21 Practical Cooking Hacks to make kitchen life easier

21 Practical Cooking Hacks to make kitchen life easier

Have you ever wished for a little helping hand in the kitchen (all hands – incuding mine- are raised high). Whilst I can’t be there physically, let me share my collection of 21 practical cooking hacks that will transform your kitchen experience. From time-saving tricks to little-secrets to have up your sleeve, these tips are designed to make your culinary adventures smoother and more enjoyable.
Here are 21 practical cooking hacks and tips that will make kitchen life easier. There are plenty more but I held myself to 21 (such restraint right!).

21 Practical Cooking Hacks to make kitchen life easier

1. Zest a lemon with a microplane blade facing down & the catcher side facing up towards you. (You can watch this quick video demo here from me). Move the tool not the citrus. Often people move the lemon & have the zester blade facing the other way around. The way I like to do this given me better control of getting all the delicious zest with no bitter pith + all the zest will stay in the tool until you give it a little tap.
2. Freeze Herbs in Olive Oil: Preserve fresh herbs by chopping them up, placing them in an ice cube tray, and covering them with olive oil. Freeze the cubes and use them as needed in soups, slow cooked dishes, and sauces.
3. Peel Ginger with a Spoon: Use the edge of a spoon to easily peel ginger. This method gets into all the nooks and crannies without wasting too much of the ginger root. Even better though – keep it (ginger) in the freezer, and whenever you need some, take out the microplane and just grate however much you need. No need to peel when it’s being grated frozen.
4. Keep Your Cutting Board Stable: Place a damp towel or paper towel under your cutting board to keep it from slipping, ensuring safety and stability while you chop.
5. Leave the root on your onion when you are dicing. It helps with reducing tears as well as not allowing the onion to splay across the board. Make sure your knife is sharp too.
6. Keep your fresh herbs in a vase with a little water & place a sheet of paper towel over the top followed by a freezer bag. Store in the door of the fridge. This tip will extend the life of your fresh herbs significantly.
7. Bring ingredients like butter and eggs to room temperature before baking. It helps them incorporate more smoothly and evenly, resulting in better texture and rise. If you forgot to take the butter out of the fridge…..you can grate cold butter straight from the fridge. It will soften faster and incorporate more evenly into your mixture.
8. Easy Eggshell Removal: If you accidentally drop pieces of eggshell into your bowl, use a larger piece of the shell to scoop them out. The shell acts like a magnet, making it easier to remove the smaller bits. The kids & teens in our cooking classes love this little tip.
9. Pat meat dry with paper towel before cooking to achieve a better sear. Moisture on the surface can prevent proper browning & a crust forming.
10. Use fresh herbs & citrus and use them with the most wonderful generosity you can muster.
11. Prevent Pots from Boiling Over: Place a wooden spoon across the top of your pot to prevent it from boiling over. The spoon breaks the surface tension of the bubbles, keeping them at bay.
12. Revive Stale Bread: Sprinkle or spray (with a water bottle) a bit of water on stale bread and place it in the oven for a few minutes. The moisture will help refresh the bread, making it soft.
13. No more soggy leftover pizza: On the rare occasion you might have leftover pizza, reheat the pizza in a frying pan on the stovetop to get the crust crispy. You can also cover with a lid to melt the cheese. Zapping it in the microwave will only make it soggy.
14. Homemade Buttermilk Substitute: Make a quick buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
15. Keep Lettuce Fresh: Wrap lettuce in a paper towel before storing it in a plastic bag. The paper towel absorbs excess moisture, keeping the lettuce crisp.
16. A sharp knife is safer and more efficient than a dull one. Hone your knife with a steel with each use and get it sharpened, when needed, to maintain its edge.
17. Use spices and herbs liberally to add depth and complexity to your dishes. You can combine multiple spices to create rich, aromatic flavours. Do the same with curry pastes – add a combination for greater depth of flavour.
18. Resting meat – before & after – Allow meat to rest at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking, better texture, and enhanced flavour. This helps achieve a more consistent and delicious result. After cooking, let meat rest for a few minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a juicier and more flavourful dish.
19. Add a few slices of orange peel to your pasta sauce. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
20. Use a whisk when cooking with mince to break it up really easily, and stop clumps of meat forming, rather than hacking away at it with a spoon.
21. If you feel your oven or barbecue temp might be a little off, buy an inexpensive oven thermometer to check it for yourself. These can sit inside the oven or barbecue and can save you a call out fee for a service repair. Of course, if your seals are gone, that’s a whole other story.

Love Nellie

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• • I would love to offer you kitchen tips & tricks every single week. Come and check out our  RM Cooking Club.

There are three different tiers to enjoy (no lock in contract).

• • • P.S – If you would love to learn more about our food tours this year (they are going to be absolutely incredible), please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email or check out our tours page this way.  This year we are off to Puglia, Italy.