From time to time, getting things done in the kitchen can turn into a real nightmare. Burning hot oil spatters your arms, you spill the milk everywhere, you can’t clean the burnt bits of food from the frying pan, and your eyes are burning from chopping onions.
To make things a bit easier, we’ve put together some truly irreplaceable pieces of advice to help you with food preparation, cleaning and organising your kitchen. You’ve probably never thought about any of them, but you’ll be amazed at how useful each one of them is.
Food preparation
1. How to quickly remove seeds from vegetables
boilbroil
Remove seeds from vegetables such as squash and pumpkin with an ice cream scoop. Because the edge of the scoop is sharp, it cuts through the fibery, gooey stuff inside the squash easier than your hand or a regular spoon can.
2. How to get rid of excess fat
naplesillustrated
Spoon out excess fat from stocks, stews, and sauces by skimming a few ice cubes (wrapped in a paper towel or cheese cloth) along the surface of the liquid. The ice helps the fat solidify, making it easier to remove with a spoon or a piece of toast.
3. Avoid plastic wrap disasters
blogspot
Had enough of wrangling plastic wrap? Store the roll in the fridge to store leftovers with less of a hassle. Chilling the wrap makes it easier to transport it from the roll to your bowl.
4. Peel citrus fruits without the mess
forwallpaper
To avoid the mess and frustration, roll citrus fruits and/or microwave them for a minute for easy peeling (just be careful to not burn yourself).
5. Make eggshell removal even easier
tesco
Add baking soda or vinegar to water when boiling eggs for easier shell removal. Both substances permeate the eggshells and help the albumen (that’s fancy speak for egg whites) separate from the shell.
6. Make citrus fruits even juicier
liberty
To get the most juice out of a lemon, refrigerate then microwave it for 15 to 20 seconds. Bonus tips: Roll citrus fruits before squeezing, cut them lengthwise, and/or use a pair of tongs to squeeze instead of your own two hands.
7. Cut the (soft) cheese with ease
healtheо
Slice soft cheeses such as brie and goat cheese with unflavoured dental floss to avoid smooshing them. This trick also works for cake and cookie dough logs!
8. Prevent onions from making you weep
jjrecepty
To stop onion-induced tears, freeze the onion before chopping. (Note: This trick only works if you’re planning to cook the onions later—otherwise, after the onion thaws out, the raw pieces will be a bit soggy!) Or if you want to look absolutely crazy when your housemate walks in, put a slice of bread in your mouth (partially sticking out) to absorb the irritant gas before it reaches the eyes.
9. Keep pots from boiling over
melissasloveoffood
Prevent overboiling by placing a wooden spoon across a pot. Because wood is not a good material for conducting heat, the hot water strays away from the handle.
10. Cook a whole bird evenly
kalaeva
When cooking an entire turkey or chicken, ice the breast of the bird. Since the dark thigh meat needs more time to cook than the white breast meat, chilling the breasts will promote even cooking. (Check out these other tips for making the perfect turkey.)
11. Use parchment paper for muffins
barefeetinthekitchen
No muffin liners? No problem! Use five-inch squares of parchment paper instead. To help the paper stick better, spray each well first. Then press the squares into each hole, folding the sides as needed to create flat walls. Plus, the makeshift liners look pretty darn fancy with those popped collars.
12. Reheat pizza and other baked goods without drying them out
ilcento
When reheating pizza or baked goods, place a cup of water in the microwave with it to add moisture to the air (therefore keeping the food from drying out).
Food Storage
1. Save fresh herbs for later use
brusselsfoodfriends
Use an ice-cube tray or muffin tin to freeze fresh chopped herbs in water, olive oil, or stock for later use as a seasoning agent.
2. Extend nuts’ shelf life
poleznayagazeta
Freeze shelled nuts to preserve their natural oils (which may go rancid at room temperature over time).
Cleaning
1. Clean cast-iron without causing rust
smud
Scrubbing cast-iron with soapy water is a no-no (it’ll strip away the seasoning on the pan built up from all those dishes). Instead, clean cast-iron with a salt scrub to remove stuck-on bits of food.
2. Remove icky cooking smells from your hands
lifehacker
Neutralize garlic- or onion-scented hands by rubbing them with lemon juice, baking soda, or stainless steel. Why stainless steel? When you touch the material, the molecules in the steel bind with the stinky-stanky causing molecules (such as sulphur from garlic).
3. Make an electric kettle glimmer
teapotandkettle
Lime scale often builds up on electric kettles, French presses, and other metal kitchen tools. To make them shimmer and shine like they’re brand new, scrub them with one part vinegar to one part water. If there are no electrical elements to what you’re cleaning, go ahead and soak the metal in the solution, or fill a kettle with the vinegar water and let it sit overnight.
4. Bring new life to wooden spoons
vignettedesign
When wooden spoons don’t exactly look (or smell) like they used to, boil them in a pot of water and leave them lying in the sun to dry.
5. Keep wooden cutting boards looking new
liveinternet
Scrub a wooden cutting board with coarse salt and massage with half a lemon to clean away food particles and food smells. Rub the board with food-grade mineral oil (find it at a hardware store) to condition the wood once a month.
7. Keep recipes clean
youtube
Display a recipe or cookbook from your kitchen cabinet with a pants hanger. It’ll keep the pages in sight and out of the line of oil splatters or counter spills. Laptop stands are another effective tool to elevate heavier cookbooks off your workspace.
