Cooking can easily be one of your favorite activities but it sure does take a lot of time, especially if you want to prepare a fancy dish to impress your guests or family. If you are leading a busy lifestyle, lack of time can take all the pleasure away from cooking.
This is why we gathered these tips shared by professional chefs to help you cook faster and more efficiently.
Expert Advice on How to Cook Easier and Faster
Below we are sharing with you some tips and tricks that you could turn into habits and change the way you cook in the long run.
Mentally go Through the Process in Advance
Before even starting the preparation process, read the recipe thoroughly and mentally walk through the process. It’s a small thing but it goes a long way in making you more efficient in the kitchen.
This will help you create a plan that will allow you to multitask and order the steps in the most time-efficient way.
“Mise en place”
Mise en place is a French term that chefs use for cutting and preparing all the necessary ingredients before you start cooking. If it is going to be a more complicated meal, set different areas for ingredients that you are going to use in different stages of the process.
This will save a lot of time and also prevent overcooking that happens when you haven’t prepared in advance and are hectically trying to cut ingredients when it’s too late.
Prepare Cookware and Utensils in Advance
Another thing to prepare before you start cooking is the cookware you will need. Get all the pots and pans out of the cupboard so that you don’t waste time looking for them while cooking, which will not only make you less efficient but create unnecessary chaos.
If the recipe requires you to preheat the oven, turn it on before you start prepping, so that you could place the tray inside just when you are ready.
Get the Water Boiling First
If the recipe requires you to boil some water, let that be the first thing you do as soon as you get home. Place the pot with some water on the stove first thing after you take your shoes off, and then get to everything else.
If you want the water to boil faster, never forget to put the lid on. An electric jug will go a long way in helping you cook faster, so if you have one, use it to heat the water in advance.
Store Recipes
Find the way to store recipes that work best for you. Nowadays there are some amazing apps that help you store and order numerous recipes in convenient ways.
Of course, if you favor the old-school way of using pen and paper, create a notebook with recipes that will always be at arm’s reach when you need it.
An app for recipe storing has a great advantage and it’s the fact that it allows you to find and store recipes from all over the Internet.
Sharpen your Knives
Few things could be as frustrating during cooking as using a dull knife. You don’t really need many knifes to cook efficiently.
Even professional chefs usually use up to three different kinds of knifes except for some specific cases. What is important, however, is that the knives you use most often are sharp at all times.
A dull knife will not only slow you down but it also poses a risk of a cutting accident as it slides off different foods while you’re cutting them.
Clean on the Go
You don’t need a professional to tell you that cleaning while you are cooking is essential for an efficient cooking process. Clutter created by empty pans and pots will slow you down and make the process a lot less pleasant.
As soon as you’re done using a dish, place it in the sink and wash it while you’re waiting for food to boil, bake, or stew.
Improvise
If you want to prepare a certain recipe but you don’t have all the necessary ingredients, don’t be afraid to improvise and change them with what you have available in your fridge or pantry.
For example, in some cases, you can substitute butter for oil, milk with water or one type of meat with another.
Have a Meal Plan
Try to set some time aside each week for meal planning. Make a list of all the ingredients you will need for the weekly menu and shop during the weekend.
In that way, you will have all the necessary ingredients in your fridge exactly when you need them and you wouldn’t have to spend extra time in the shop, or wondering what to cook for tomorrow’s lunch.
My name is Scarlett Mitchell and i am an author and editor in the home topic website – FemCasa.com.
I’m just an enthusiast who wants to share her visions, ideas and advices, when it comes to decorating every part of your home until it becomes the perfect relaxing place for you and your family.