14 Clever Cooking Hacks You Need to Try
Genius cooking tips
Anyone who's striving to follow a healthier diet should start by prepping more meals at home. Cooking your own food allows you to control portion sizes and ingredients used, not to mention it saves you money. But there is a learning curve when it comes to all that chopping, slicing, and dicing. That's why we've collected 14 clever tips and tricks for cooking at home from our friends at Food & Wine—no fancy gadgets or chef-worthy knife skills required.
1 of 15
Make mess-free pancakes
Pancakes are fluffy and delicious, but they leave you with a big mess to clean up. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn how to make pancakes without having to wash a single dish.
2 of 15
Cut cake layers without a knife
You don't have to be a baking expert to cut cake into perfectly even layers. Watch this Food & Wine video for a genius tip that anyone can do.
3 of 15
Poach the perfect egg
Poaching the perfect egg is easier than it looks. The secret is starting with a simple household ingredient. Watch this Food & Wine video to see how to poach an egg.
4 of 15
Make light, fluffy potato gnocchi
To make light and fluffy potato gnocchi, you need to know how to handle the dough. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn which kitchen tool can help you make pillowy (not dense) gnocchi.
5 of 15
Peel hard-boiled eggs effortlessly
The only thing worse than having bits of shell stuck to your hard-boiled egg, is mangling the egg whites while trying to make deviled eggs. But there is a way to get a clean peel. Watch this Food & Wine video to find an easy way to peel hard-boiled eggs.
6 of 15
Peel a kiwi without squashing the fruit
Kiwi fruit is super healthy (it's a great source of fiber, vitamin C, and folate), but it's a pain to peel. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn how to peel a kiwi without cutting off a bunch of the fruit.
7 of 15
Shuck an oyster with ease
Chef José Andrés demonstrates how to open an oyster—including a surprising shortcut. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn his super easy technique.
8 of 15
Peel ginger with a spoon
Is fresh ginger hard to peel? Well, it has a lot of nooks and crannies that make it look intimidating. Watch this Food & Wine video for a genius way to peel fresh ginger using just a regular spoon and how to mince ginger with a fork.
9 of 15
Poach salmon with a sandwich bag
Poaching salmon is one of healthiest ways to prepare this delicious fish. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn a creative trick for poaching juicy, flavorful salmon.
10 of 15
Revive stale bread in your oven
Bread is best when it's crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. Stale bread is neither of those things. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn a super easy way to revive stale bread so that it looks and tastes fresh.
11 of 15
Separate egg whites with a water bottle
If you've ever tried to separate egg whites from their yolks, then chances are you've had to deal with leftover bits of the shells. Next time you're making an egg-white omelet or a batch of rich pastries, separate yolks in bulk using this easy, foolproof technique.
Watch the video: How to Separate Egg Whites With a Water
Bottle
12 of 15
Slice soft cheese without the mess
Making perfect slices of soft cheese like brie or goat cheese can be difficult (and messy) with a knife. Watch this Food & Wine video for a genius tip—and it works on cookie dough, too!
13 of 15
Truss a chicken, no twine needed
For a perfectly roasted chicken, you'll need to truss your bird. It helps the meat cook evenly, and keeps the wings and legs from burning. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn how to save money by using dental floss instead of butcher's twine for this task.
14 of 15
Dry herbs in the microwave
Drying fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, and thyme is a great way to make them last longer. Watch this Food & Wine video to learn how to dry herbs in minutes using your microwave.
