Cooking is all about joy. It doesn’t have to be complicated. That’s why we get so excited when we discover new ways to make life in the kitchen just that little bit simpler.
Leave it to us! We reveal the handiest food hacks that will make you go “whaaaa?” and will have you heading straight to the kitchen to try them out for yourself.
1. Keep cookies soft… add a piece of bread to the container
A piece of bread releases moisture, which prevents cookies from going stale quickly. Clever, eh? Go for flavorless white bread.
Try this hack with these amazing Kinder Cookies.
2. Use bicarbonate of soda to make meat tender
Solve a teaspoon of baking soda in ½ cup water for every 12 ounces of meat. Add the meat to the solution and soak for at least 15 minutes. Your meat will be tender and beautiful.
3. Secure a chopping board with a wet tea towel
You can always buy a non-slip chopping board, but all you need is a wet tea towel placed underneath, and that chopping board is going nowhere.
4. Use a wine bottle as a rolling pin
Don’t have a rolling pin to hand? Just use a wine bottle… it works perfectly!
5. Drop cheesecake on the kitchen counter before it sets
To remove air bubbles from your cheesecake filling, drop the tin onto the countertop five to ten times from a height of approximately 5 inches. This will help it set and make it super smooth.
Try it yourself with this amazing Biscoff Cheesecake recipe.
6. Peel your eggs like a pro
Crack them gently, roll them on the kitchen countertop to get cracks all over the shell, then drop them in water. After a minute, peel them under water. Simple!
7. Cut your steak against the grain
Cutting against the grain cuts through the meat’s fibers. This makes the meat more tender and easier to chew.
8. Peel ginger with a teaspoon
When peeling ginger, ditch the vegetable peeler in favor of a teaspoon. Scrape the teaspoon along the piece of ginger – the skin will easily peel off.
9. Revive stale bread
Bring your bread back from the dead by giving it a quick rinse under water, wrapping it tightly in foil, and baking it on the middle rack of an off-oven. Heat to 300°F (150°C). After 15 minutes, remove the foil, return to the oven for another five minutes, and voilá!
10. Add liquids to nearly empty jars
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If your mustard or mayonnaise jar is empty, don’t toss it. Add a little pickle juice or vinegar, shake it, and add it to your salad dressings. You can do the same with sweet products like honey—just add a little water, shake it, and add it to sweet sauces.
11. Freeze overly ripe bananas for amazing vegan ice cream
Don’t throw away those black or bruised bananas. Peel them and place them in the freezer. Then, when frozen, whizz them up in a blender with nuts and maple syrup for a sublime vegan treat.
12. Use vegetable water for gravies, sauces or stocks
Don’t waste that vegetable water! Once you’ve steamed or boiled vegetables, use the leftover water for your savory sauce, gravy, or stock recipes. It’ll add an extra depth of flavor.
Check out this amazing Onion Gravy recipe.
13. Freeze stocks in ice cubes
It's so easy yet so effective. Pour your stock into an ice cube tray, giving you quick and easy access to flavor. Every time you want a boost, just drop a stock ice cube into your soup, stew, casserole, or gravy, then carry on cooking.
14. Prepare pomegranates by smacking them with a wooden spoon
This underrated fruit often puts people off because the arils and seeds you eat are hard to extract. But it’s easy: cut the pomegranate in half, turn seedside down, hold firmly from below, and smack the skinside of the fruit with a wooden spoon.
Check out this No Bake Pomegranate Cheesecake recipe.
15. Peel tomatoes in boiling water
Do you find it hard to peel tomatoes? Cut a cross in the base of the tomato, drop it into boiling water, and cover; remove and transfer to a bowl of ice water for a few minutes, then remove and peel.
16. Cut mangoes like a hedgehog
Slice down the mango, just off center, to narrowly miss the pip. Do this on both sides. Then, trim the sides from the pip in the central piece. Place the side pieces skin-side down on the cutting board and score in criss-cross patterns. Flip the mango inside out to look like a hedgehog, then pop the cubes off with your fingers.
17. Use a cup of water to check if eggs are fresh
Pop your eggs in a glass of water. If they sink and lay on their side, they’re good. If they sink and lay on their bottom end, they’re still good but not quite as fresh. If they float, they’re rotten.
18. Peel lots of garlic at one time
Shake up lots of garlic cloves in a sealed container or a bowl with a lid on. They should pop straight out of their skins. If not, add hot water and drain, then remove the skin.
19. Separate egg yolks from egg white using a plastic bottle
Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Lightly squeeze a small plastic bottle, then hold it over the yolk. Slowly release the squeeze and watch the yoke as it’s sucked on board!
20. Microwave lemons to get more juice
Place your lemons on a microwaveable plate and microwave them for 20-30 seconds. Allow to cool for a minute, slice open, then juice away. You’ll get a lot more juice than you would from cold lemons straight from the refrigerator.
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