Techniques

From cooking fundamentals to primers on advanced culinary techniques, these how-to guides will help inform every dish you make no matter your skill level.
Canned tomatoes being lifted from a pot
Canning Tomatoes Is Easier Than You Think—Just Don’t Skip This Crucial Food Safety Step
Salt being sprinkled on two raw beef cuts on a tray
The Salting Trick Chefs Use That Most Recipes Never Explain
Blueberries and pitted cherries scattered on a white surface
Don’t Let Your Summer Fruit Turn to Mush—7 Tips to Freeze It the Right Way
Chicken breasts cooking on a grill with tongs holding one piece
This 5-Minute Trick Guarantees Crispy Crusts and Killer Grill Marks
A pot of tomato sauce with a wooden spoon lifting some sauce
The #1 Way People Ruin Tomato Sauce—and How to Fix It
Orzo pasta salad with vegetables and chickpeas
Most Pasta Salad Is Bad—Here's How to Make It Great
Overhead view of baking set up for grill
You’ve Been Underusing Your Grill—Here’s How to Bake on It
Scrambled eggs served on a white plate with a blue trim
Here's How to Crack the Code on Restaurant-Quality Scrambled Eggs
Cooked potato and halloumi gratin with herbs viewed from above
This Underused Kitchen Tool Will Save You From Summer Cooking Hell
Dipping breaded pickles into heated oil in dutch oven with slotted spoon
You're Probably Throwing Away Frying Oil Way Too Soon
Slices of zucchini and eggplant grilling on a barbecue with metal tongs
You've Been Grilling Zucchini Wrong (but It's Not Your Fault)
Closeup of a bowl of pesto being mixed with a wooden pestle
You're Making Pesto Wrong—Try This for a Creamier, Greener Sauce
Close up of ice cream
No Ice Cream Maker? Just 2 Magic Ingredients Do the Work
Side view of caesar pasta
This Is the Most Overlooked Step in Every Recipe—and It Takes 5 Seconds
Lemon vinaigrette in a small bowl next to a plate of greens.
Stop Tossing Sad, Barely Dressed Salads—This Simple Vinaigrette Trick Changes Everything
A cheeseburger with melted cheese lettuce tomato ketchup and a soft toasted bun
You're Probably Not Grilling Burgers This Way—But You Should Be
Two steaks cooking in a cast iron skillet with steam rising up
Cooking Steak at Home? Don’t Make This Rookie Mistake
A bowl filled with diced watermelon pieces
Stop Serving Soggy Watermelon—This Genius Trick Will Save Your Cookout
Grilled corn cooking on a barbecue grill
Grilled Corn Deserves Better—Here’s How to Do It Right
Vegetables on a grill.
Tired of Ruining Food on the Grill? This Simple Fix Changes Everything
Cooked chicken pieces in a skillet, ready for a recipe or serving
The Lazy Cook's Secret to Juicy Chicken With Crispy Skin
Stacked slices of green zucchini and yellow squash on a cutting board, arranged neatly
Zucchini Deserves Better—Here's How to Cook It Right
6 Game-Changing Prep Tips That Will Instantly Improve Your Cooking
Assorted vegetables sliced and seasoned, arranged on a tray for cooking
The One Vegetable You're Grilling All Wrong—and How to Fix It
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The Secret to Creamy, Scoopable Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Machine
braised chicken thighs in a stainless steel saute pan
This “Wrong” Way to Cook Chicken Is Actually Perfect
Peeled peaches on a cutting board.
I Peeled Crates of Peaches as a Pastry Cook—This Is the Fastest, Easiest Way
Closeup of grilled hot dogs and sausages on a grill
Stop Ruining Hot Dogs—Learn This Before Your Next Cookout
Two steaks in a cast iron pan
Seasoning Isn't Enough—This Is the Secret to Cast Iron Success
Person grilling on a barbecue grill in a wooded outdoor setting, food laid out on a table in the foreground
Grilling Summer School
A person finely dicing an onion with a knife on a wooden cutting board
Never Cry While Cutting Onions Again—This Science-Backed Trick Actually Works
Smoked brisket on a barbecue grill
The Lazy—but Brilliant—Way to Smoke Meat on a Charcoal Grill
Sliced cooked onion rounds
Forget the Skillet—This Microwave Trick Gets You Great Onions Fast
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Hot Kitchen? Here’s How to Keep Your Pie Dough From Melting
Three plate collage of dishes with double sauce
The Chefs' Cheat Code for Instantly Elevating Any Dish
Side view of dicing an onion
This Is the Safest and Fastest Way to Dice an Onion, and Almost No One Teaches It
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I Asked 5 Chefs How to Make the Perfect Salad—Here's What They Said
Leeks and Green Beans cooked with different PH balances, labeled Low, Control, and High on parchment paper
Revolutionize Your Vegetable Cooking With This Simple Tweak
Asparagus being blanched in a large stock pot filled with water. Someone is removing the asparagus with a pair of tongs.
The One Big Vegetable Cooking Tip Almost Everyone Gets Wrong (Including Chefs)
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The 30-Minute Banana Ripening Hack You Wish You Knew Sooner
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The Stand Mixer Setting Home Bakers Overlook, According to a Pastry Chef
basmati rice in a bowl with a silver spoon accompanied by jars of brined vegetables
You Might Be Tossing an Ingredient That Could Instantly Improve Your Rice
Overhead view of cookie
A Pastry Chef's 2-Minute Trick for Perfect Round Cookies
Putting onion with stock into a pot
Stop Tossing This "Garbage" Ingredient—Use It to Boost Your Stocks and Broths Instead
Diced pancetta in a skillet being stirred with a slotted spatula
The Easy Restaurant Trick for Cutting Bacon Without a Mess
salt being sprinkled into a bowl with raw eggs before whisking
The Scrambled Egg Technique Gordon Ramsay Was Dead Wrong On
Basting lamb.
You Might Be Carving Rack of Lamb Wrong. Here's the Best Way to Do It
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6 Measuring Mistakes That Derail Dessert
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These Everyday Ingredients Are the Best Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs
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This Simple Trick Lets You Enjoy Fresh Scones Whenever You Want
Collage of a stand mixer and shredded chicken
The Easiest and Quickest Way to Shred Chicken
Overhead view of a hand reaching to grab many cookies
Tackle Holiday Cookie Baking Like a Pro With These 4 Tips
Graphic for Rice Cooking Hack
The 10-Second Restaurant Trick for Perfect Fluffy Rice Every Time
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How to Best Freeze Cookie Dough
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Do You Scoop or Spoon Your Flour? A Pastry Chef Weighs In on How to Measure Flour Correctly
How to Make a Herringbone Pie Crust
The Easy, Mess-Free Method for Crispy, Tender Chicken Wings
A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate.
7 Rules for Making Perfect Pie Dough, According to a Pastry Chef