10 Kitchen Hacks That Will Change How You Cook

After years of cooking professionally and at home, I've discovered that the biggest improvements in the kitchen don't come from fancy equipment or exotic ingredients—they come from simple techniques and smart shortcuts.

1. The Frozen Butter Grating Trick

When making biscuits, pie crust, or any recipe that calls for cold butter, freeze it first and then grate it with a box grater. The thin shreds incorporate into flour almost instantly, keeping everything cold and resulting in the flakiest pastry you've ever made.

Why it works: Keeping butter cold is crucial for flaky pastries. Grated frozen butter means you're not warming it up with your hands.

2. Salt Your Pasta Water Like the Sea

Most home cooks don't salt their pasta water enough. It should taste like the ocean—about 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. This is your only chance to season the pasta itself, and it makes a dramatic difference in the final dish.

3. Rest Your Meat, Always

Whether it's a steak, chicken breast, or pork chop, let it rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Cut into it immediately, and all those delicious juices end up on your cutting board instead of in your mouth.

Resting times by size:

• Small cuts (chicken breast, pork chops): 5-7 minutes
• Medium cuts (small roasts, steaks): 10 minutes
• Large roasts: 15-20 minutes

4. The Ice Water Egg Test

Not sure if your eggs are still fresh? Place them in a bowl of cold water:

• Fresh eggs: Sink and lay flat on their sides
• Week-old eggs: Sink but stand upright
• Bad eggs: Float (discard these!)

This works because as eggs age, the air pocket inside grows larger, making them more buoyant.

5. Mise en Place Is Everything

The French term 'mise en place' means 'everything in its place.' Before you start cooking, measure out all your ingredients and have them ready to go. This prevents the panic of searching for paprika while your onions burn.

My Mise en Place Routine

1. Read the entire recipe first
2. Gather all ingredients and measure them out
3. Prep your vegetables (chop, dice, mince)
4. Line up ingredients in order of use
5. Then and only then, start cooking

6. The Paper Towel Herb Trick

Fresh herbs stay fresh 2-3x longer when stored properly. Wrap them loosely in a damp paper towel, then place in a plastic bag or container in the fridge. The moisture keeps them from drying out without making them soggy.

Exception: Basil likes to be at room temperature in a glass of water, like a bouquet!

7. Rescue Burnt Garlic (Sort Of)

If you accidentally burn garlic while sautéing, don't try to salvage it. Burnt garlic is bitter and will ruin your dish. Start over—it's worth it.

But if it's just lightly brown (not black), you can sometimes save it by immediately adding liquid (wine, broth, tomatoes) to stop the cooking.

8. The Wooden Spoon Trick

Place a wooden spoon across the top of a pot of boiling water or pasta to prevent it from boiling over. The spoon disrupts the surface tension of the bubbles, causing them to pop before they overflow.

Note: This works for gentle boils but won't help if your heat is too high!

9. Taste As You Go

This seems obvious, but many home cooks forget to taste their food while cooking. Professional chefs taste constantly. It's how you learn to adjust seasoning and catch problems before serving.

What to taste for:

• Salt level - Can you taste all the ingredients?
• Acid balance - Does it need lemon juice or vinegar?
• Sweetness - Sometimes a pinch of sugar rounds things out
• Heat - Are the spices coming through?

10. The Cold Pan for Crispy Bacon

Start bacon in a cold pan, then turn on the heat. As the pan warms up, the fat renders out slowly, resulting in crispier, more evenly cooked bacon. Plus, you won't get splattered with hot grease.

---

Bonus Tip: Clean As You Go

This isn't really a cooking technique, but it's the hack that makes cooking most enjoyable. While things are simmering or roasting, wash your prep dishes and wipe down counters. Future you will be so grateful!

---

Which hack will you try first? Start with just one or two and build from there. Before you know it, these techniques will become second nature, and you'll wonder how you ever cooked without them.

Happy cooking! 👨‍🍳