples rot, and you can slow down this process by loosely placing them in plastic bags that are tied shut. Store them in a cool area, such as a refrigerator, garage or basement. Be warned, there is a reason for the old adage about the rotten apple! If you fail to quickly discard spoiled apples, the rest will quickly spoil as well. If you boil your vegetables it can cook out the nutrients. Quick cooking at high heat in a wok is good. Steaming vegetables is also a good way to preserve the nutrients. Some vegetable are suitable to eat raw. Burgers cooked on the grill are delicious; however, many times they stick to your grill. Brush the grill with oil so that food does not stick to it. Vegetable oil works great and will not make your grill greasy. Raw potatoes should rest in chilly water for approximately 30 minutes. This will help them to be crispy and delicious. Doing this increases the strength of the fiber in the potatoes, which means that they don’t break down as quickly during the deep frying phase. Make big portions when preparing stock. Make enough stock so that you can freeze the excess and use it later. There are a variety of recipes that call for chicken stock, so having it on hand is always a good idea. First, cool the stock and then stick it in the freezer. If you have little time to cook each day, you can partially prepare certain foods to break up the cooking process into several steps. Check recipes to find out what can be prepared ahead of time without risking spoilage. Much of the preparation can be done the day before it is needed. Doing this can transform intricate recipes into simple, quick and enjoyable cooking tasks. Keep track of what goes into the ingredients for your recipes. Many common cooking ingredients include substances that may not be very healthy. Two of the main culprits are added sugar and sodium. Avoiding both as often as possible, and especially in large quantities, is vital to your health. Garlic is amazing, but comes at the cost of smelly hands. Rub your hands on the stainless steel interior of your sink to get rid of the smell right away. While ridding your hands of the garlic odor, it will also have the added benefit of preventing its transfer to other foods, as you cook. Always use an airtight container to store baking ingredients such as sugar or flour in the kitchen. Storing food in containers that are impermeable to air helps the food last longer, and keeps insects out. You can find them on sale often at discount stores and the investment is worth every penny. If your recipe calls for a liquid, try using something other than water or milk. This will add a spark to that tired old dish. If the recipe calls for water, try using chicken or beef broth, or even the water that you used to cook your vegetables in. You can substitute buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream in place of the milk. Using liquid substitutions in your cooking can increase nutrition and give a standby dish a new flavor. When you do this, you can enjoy your favorite fresh fruits all year. Additionally, you may be able to keep some fruits frozen and enjoy them during months when they are not available in stores. When cooking with garlic, use the freshest bulbs you can find. It is widely known that the fresher the garlic is, more than likely the sweeter the taste will be. You will want to look for the following characteristics; firm skin, and no bruises or shriveling. Only cook with wine that you would actually drink. If you cook with an unfamiliar wine, you run the risk of disliking the taste of the wine and having it ruin your food. There are cooking-specific wines available at the supermarket. It is vital for cooks to have their supplies organized when cooking. If they’re not organized, you’ll waste time looking for needed items. Save time searching by keeping similar items stored together. For instance, keep your spices in a cabinet, your baking goods in another, and cooking utensils together in a drawer. Always clean your utensils very well before you use them. If there is any food left on the dish after you wash it, it could contaminate the next dish you use it in. This could spread harmful bacteria into your food, and could be detrimental to your health. It is crucial that you buy new spices around every six months. If spices are kept open for too long a time, they will eventually lose their flavor. Share your spices with friends or relatives if you will not use as much as you buy. When you make boxed mac and cheese, closely follow the directions. The macaroni will be perfect once the cheese melts over the noodles. To serve the macaroni and cheese, a solid faced spoon works just fine. You can use pepper to add some spice to the macaroni, if you choose. When cooking boxed macaroni and cheese meals, it is best to follow the box’s directions exactly. This allows the macaroni to come out just as delicious as it was intended to with the cheese melted perfectly over the noodles. Solid faced spoons are great for serving up macaroni and cheese. Add some extra flavor with pepper. Think about making your own stock for more flavor. If you make it in large quantities, you can store the excess in resealable bags in your freezer. This ensures you will have tasty, homemade stock available when you need it for soups, stews and many other dishes. Making the stock yourself will allow you to know that you are using a stock that is not loaded with preservatives. Blot any ground meat you eat before you cook it. One smart move in the kitchen is to remove the moisture from ground meats. If the moisture is left, it will undergo its natural chemical changes whilst you are cooking. The sizzling effect will burn off the moisture. Instead of searing the way it should, the meat will most likely steam. Prior to cooking ground meat, blot it with a paper towel. Take a paper towel and soak up any extra moisture on ground beef before you cook it. If the moisture is left in the beef, it will be released when you start to cook it. It will steam off in the hot skillet. This makes it unlikely that the meat will sear properly. It does not matter if you want to create nutritious meals for your family, or simply to impress your girlfriend. Culinary skill is a surefire way to make yourself useful in a variety of situations. In all cultures throughout the world, eating is a social activity that includes family and friends. Follow the advice you have just learned and you will eventually reach your culinary dreams. Shake a little salt onto your cutting board when you are chopping up fresh herbs. It will not only add flavor to the herbs but it will also keep them in place while they are being chopped. Don’t add to much salt when doing this. Some of the salt will adhere to the herbs and add flavor to your dish.