Cooking is an essential life skill that everyone should know. It can be daunting for beginners, but with a little practice, you’ll be cooking like a pro in no time! This blog post will discuss four basic cooking techniques that every beginner cook should learn. These techniques are essential for preparing simple meals at home. Let’s get started !

Photo by Dana Tentis

Sautéing:

Sautéing is an essential cooking technique that involves cooking food in a pan over medium-high heat. This is an excellent technique for cooking vegetables, meat, and fish. To sauté food, you will need to use a small amount of oil or butter in your pan. Once the pan is hot, add your ingredients and cook them until they are browned and cooked. Sautéing is a great way to add flavor to your food. When you cook meat or vegetables in a pan with oil or butter, they will develop a nice sear on the outside while remaining juicy on the inside. This quick and easy cooking method makes it perfect for busy weeknights.

Roasting:

Roasting is a great cooking technique for bringing out the natural flavors of food. It involves cooking food in an oven at a high temperature. This method is perfect for meats and vegetables. To roast your ingredients, place them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven until they are cooked. Roasting meats and vegetables will give them a nice crispy exterior while remaining tender on the inside after you’ve learnt how long to cook a baked potato in the microwave. This cooking method is also relatively quick and easy, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Also, don’t forget to season your food before roasting it! This will help to bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients.

Blanching

Blanching is a quick cooking process that involves boiling a food for a short period of time before plunging it into ice water. This technique is often used with vegetables like green beans, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Blanching helps preserve the food’s color and texture while also making it easier to peel or remove the skin.

To blanch something, you’ll need a pot of boiling water and a bowl of ice water. Bring the pot of water to a boil and add your food. Let it cook for 30-60 seconds before removing it with a slotted spoon and placing it in the ice water. Let it sit in the ice water for another minute or two before removing it and patting it dry.

Steaming:

Steaming is a healthy and quick cooking method that can be used for vegetables, meat, and fish. It involves cooking food in steam instead of in water. This helps to preserve the nutrients in the food while also cooking it evenly. You’ll need a pot or steamer basket with a tight-fitting lid to steam your food. Fill the pot with about an inch of water and bring it to a boil. Then, add your ingredients to the pot or steamer basket and cover it with the lid. Let the food cook until it is tender and cooked through. Steaming is a great way to cook delicate foods like fish without overcooking them.

These are four basic cooking techniques that every beginner cook should learn. Sautéing, roasting, blanching, and steaming are all great methods for preparing simple meals at home. You’ll be cooking like a pro in no time with a little practice!

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This is a contributed post