Don’t make these common cooking mistakes

Whether you’re new to culinary school online or have been cooking at home or professionally for years, there are a few common mistakes that everyone makes at some point. Avoid these issues by following our tips:

Read the whole recipe
When you see the picture attached to a recipe and can’t wait to get started, you may only read the ingredients before beginning. You may not have all the necessary equipment to complete the recipe if you haven’t read the whole thing. Perhaps it requires a special pan or other item that you don’t have on hand. Take a moment to read the entire recipe so you know what you’ll need and can be better prepared.

Keep your workspace clean
When you’re making a recipe that has a lot of ingredients that need chopping, it’s easy to make quite a mess. A cluttered and chaotic workspace is not only distracting, but it can also cause food contamination and make your diners sick. Always clean your cutting board between items, especially after working with meat or eggs. A clean area will allow help you to follow the proper steps to complete the recipe as well as prevent food poisoning and salmonella.

Start at a low speed
We’ve all had that time (or three) when we started the blender or mixer on high and decorated our kitchen with splattered food. Avoid this by always keeping the setting on low when you start out. Work the mix together and after a moment or two, change the setting to a higher level. Also, remember to put the lid on the blender before starting it. Otherwise you may spend more time cleaning up after yourself than actually cooking.

Taste your dish
Ever finished cooking a dish, only to dig in and find it’s too salty or you forgot to add an important ingredient? It’s important to taste as you go in order to be sure the flavors are on par and you don’t need to add anything.

Always preheat
If you add a dish to the oven and it’s not yet at the right temperature, the cooking time will be much longer than necessary. Or you may take your meal out when it when it isn’t done yet. Always preheat the oven for 10-12 minutes before adding your food. A similar rule applies to pans – be sure to preheat a pan before cooking items like fish or eggs. Without this step, your recipe will take longer to complete and your fish can become soggy. A preheated pan is also necessary for browning purposes.

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