Mistakes That Most Beginner Cooks Make

The key to cooking a delicious meal lies in the details, as is the case with many other things in life. If like us, you are keen on becoming the best version of yourself in the kitchen, we’re here to lend a helping hand. Here are the common mistakes that every cook makes and how you can avoid them:

😒 Not Reading the Full Recipe Before Starting to Cook

We’re always rushing to do things. That’s a fact. However, this is definitely something you should avoid if not at all times, then at least when cooking. Even if you are cooking a recipe you’ve tried already or trying one for the first time, you should always read the entire recipe before. Doing this will prevent you from skipping or missing any of the key prep or cooking steps or realizing you are missing a key ingredient in the middle of cooking. We recommend reading the entire recipe not once but twice to give yourself the best chances to succeed.

😵‍💫 Not Adding Ingredients in the Correct Order

Reading and re-reading the recipe before starting to cook will also allow you to plan out the order in which the ingredients should be added. In most cases, this is a critical step as each ingredient has a different cooking time and requires a specific time to develop the right flavour. Adding ingredients randomly could mess up the end result or make it taste differently.

❄️ Not Checking the Temperature of Your Ingredients

Recipes usually specify the temperature of the ingredients you need to use. This is particularly important if you are making a baked dish or a dessert as they require room-temperature ingredients for the best results.

🧑🏼‍🍳 Forgetting to Prep Ingredients While Cooking

Before starting to cook you should also pre-measure and prep your ingredients properly. Having everything organized from the get-go will make it easier for you to incorporate ingredients into your dish without having to worry about prepping them while you also need to do something else like stir.

🔪 Prepping in the Wrong Order (Meats Before Vegetables)

When using the same cutting board to prep the ingredients for your recipe, you should always cut vegetables first, before raw meats. This will prevent cross-contamination. Alternatively, you could use separate cutting boards for vegetables and meats.

🍳 Not Cooking at the Right Temperature (Under- or Overheating)

Temperature is not only essential when it comes to prepping ingredients. It’s also very important when cooking them. An overheated pan may translate into a burned, dried, or half-cooked dish, while an underheated one may translate into an unevenly cooked dish or one that sticks to the pan. Make sure you follow the temperature tips in the recipe if you want to avoid this common mistake and cook everything to perfection.

🧈 Not Using the Right Cooking Oil

Still, on the topic of temperature, you should also know that different oils have different cooking temperatures. For instance, olive oil and butter are ideal for cooking at low temperatures. Coconut oil has a higher smoke point and can be used when cooking with medium heat. For high-heat cooking, you can use ghee, peanut, or avocado oil.

🧂 Not Adding Salt to the Cooking Water

Salt is indispensable when cooking and adding it at the right times is also crucial. When boiling pasta or potatoes or poaching vegetables or meat, you should add plenty of salt to the cooking water. You don’t need to worry about oversalting the ingredients as they will only absorb part of the salt you put in the water. They will, however, become more flavoursome.

🧅 Adding the Seasoning at the End

Adding seasoning at the end is a common mistake cook make that you should definitely avoid. Seasoning your ingredients throughout the cooking process will enhance their flavour and ensure you end up with a finger-licking dish. What do you think of our list of common mistakes that every cook makes? Are there any other mistakes you would add based on your experience? We'd love to hear all about them! Share this post on Instagram stories and tag us @Froothie or reply to this email if you want to get in touch.

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