#basic cooking techniques

Cooking is an essential skill that can turn everyday meals into extraordinary culinary experiences. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced home cook, there are always ways to enhance your cooking techniques. Inspired by Scott Biffin, a culinary expert known for his passion for quality food and innovative techniques, here are five easy ways to improve your cooking skills.

1. Master the Basics

Before you dive into complex recipes, it’s crucial to build a strong foundation in basic cooking techniques. Learning fundamental skills such as chopping, sautéing, roasting, and seasoning will drastically improve your confidence in the kitchen. Practice knife skills, understand different cooking methods, and experiment with seasoning to elevate simple dishes.

2. Use High-Quality Ingredients

Scott Biffin emphasizes the importance of using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Fresh produce, high-grade meats, and premium spices can make a huge difference in the flavor and texture of your dishes. When possible, source ingredients from local farmers' markets or specialty stores to ensure maximum freshness.

3. Experiment with New Flavors and Techniques

One of the best ways to become a better cook is to step outside your comfort zone. Try cooking cuisines you’re unfamiliar with, incorporate different herbs and spices, and explore new cooking techniques like sous vide or fermentation. Experimenting will help you develop a broader understanding of flavors and how they work together.

4. Follow and Learn from Expert Chefs

Great chefs, including Scott Biffin, often share their expertise through books, videos, and cooking classes. Follow your favorite chefs on social media, watch cooking tutorials, or enroll in online cooking courses to gain valuable insights. Learning from experienced chefs will introduce you to professional techniques that can elevate your home cooking.

5. Practice and Have Fun

The key to improving any skill is practice, and cooking is no exception. Try to cook regularly, challenge yourself with new recipes, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Cooking should be an enjoyable experience, so have fun with it and savor the process of creating delicious meals.

Final Thoughts

One of my roommates wanted a good, hearty, sturdy whole wheat bread for meals. I threw this together: In a small bowl mix: 1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast into a few spoonfuls of water to activate it. In a glass measuring cup, mix: 1 1/2 c Whole Milk, warmed in a microwave or on the stove 1/2 c butter, melted in the warm milk 1/4 c Molasses In a blender or food processor whiz down: 1.2 c Granola,…

Making bacon in a skillet doesn’t take too long but it is dreary and the spatters can be both messy and painful. Got a rimmed baking sheet? Lay the bacon out on that and bake it. Easy, less mess, less standing around and you can be making something else (eggs, waffles, French toast…) while the bacon is baking. Lay the bacon out on the rimmed baking sheet. A 12 ounce package of thick sliced bacon…

Just another impromptu dinner using up leftovers. Also, Andrew suggested this one, a rice casserole with chicken. I just made it happen. Cook the rice. over medium high heat bring 4 1/4 c water to a boil. When the water boils, add 2 c rice, stir briefly, turn burner down to medium and continue cooking. When it looks like this check to see if there’s still water below. If there is let it cook a…

Popcorn. One of those things you just gotta ave when watching movies…or other stuff. Hanging out on the porch is nice with a treat like popcorn, especially if you’re making holiday decorations by stringing popcorn and cranberries into garlands. Here in Arizona the weather is often nice enough to do this out on the porch, in the yard or on the lawn so the mess gets cleaned up by the birds. It’s…

I wanted to try a gallette, so I made one. Basically, it’s just a pie without a pie tin. You still make the pie crust but you put it on a sheet pan, fill the middle and fold up the sides to contain the filling. The filling can be savory or sweet, vegetarian or for meat-lovers. Since you don’t use a pie tin/pan for a gallette you now don’t have an excuse to not make pies. Crust: Tonight I just…

This year for Thanksgiving we’re sleeping in, not feasting and just snacking though the day. The menue plan so far is to start with scones for breakfast. As soon as that’s done I’ll throw together a big pot of chicken soup on one burner, a pot of mulled cider on another burner and put a pan of stuffing in the oven because it’s Thanksgiving and you just have to have stuffing. After that I’ll lay…

Brisket was on sale. I got a smallish one I could afford. I’ll have beef for meals for a couple months, now! I forgot to prep it this morning for grilling this afternoon, but other things took precedence and got done anyway so I’ll prep the brisket tonight and start the fire tomorrow after I get home from running errands. I only do this about once a year, it’s such a production. Tonight. though,…