Some meals can be put together in a matter of minutes. These meals can taste good and even be a great cure for an empty stomach. Then some meals take time to put together. Often, meals that take longer taste even better than quick meals. The problem is not everyone has a lot of time to dedicate to cooking, but we all still want delicious meals. Luckily, there are a few cooking tips to save time in the kitchen. These tips can help you create fantastic meals and still have the time to enjoy them. When you’re finished, you can go and enjoy the rest of your day or night any way you want.
Utilize cooking tips to save time in the kitchen and start eating the meals you often save for special occasions on a regular basis.
Prep, Prep, Prep
One of the most time-consuming aspects of recipes is the prep time. While it may be difficult to get rid of this prep time, you can use it correctly. Measure out and separate ingredients before you start cooking; you may even be able to prep certain ingredients days in advance. This will also help you avoid any time costly mistakes later.
Peels
When a recipe calls for fruits and/or veggies, most people will spend time peeling. However, the peels are often filled with nutrients that you’ll just be tossing in the compost. Instead of wasting time and nutrients, thoroughly rinse any fruits and veggies and just leave the peels alone.
Heating Up
One thing many chefs have learned is never to start with a cold pan. You can quickly put the pan or pot on the stove and warm it up while you prep. This will not only help save time, but it will also help the food cook faster. Before even coating the pan with oil, butter, or grease, warm the pan.
Many Meals
Another favorite cooking tip to save time for home chefs is to cook a meal that has multiple uses. One example would be a roast. Make more than you need and use the leftovers as a roast beef sandwich or use the stalk for a great soup. Think creatively and you’ll find that cooking one dinner could be prep for another. That chicken you made, leftovers can be shredded to make a a great chili or a chicken salad.
Clean Up While You Work
Nobody likes doing the dishes after a good meal. One of the best cooking tips to save time is to do dishes as you cook. When you finish with the mixing bowl and things are cooking in the oven or on the stove, wash the bowl. If you do this for every item, you use, you will find you have a lot less work waiting for you after the meal.
350 Pothole
Many people get stuck in a pattern of baking at 350 degrees and spend more time cooking than eating. However, some things cook better and faster at higher degrees. Vegetables are a perfect example; bake vegetables at 400 degrees instead and you’ll save 15-20 minutes roasting time. Just be careful not to wing it, make sure whatever you’re roasting, or baking can stand the higher temperature and for how long before giving this a try.
More Prep
Prep is a chef’s best friend be it at home or in a fast-paced restaurant. While prep is mentioned above, there is another way to use prep to fight time. Before you start a busy week, plan and prep your meals. You can easily use an hour at the start of the week to simply prep veggies, fruits, meats and more for the entire week. Once prepped, set in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.