Food Network's 100 Greatest Cooking Tips: Not Too Shabby!

[Chris Amirault]

Lifehacker just posted a piece about this Food Network list of the 100 Greatest Cooking Tips. A few are predictably mediocre (put a cork on the tip of your knife before sticking it into a drawer -- ouch), but there's a lot of good stuff in here. I, for one, am interested, to try tip #15 from Joanne Chang: "When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around."

Anyone else find some useful tips on the list? Which ones?

[Rico]

27. Take the time to actually read recipes through before you begin.

John Besh

Author of My New Orleans

I suck at this. I really do.

I mean, I do technically read the recipes beforehand, but sometimes my eyes kind of glaze over and it becomes one of those 'I'm-reading-Dickens-and-this-is-one-of-those-really-descriptive-passages-and-I-stopped-paying-attention-two-sentences-ago' readings. Usually ends up biting me in the backside.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this list.

[BadRabbit]

99. My general advice to home cooks is that if you think you have added enough salt, double it.

Grant Achatz

Alinea and Aviary, Chicago

If anyone in my family were to follow this advice, the food would be inedible.

Signed,

Most Southerners

[Kim Shook]

99. My general advice to home cooks is that if you think you have added enough salt, double it.

Grant Achatz

Alinea and Aviary, Chicago

If anyone in my family were to follow this advice, the food would be inedible.

Signed,

Most Southerners

:laugh:

A lot of them are very good - now if only I could count on remembering them. I am famous for finding good tips and bookmarking them or printing them out and then blithely continuing to do it my old way.

[gfweb]

I read the list imagining what @angryBobbyFlay's twitter feed would do with/to these tips.

If you've never seen it, this post will make no sense at all.

[teagal]

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.

I am so trying this tip this weekend!

[gfweb]

101. When watching Sandra Lee be sure to have a full pitcher of martinis.

[Dexter]

I hate to admit it, but I sort of bristled at putting Paula Deen, Guy Fieri and some of the others in (and, indeed, in front of) with Alain Ducasse, Francois Payard, Jose Andres, Laurent Gras, Eric Ripert, Grant Achatz...

[gfweb]

Yes. Its a self-promoting list with lots of fatuous advice from media-created "authorities" . I'm surprised that Rachel Rays advice to break the yolk wasn't in the top ten.

[Chris Hennes]

What does it matter who proffers it if the advice is sound? I'm sure even the most reviled food celebrity has a worthwhile tip or two.

[janeer]

I like 39 about smashing garlic inside a Ziploc bag; why didn't I think of that? And of course, 76. 91 is intriguing but since I don't possess a nonstick pan...

[Shalmanese]

My two tips:

1. When in doubt, sharpen your knife.

2. Stop being such a pussy.

[gfweb]

What does it matter who proffers it if the advice is sound? I'm sure even the most reviled food celebrity has a worthwhile tip or two.

Yes, good advice is good advice but when it comes from some of these FN people it reminds me of something on the order of "Life advice from High School seniors ". It might be true but who told them to say that?

Edited March 30, 2012 by gfweb (log)

[liuzhou]

A pretty weak article. I didn't see anything that made me think "Oh! That's a good idea. Never thought of that before."

[kryptos1]

101. When watching Sandra Lee be sure to have a full pitcher of martinis.

I had a good laugh with that one!!!!! She is always boozing it but yea a buzz and the mute button help when watching.

[dcarch]

The ones I have read, about 20, made not much sense.

My comments to the ones mentioned by the above posters:

#15 from Joanne Chang: "When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around."

Use the correct knife and knife techniques. I have not found herbs flying around a problem.

27. Take the time to actually read recipes through before you begin.

There are some many lousy recipes out there, read the reviews first not the recipes.

99. My general advice to home cooks is that if you think you have added enough salt, double it.

My tip would be the opposite.

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.

I am not sure. You grind you own meat just so that you can make burgers not welldone. Imagine bacon not welldone.

“I like 39 about smashing garlic inside a Ziploc bag; why didn't I think of that?”

Because it takes time to look for a bag and cleaning the bag afterwards. Garlic taste on a board is never a problem for me.

91. Caramelize onions very quickly by cooking them in a dry nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. They will caramelize beautifully in a lot less time than with traditional methods.

I can’t see how non-stick pan can give more BTUs to caramelize onions. The fastest way I know is to microwave the onions to soft then saute on a hot pan.

76. Shoes off, music on, favorite beverage in hand — enjoy your time in the kitchen.

Do not turn on your music, hearing what you food is doing while being cooked is very important.

dcarch

[gfweb]

I'd think onions sauteed without oil in the pan would cook slower as heat transfer would be reduced. Unless oil inhibits Maillard, which I haven't heard.

[Darienne]

I'm with Rico about reading the recipe through ahead of time. Just can't seem to absorb it all before I actually follow it in the cooking. Don't know why.

Unlike many of you, I am not an experienced cook and so I did like reading the list and many of the items were new to me.

Thanks for posting it, Chris.

[BadRabbit]

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.

I am not sure. You grind you own meat just so that you can make burgers not welldone. Imagine bacon not welldone.

I've done it plenty of times. It doesn't turn out to have discernable little chunks of undercooked bacon in it. It mostly just adds some juiciness and that bacony smokiness.

I'd suggest this falls into the "don't knock it til you've tried it" category.

[judiu]

The ones I have read, about 20, made not much sense.

My comments to the ones mentioned by the above posters:

#15 from Joanne Chang: "When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around."

Use the correct knife and knife techniques. I have not found herbs flying around a problem.

27. Take the time to actually read recipes through before you begin.

There are some many lousy recipes out there, read the reviews first not the recipes.

99. My general advice to home cooks is that if you think you have added enough salt, double it.

My tip would be the opposite.

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.

I am not sure. You grind you own meat just so that you can make burgers not welldone. Imagine bacon not welldone.

“I like 39 about smashing garlic inside a Ziploc bag; why didn't I think of that?”

Because it takes time to look for a bag and cleaning the bag afterwards. Garlic taste on a board is never a problem for me.

91. Caramelize onions very quickly by cooking them in a dry nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. They will caramelize beautifully in a lot less time than with traditional methods.

I can’t see how non-stick pan can give more BTUs to caramelize onions. The fastest way I know is to microwave the onions to soft then saute on a hot pan.

76. Shoes off, music on, favorite beverage in hand — enjoy your time in the kitchen.

Do not turn on your music, hearing what you food is doing while being cooked is very important.

dcarch

Re: 76 I would suggest it read "High heels off, comfy shoes on" I'm a barefootin' fool, bur I've had to jump back away from dropped knives, spilled hot fat and all manner of potentially damaging things to usually go barefoot in the kitchen anymore. (Unless I've indulged in a couple of adullt beverages, in which case all bets are off! )

[dcarch]

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.

I am not sure. You grind you own meat just so that you can make burgers not welldone. Imagine bacon not welldone.

I've done it plenty of times. It doesn't turn out to have discernable little chunks of undercooked bacon in it. It mostly just adds some juiciness and that bacony smokiness.

I'd suggest this falls into the "don't knock it til you've tried it" category.

I am sure it will make the burger taste good. My point is eating raw bacon safety.

dcarch

[Dakki]

Re: 76 I would suggest it read "High heels off, comfy shoes on" I'm a barefootin' fool, bur I've had to jump back away from dropped knives, spilled hot fat and all manner of potentially damaging things to usually go barefoot in the kitchen anymore. (Unless I've indulged in a couple of adullt beverages, in which case all bets are off! )

Yeah, that one struck me as pretty goofy. I don't think steel-toed shoes are overkill, especially after a couple of drinks. Welder's apron and gloves have saved me a few bad burns too.

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.I am not sure. You grind you own meat just so that you can make burgers not welldone. Imagine bacon not welldone.

I've done it plenty of times. It doesn't turn out to have discernable little chunks of undercooked bacon in it. It mostly just adds some juiciness and that bacony smokiness.I'd suggest this falls into the "don't knock it til you've tried it" category.

I am sure it will make the burger taste good. My point is eating raw bacon safety.dcarch

I do this all the time. Just give the bacon a good boil before grinding it in.

[BadRabbit]

59. When grinding your own beef for burgers, grind in some bacon.

I am not sure. You grind you own meat just so that you can make burgers not welldone. Imagine bacon not welldone.

I've done it plenty of times. It doesn't turn out to have discernable little chunks of undercooked bacon in it. It mostly just adds some juiciness and that bacony smokiness.

I'd suggest this falls into the "don't knock it til you've tried it" category.

I am sure it will make the burger taste good. My point is eating raw bacon safety.

dcarch

You can eat commercially produced bacon raw with impunity (and probably 99% of homemade bacon as well). You're much more likely to infect the beef (or bacon) with something from your kitchen during the grinding process than you are to get sick from something in the bacon as it comes from the package.

Edited for clarity

Edited March 30, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[andiesenji]

I've been around so long (turned 73 a week ago) that I've heard almost all of these tips in the past.

Most are just common sense.

Some I would totally ignore.

The hint about salt is ludicrous - not a good idea with all the salt already in foods as this makes it even more difficult for people who should limit their sodium intake.

The smashing garlic in a plastic bag wouldn't work for me - when I smash it on a cutting board to get a very fine paste, I "scrub" it back and forth with the knife blade and this would destroy any plastic.

For me it's much easier to smash it in a mortar to contain the stuff.

[Dakki]

I don't think steel-toed shoes are overkill, especially after a couple of drinks. Welder's apron and gloves have saved me a few bad burns too.

Too late to edit, but I think I should clarify: Steel toes are my everyday wear, so they just feel natural in a context where I might drop something heavy or sharp. Welding gloves instead of oven mitts and leather apron instead of a regular apron. I'm not suggesting they're a necessity for peeling a carrot or whatever.