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16 Legitimately Useful Tips If You're Trying To Cook More This Year

It's not all common sense. H/T Reddit

1. Stop moving around the food in your pan so much.

Razoomgames / Getty Images

"Stop stirring or constantly moving food that you're trying to sear or brown. Let it sit until it's at least golden brown." —hucklebutter

2. Only cook with wine you'd drink.

BBC

Instead of cooking with wine product enhanced with sugar and additives, buy cheap normal wine or boxed wine. It'll be just as inexpensive, but full of authentic flavor that you won't lose in the cooking process. —hops_on_hops

3. Add fresh garlic to a pan later than instructed.

Vinicef / Getty Images

Garlic burns easily, so adding it near the end or last would help prevent a burnt mess.

"I used to always put it in at the start of cooking (like with the onions) but as soon as I started waiting until nearer the end to add them, I got a much more hearty hit of garlic. It only takes three minutes or so to cook, after all." —Booflordian

4. Pat dry veggies before roasting them.

Markhatfield / Getty Images

"Or else you'll just end up steaming them in the oven." —brohio_

5. ...And let any frozen foods defrost before placing them into a greased pan.

youtube.com

If you don't, the steam may burn you.

-Aliasn00bed

6. Cut vegetables before cutting meat.

Fox

If you're using the same cutting board for both ingredients, this prioritizing will prevent any potential bacteria from your raw meat from contaminating your vegetables. —oh_look_a_fist

7. Don't walk away from boiling milk unless you're willing to start over.

Sezer66 / Getty Images

"...And scrub that stove for 100 years." —batil

8. Don't adjust a baking recipe the first try unless you really know what you're doing.

BBC

Unlike when you're cooking savory food, baking requires almost scientific precision, so don't adjust the recipe unless you've done it before and know exactly how the change will affect the final result.

—Fumblerful-

9. Never try and catch a falling blade.

Disney

"If it falls, step back and pick it up off the ground." —stcGrim

10. Let your meat rest.

Nightanddayimages / Getty Images

"Nothing makes my heart break like watching someone cut into a steak fresh off the grill. Watching all those amazing juices flood onto the plate, juices that could have stayed in the meat if you had only a touch of patience."—Slowjams

11. Never take something out of the oven using a wet towel or mitt.

Vizion-photography / Getty Images

"The moisture will turn to steam instantly and burn you." —Prism_And_Gate

12. To prevent freshly cooked pasta from sticking together, add a little bit of olive oil to it.

Dejan Kolar / Getty Images

Don't rinse it with cold water — this will only remove the starches that will eventually help your sauce stick to the pasta. —TheRiddler78

13. Don't microwave aluminum foil.

Columbia Pictures

Unless you want to start a kitchen fire.

—drdrea23

14. Sharpen your dull knives.

Brizmaker / Getty Images

"You are more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one." —whats_my_username16

15. Don't scrub your cast iron pan with steel wool.

0shut0 / Getty Images

"Rules for cast iron: (1) don't use steel wool (I mean, unless you really have to) (2) dry it over a flame so it's super dry and doesn't rust." —mthmchris

To prevent ridges and scratches on your cast iron pan, use a bristled brush or a kitchen rag. Read more on how to care for your cast iron pan here.

16. If a fire starts in the oven, close the door.

Warner Bros.

"As a firefighter, this is a mistake I see too often. If a fire starts in the oven, JUST CLOSE THE DOOR. Opening the door will give it more oxygen or make the fire catch on anything around it. On the other hand, closing the door will begin to suffocate the fire." —Toponesport

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