Some people claim that cooking is a dying art because of our reliance on ready-to-eat foods and our fondness for eating out. However, thanks to some popular TV shows and some high-profile celebrity chefs, cooking is making a comeback.
Cooking is not taught in schools in the way that it used to be, and so some of us are lacking in basic skills to complete the recipes that we find online.
There are some essential skills that we should all know, and here are a few of them.
Cooking Meat Correctly
It is essential that raw meat is cooked correctly, and different meats need to be cooked in different ways. According to NHS information, raw meat and poultry can contain harmful bacteria.
You can pan-fry steak and eat it when the centre of the meat is still raw. However, chicken must be thoroughly cooked right through so that it is no longer pink.
Cooking meat can create a lot of fat as oils escape from the meat during the cooking process. You can prevent this from blocking your drains using stainless steel grease traps from a supplier such as ukgreasetrapsdirect.co.uk/stainless-steel-grease-traps.
Preparing Garlic and Onions
These are very common ingredients in all sorts of recipes, so it is vital that you know how to prepare them correctly. Sucking a teaspoon whilst chopping will prevent your eyes from watering so that you can see what you are doing! Start by chopping off the top of the onion, and then cut the onion in half but leave the root part attached. Now peel away the skin and make two horizontal cuts. Slice it vertically, but you will have to hold it together as you chop. Finally, chop downwards, working from the flat end of the onion towards the root.
Crushed garlic is preferred in many recipes to sliced or chopped garlic because it distributes itself better through the dish. Start by peeling the clove. Cut it into quarters and sprinkle with a little salt. Use the flat of a knife to crush each quarter. Use the blade in a paddling motion to make sure that the whole clove gets crushed. Scrape it all back up into a smaller pile and crush it again. You may have to do this several times until it becomes a fine paste.
