Food Hacks - Cool tricks for dear frens

[CallmeCicada]

As gross as it may sound, add mayonnaise into chocolate cake or brownie batter for a more moist and fluffy product. Some people say that it enhances the chocolate flavor, but I personally can’t tell a difference flavor wise. Mayonnaise is essentially just oil and eggs that have been emulsified. Obviously don’t add any flavored mayo as that would throw the taste off, you should opt for a pretty bare bones brand that doesn’t include vinegar or msg. The fat in mayo does a great job of keeping everything nice and locked in. All you need is a few table spoons.

Interesting, I have never heard of that before. What made you want to try that, just curious about your thought process.

 

[Sweetie Kitty]

Interesting, I have never heard of that before. What made you want to try that, just curious about your thought process.

It’s not all that uncommon in some older cake recipes to include mayonnaise in some cases. My grandmother has been doing it for years and it’s always tasted great- no mayo flavor at all since the chocolate and sugar overpowers it. I don’t see it as often anymore because it isn’t exactly good for you and most commercially bought mayo brands have a ton of flavorings added.

 

[AnOminous]

If you need tomato sauce for a recipe go to your favorite pizzeria and ask to buy a deli container of their tomato sauce, its cheaper, tastier, and better than 95% of the tomato sauce at the store.

I just start with a can of San Marzanos and drain the liquid they're in. You can use an immersion blender by I usually just crush them by hand, splash in EVOO until I like it, add some fresh basil or oregano, some minced or pressed garlic, maybe thicken it up a bit with triple concentrated tomato paste, and maybe even add something like anchovy paste or even fish sauce.

I don't cook it, but you can if you like just by boiling it then simmering it at medium-low for an hour or so. If you do, you might want to add the more fragile ingredients at the end.

I also sometimes add a bit of sugar (a teaspoon maybe), if I'm not adding some chopped onions.

 

[CallmeCicada]

and maybe even add something like anchovy paste or even fish sauce.

I have been making my own red sauce for a long time trying a few different recipes over time, but I've given up on it recently. Instead I have been using cherry/grape tomatoes with garlic and herbs to make a confit and I blend that for sauce. It's much more flavorful than my old traditional tomato sauce. Also trying hand made pasta has been fun, its much easier than I thought. But I am going to have to make a red sauce again, now I am curious how it tastes with anchovy paste.

 

[AnOminous]

But I am going to have to make a red sauce again, now I am curious how it tastes with anchovy paste.

It's easy to overdo so start cautiously.

 

[Smegward]

put catfood on a burger

 

[AnOminous]

put catfood on a burger

Sure thing Cobes.

 

[${Sandy}]

If you cook ground beef or bacon, keep the grease in seperate jars and store it in the fridge. You can use it for cooking.

 

[AnOminous]

If you cook ground beef or bacon, keep the grease in seperate jars and store it in the fridge. You can use it for cooking.

If you trim roasts or steaks or chicken, render the fat and skin. With chicken in particular you get schmaltz, but you also get gribenes, the dellicious crispy bits of chicken skin after the fat is rendered.

Schmaltz is very nice for biscuit dough or dumplings, especially for chicken and dumplings. It's especially good for roasting or frying potatoes, or making latkes.

Also duck fat is great for nearly anything that calls for a fat although I barely ever get any.

 

[${Sandy}]

With chicken in particular you get schmaltz, but you also get gribenes, the dellicious crispy bits of chicken skin after the fat is rendered.

I'll have to try that. I eat alot of chicken so it shouldn't be hard to save up enough skin for that.

 

[Friedchickenfan]

Sometimes for a quick and easy meal i'll chop up a hard boiled egg and put it in leftover rice with some cheese.
Also if you don't have a rice cooker buy one, it will change your life.

 

[Nonconsentual Pronouns]

Also if you don't have a rice cooker buy one, it will change your life.

Absolutely. Rice cookers are often maligned as unitaskers, but that's a load of bullshit. I use mine to steam several things that are annoying to steam in small amounts on the stovetop. And have you ever tried cooking some rice normally with your choice of seasonings mixed in, then cracked an egg or three on top, closed it and come back a few minutes later? Amazing food when you're sick, or just something reliable for breakfast. We put our rice cooker inner vessels into the dishwasher and haven't had any issues from doing so. There's also been no issue from having a very small, cheap Aroma model, since anything bigger is just way the fuck too much rice for most anything we get up to.

 

[Wintermute_Zero]

Sometimes for a quick and easy meal i'll chop up a hard boiled egg and put it in leftover rice with some cheese.
Also if you don't have a rice cooker buy one, it will change your life.

Do you have a recommendation for a rice cooker? I was thinking of finally taking the plunge but have no idea where to start.

 

[Friedchickenfan]

Do you have a recommendation for a rice cooker? I was thinking of finally taking the plunge but have no idea where to start.

I use https://piphardware.com/product/pre...230nAMheGF6k9YbizSLak4PTE-SWzJZQaAsE2EALw_wcB cheap and works well

 

[MidUSA]

If you have to measure peanut butter, shortening, or other particularly sticky ingredients for a recipe, line the measuring cup or bowl with clingwrap before adding said ingredient to the cup. When you're ready to add the ingredient, just pop the liner out and dump it into the mixing bowl.

That's a good one. I hadn't ever even thought of that.

Honey would still be an annoying one.

An even better technique for this, assuming you're adding the sticky stuff into something that include flour of some kind:

Add the flour to the mixing bowl, making a pile. Press the measuring cup into the flour, creating a hollow space the size of your measuring cup. You can now fill the negative space in the flour with the sticky ingredience, 0% waste!

 

[deermeat]

Not technically a food hack in regards to cooking.

If you have a problem with turning to unhelpful comfort food, eat it and nothing else for about a week or two. You'll get sick of it. It was the only method that helped me quit sugary junk food. I also ended up eating a CRAP ton of sushi this Labor Day weekend, I don't wanna eat it again for a long time. Sushi isn't really bad for you but it sure of hell was bad for wallet.

 

[Demon King]

Soak any meat you want to deep fry in buttermilk, to make it more tender and delicious.

This also works for beef liver, and gets rid of the weird taste if you want to pan fry them (don't use flour). Then sate the beef liver with garlic, ginger and soy sauce and garlic chives. Super easy dish to make.

Use baking soda to tenderize poor cuts of meat (then rinse it off). This is what Chinese restaurants do.

Use honey instead of sugar in sauces. Then add some molasses.

 

[Cherry Eyed Hamster]

I adore cooking and love sharing tips and tricks, so apologies for the long list and if any of these have been said already.

1. If you want your marinated chicken to have a citrusy-flavor, make a marinade with the fruit zest instead of using juice. Fruit juice makes chicken stringy and dry.

2. To cook ground beef in a snap, put the beef in a pan and mash it with a potato masher. You’ll have evenly-cooked, browned ground beef in less than a minute.

3. The easiest way to get a rest of a thick prepared sauce out of a can or jar is two ways: if you’re using a tomato-based sauce, fill the jar with ~1/4 cup of water, put on the lid, shake vigorously for 10 seconds, then pour the contents in with the rest of your sauce. With dairy-based sauces, substitute the water with milk.

4. To make the best stir-fries and Chinese food that tastes just as good as your favorite take-out restaurant, learn to VELVET. YOUR. MEAT. Seriously, it is a game changer.

5. Skip the cartons of chicken/beef broth and just buy the bouillon cubes. They’re cheaper, the flavor is the same, and you’re not paying $$ for water.

7. Speaking of bouillon cubes, add a chicken bouillon cube to boiling pasta water for great tasting noodles and sauces.

8. Coffee in chocolate baked goods is seriously amazing. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, try it. It enhances the chocolate flavor and makes the cakes more rich. Simply replace the water in a recipe with cold, prepared coffee.

9. Corn can be easily shucked and garlic easily stripped of skins by placing them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

10. When reviving wilting veggies, cut off their ends and place them in room temperature water, rather than cold. Warmer water will help the plant cells open to to absorb more moisture, then when you place them in the fridge, the coolness will crisp them up.

11. If your food is bland despite being salted and spiced, add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar to bring out the flavors.

12. Speaking of bringing out flavors, add a couple tablespoons of soy sauce to homemade soups and stews to give it a savory, umami flavor. It’s especially amazing in Manhattan Clam Chowder.

13. Add the garlic after the onions are already cooked. Garlic cooks much faster than onions and can take on a bitter flavor if cooked for more than a minute.

14. Add seasoning to the flour before making a roux. Mustard powder and/or smoked paprika are fabulous for Mac and cheese.

15. Instant mashed potato flakes are fabulous for thickening stews and runny mashed potatoes.

16. Lightly flouring bacon before frying it makes it more crispy.

17. A dash of orange juice in pumpkin bread and carrot cake is

18. Freeze leftover vegetable scraps to make into soup stock.

19. For quick baked potatoes, microwave them for 5 minutes, then place them in the oven for 15 minutes. You’ll have a luscious baked potato in 20 minutes instead of an hour. NOTE: This doesn’t work as well for cooking multiple potatoes at once, so only do it if you’re making a single potato.

20. Easiest and most versatile recipe ever: Put tinfoil on sheet pan. Place your favorite chopped vegetables and chopped protein on sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil and/or butter with your favorite seasonings over them (JUST DON’T USE LEMON OR ANY CITRUS!!). Baked at 350 for 35 minutes. You’re welcome. :3

 

[AnOminous]

5. Skip the cartons of chicken/beef broth and just buy the bouillon cubes. They’re cheaper, the flavor is the same, and you’re not paying $$ for water.

I really like Better than Bouillon, which actually is. It also has a wide variety of flavors including shroom, veggie, and fish.

 

[Kulee Baba]

Biggest advice I have to make cooking an easier process: SHARPEN YOUR KNIVES!

1. The best way to sharpen a knife for a samurai quality edge is with a Whetstone. But you’re not Miyamoto Musashi, you’re making a beef stew. I have a cheap “Narcissus” Electric Knife Sharpener I bought for $40 and it does a fine job. Not the finest cut but still good.

2. Something I didn’t realize until being in kitchens (and I’ve been a cook) is that a Honing Steel is not just for show. A Honing Steel will make a blade feel 10 times sharper and good cooks use it every time before breaking down a ton of food. And honing steels are cheap.

Lastly are fancy knives worth it? Depends on how much you’re using them. A high end knife will have a better balance and generally feel better in your hand, they also stay sharp for longer. I would not pay more than $100 for a Chef’s knife, I have a Japanese Shun knife.