Techniques
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Buy loose popcorn kernels and pop them in a brown paper bag in the microwave.
It saves money and requires no oil.
5 people, independently
Steam eggs in a pot with a lid and a steamer basket using only a small amount of water.
It takes less time to boil a small amount of water than an entire pot.
- Most people do not have steaming equipment in their home.
3 people, independently
Prepare eggs using an Instant Pot or similar pressure vessel.
Low-pressure steaming creates a gap between the egg white and the shell by inflating the internal air space.
5 people, independently
Rotate the egg on a level surface; if it turns smoothly and halts quickly, it is cooked. If it wobbles, resists spinning, or restarts after a pause, it is raw.
In uncooked eggs, the liquid interior keeps moving when the shell stops, causing the egg to spin again.
- Spinning too hard may cause the egg to crack.
5 people, independently
Crack eggs gently on a flat surface rather than the edge of a bowl or pan to get a cleaner break, reduce shell fragments in food, and lower the chance of bacterial contamination.
Bacteria are usually located right under the shell, and sharp edges cause shells to shatter more easily.
- One source notes that cracking on the counter makes a mess of the counter.
- One source reports never having shell in eggs despite cracking on the side of the bowl.
8 people, independently
eggs, egg, water, shell30
Scoop out small shell pieces from raw eggs using a larger fragment of the same broken shell.
Pierce the fat end of an egg with a pin or piercer before hard-boiling to prevent the shell from sticking.
Shells tend to come off easily.
3 people, independently
- Peel hard-boiled eggs while they are submerged in water.1
Moisten your fingers with water before removing tiny shell bits from raw eggs.
Water prevents the egg white from sticking while allowing the shell fragments to adhere to your skin.
11 people, independently
Scoop out small shell pieces from raw eggs using a larger fragment of the same broken shell.
Shell tends to stick to other shell and slices through the white without sliding, unlike metal utensils.
- Jagged edges can damage the yolk.
- Some users report this method never works for them.
15 people, independently
Crack multiple raw eggs into a cup or bowl before pouring them into the pan.
This prevents hot oil from spitting at you and allows you to check that the eggs are fresh before cooking.
- It requires cleaning an extra dish.
- If oil is spitting, it may be too hot, which makes achieving a saucy yolk difficult.
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Use butter instead of oil for cooking eggs if you can control the heat properly.
Eggs taste way better fried in butter.
- Most people recommend oil for its extra heat tolerance.
one person who lived it
Steam eggs instead of boiling them to cook multiple eggs at once without washing up pots.
They cook faster with less water, saving fuel and water.
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Shock cooked eggs by placing them in cold water for 30 seconds.
It makes the egg instantly peelable.
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- Drop eggs directly into already boiling water, then transfer them to an ice bath.1
Peel boiled eggs immediately after they have cooled down, or peel them under a cold tap.
Waiting too long allows the membrane to fuse to the cooked whites; peeling under water helps the membrane come off in one go.
4 people, independently
Shake hard-boiled eggs vigorously in a lidded container partially filled with water to remove the shells.
It separates itself.
- Soft-boiled eggs do not work so well.
4 people, independently
Cook fried eggs on high heat while paying close attention, spooning fat over the top.
This produces crispy edges and a runny yolk.
one person who lived it
Place the microwave popcorn bag on top of a hot drink for one minute before microwaving to pre-warm the grease sachet.
It improves the pop rate.
one person who lived it
Add cream or cream cheese to scrambled eggs, whisk extensively, and stir frequently in the pan.
Makes soft, fluffy eggs.
- Some recommend sour cream or water if heavy cream is unavailable.
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Steam eggs for 13 minutes.
This method yields perfect results without needing old eggs, room temperature adjustments, or an ice bath, and prevents green yolks while allowing easy peeling.
2 people, independently
To test if a stainless steel pan is hot enough, drop water on it; it should bead up and float like mercury without sizzling.
This demonstrates the Leidenfrost Effect.
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Fry eggs separately.
This ensures that a rotten egg will not ruin the entire batch.
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Use a dedicated, unwashed pot for stovetop popcorn: coat with thin oil, test with 3 kernels, add 3/4 cup kernels, cover, shake occasionally, and serve with light salt but no butter to maintain crispness.
Keeping butter off the popcorn maintains its crispness.
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Buy a countertop kernel popper.
It makes perfectly popped popcorn without chemicals or fake butter, and saves money compared to microwave bags.
- It is a single-use appliance that takes up space.
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Cook eggs long enough to prevent sticking to the shell.
If the egg is still sticking, it hasn't been cooked long enough.
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Use correct cookware and only a light coating of oil on gentle heat to fry eggs.
Using too much oil causes popping and splattering; burning fats ruins the taste of the eggs.
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Order eggs 'poached hard' at restaurants to receive a fully cooked egg similar to a hard-boiled one.
You get sweet solid yolky goodness.
- You sacrifice some white.
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Bring eggs to room temperature before boiling and heat them slowly to prevent cracking.
Thermal shock from putting fridge-cold eggs into rapidly boiling water causes shells to crack.
2 people, independently
Cook scrambled eggs slowly over low heat.
This prevents the eggs from becoming brown, burnt, or leathery.
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Save the plastic liner from microwave popcorn bags, lay it flat, and shake cooked popcorn onto it to separate unpopped kernels for easy disposal.
Unpopped kernels fall out onto the plastic rather than sticking to plates with hot oil, preventing children from accidentally eating them.
- This contributes to unrecycled plastic waste.
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Massage or smush the unopened microwave popcorn bag before heating to break up the butter and distribute oil evenly.
It helps the bag cook more evenly.
3 people, independently
Order eggs 'over medium' at restaurants to ensure fully set whites with a runny yolk for dipping.
Most breakfast spots don't properly cook them otherwise.
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Shake an egg lightly; if you feel liquid sloshing inside, it is raw.
3 people, independently
Leave spice container lids open after shaking spices into a hot pan to prevent moisture from getting trapped inside.
Leaving them open prevents moisture from getting trapped inside.
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Test the oil temperature with one kernel before adding the rest; add the remaining kernels only after the test kernel pops.
3 people, independently
onions, tears, chopping, reduce17
Leave the onion’s root end intact until the final step of chopping.
Stand near an open window or use a fan to blow onion vapors away from your face.
Moving air prevents tears by removing vapors.
5 people, independently
- Chew gum, particularly mint gum, while chopping onions to help prevent tears.3
Leave the onion’s root end intact until the final step of chopping.
The root area contains a high concentration of irritating compounds and cells that release gas when smashed.
11 people, independently
Chew gum or hold a spoon in your mouth while chopping to encourage breathing through the mouth.
Moving oxygen through the mouth instead of the nose may help prevent tearing.
- This helps as long as you do not rub your eyes.
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Hold an object between your teeth to force mouth breathing and prevent nasal inhalation of fumes.
Breathing through the nose is what triggers the reaction.
2 people, independently
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Whistle or blow air while chopping to direct fumes away from your face.
Blowing air helps move the fumes away from your eyes.
2 people, independently
Soak peeled onions in water for a period before cutting to reduce tear-inducing compounds.
- One user noted soaking for an hour was effective but did not completely eliminate tearing.
3 people, independently
- Submerge onions in water or store them in the refrigerator before cutting to reduce gas release.2
- Cut onions before chilies.1
- Rinse your hands occasionally during chopping to relieve onion irritation.1
Wear swim goggles or motorcycle goggles to physically block gases from reaching your eyes.
Contact between gases and tears produces sulfuric acid; goggles prevent this contact.
3 people, independently
Wet the knife blade between slices.
It seals the 'pain mist' and reduces airborne irritants.
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Rinse chopped raw onions before adding them to salads to reduce intense flavor while retaining crunch.
It improves taste by removing strong flavor without losing the crunchy element.
- Some argue the point of onions is their intense flavor and suggest using less onion instead.
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Use a sharp knife to chop onions and chilies to reduce oil release and irritation.
A cleaner cut avoids mashing the vegetable, which releases less irritating oil.
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Learn proper cutting techniques to chop quickly, reducing the time available for tears to form.
Speed limits the duration of exposure.
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Cut hot peppers after onions to avoid transferring spicy residue to your eyes when wiping tears.
Wiping tear-stained hands with pepper residue causes eye irritation.
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Designate a specific cutting board for alliums to prevent their lingering smell and taste from tainting other foods.
The odor persists on boards even after washing.
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meat, patties, burger, cooking30
Press a dimple into the center of uncooked patties with your thumb to prevent them from swelling into a ball while cooking.
Place bacon on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to let fat drip away and prevent sogginess.
It keeps the meat out of its own grease for even crispiness and prevents splatter.
3 people, independently
Use ground meat that is 85% lean to avoid dryness or excessive grease.
Meat that is too lean (90%) tends to be dry and grainy, while meat that is too fatty (70%) can cause grease fires.
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Ensure the pan is very hot before adding meat to help with browning rather than steaming.
A cold pan steams the meat.
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- Divide ground meat into smaller portions or flatten it in the skillet to avoid overcrowding and ensure proper browning.1
Cook thick-cut bacon in an air fryer on the low grill setting for 14 minutes.
One user reported this yields perfect bacon every time.
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Move veggies to the side of the pan to bloom spices in the collected fat, then mix back together.
This distributes the flavor.
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Finish cooking burgers on a griddle and press them with a metal press to sear the outside and remove grease.
Pressing finishes cooking the meat, removes grease, and sears the outside.
- Some sources advise never pressing juice out of burgers.
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Sandwich bacon between sheets of parchment paper or baking sheets to prevent curling and splattering.
This method, used in restaurants, contains the cooking process.
2 people, independently
Weave half-slices of bacon in a 3x3 pattern between two sheet pans to make high-quality BLT sandwiches.
makes an S tier BLT
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Run a slice of bread through the meat grinder at the end to clean it and use the resulting crumbs as a binder.
It cleans the grinder and provides a binding agent.
one person who lived it
Make patties slightly thinner so they do not ball up during cooking.
so they don't ball up
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Cook ground beef over medium heat.
Ground beef prefers medium heat.
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Score hot dogs crossways or filet them down the middle to hold condiments and improve texture.
Scores provide a crispy effect; fileting holds all condiments.
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Bake bacon at 350°F for 7 minutes, rotate the strips, and bake for another 7 minutes.
It's perfect every time.
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Spiral cut hot dogs with a knife and skewer before grilling to increase surface area for crispiness and hold condiments.
Creates more surface area for crispy meat and keeps condiments in place.
- Do not spiral cut cheese-filled sausages or high-quality beef hot dogs.
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Make the sauce in the same skillet used to cook meat.
Deglazing captures browned proteins and carbohydrates left in the pan.
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If hamburger patties are crumbling, lower the heat as high heat causes them to break apart.
High heat causes patties to crumble like hockey pucks.
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Press a dimple into the center of uncooked patties with your thumb to prevent them from swelling into a ball while cooking.
The indent eliminates swelling and helps the burger maintain its shape.
4 people, independently
- Press a thumbprint into raw burger patties before seasoning.1
Freeze formed patties and grill them frozen to keep them thin and uniform and prevent shrinkage.
Grilling frozen patties helps keep them from shrinking.
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Focus on cooking method and time rather than oiling the outside to ensure juicy meat.
Juiciness depends on removing water from muscle fibers, not surface oil.
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Stack two thin patties instead of cooking one thick patty for a thicker burger; you can also place cheese between them.
It is considered better than cooking a single thick patty.
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Ensure parchment paper extends beyond the pan edges to stop grease from seeping underneath.
This prevents grease from creating a mess under the paper.
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Lower the cooking temperature if food burns instantly.
Instant burning indicates the temperature is too high, creating a narrow window for success.
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Form burger patties into loose balls or oval shapes instead of flat discs to retain juiciness by reducing surface area.
Lower surface area makes the burger super juicy.
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Use a plastic jar lid lined with plastic wrap as a mold to create uniform burger patties.
The lid ensures uniform thickness and the plastic wrap makes removal easier.
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Use a waffle iron as a grill for sandwiches, steaks, sausages, and hot dogs by leaving it unlatched.
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Align the ground meat fibers in a single direction before forming patties.
One person reported this method improved their burger texture.
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Sear only one side of meat cubes thoroughly before stewing to add flavor without overcooking the interior.
Hard searing just one side prevents overcooking while still adding browned flavors.
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Use a meat thermometer when cooking meats to ensure precise internal temperatures.
It results in better-tasting precisely cooked meat.
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cheese, butter, melts, grate20
When a pastry recipe asks to 'cut in' cold butter, freeze it first and grate it into the flour using a cheese grater or microplane.
This method creates small, cold butter pieces that mix evenly into the dough for a crumbly texture.
4 people, independently
- Use a food processor or pastry cutter to incorporate cold butter as an alternative to grating or hand-cutting.1
If you live in a non-tropical climate and use salted butter frequently, leave it on the counter in a covered dish to keep it spreadable.
Salt preserves the butter, keeping it stable at room temperature for weeks without needing to microwave it.
- In hot, humid weather, butter left out may smell funny the next day.
- Leaving butter out without submersion risks foodborne illness according to some sources.
4 people, independently
Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and let it sit in the fridge overnight or for a few days before cooking.
This process helps the chicken cook more evenly and retain moisture.
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Cook grilled cheese sandwiches over low heat rather than high heat.
High heat causes the bread to burn before the cheese melts; slower cooking prevents this.
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Cut blocks of cheese into sticks yourself.
It saves money and reduces packaging waste.
2 people, independently
Chop, crush, and sauté garlic in light oil over low heat.
This method is important for maximizing flavor.
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Freeze soft block cheese for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
It makes cutting easier.
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Use oil instead of butter for stovetop popping to prevent burning.
Butter will burn.
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Use a fork to spread butter on hot corn on the cob.
The tines and space between them provide better grip as the butter melts.
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Save cooking fats from other meals to use as a substitute for butter when making roux or needing pan grease.
It helps stretch your supply of butter.
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Place cheese on the burger near the end of cooking so it melts before removing from the heat.
Ensures the cheese is melted by the time the burger is done.
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Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese onto the buttered side of the bread.
It gets nice and crusty and tastes delicious.
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Use ghee on bread.
It provides a beautiful crisp texture and fabulous flavor.
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Cut butter into smaller pieces before grating to prevent your hands from warming it up.
Holding a whole block while grating transfers heat; smaller pieces are processed before they warm.
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Shake parmesan cheese shakers parallel to the ground rather than upside down.
Shaking parallel allows the grate to slice the cheese, whereas turning it upside down causes clumping.
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Grate fresh parmesan from a block using a fine grater or zester instead of using pre-grated shaker cheese.
This provides better flavor and quality.
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Cube cold butter and submerge it directly in body-temperature water for a few seconds, then shake off excess water.
Butter already contains water, so getting it wet is acceptable; this method softens butter quickly without using a microwave.
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Fix grainy cheese sauce by adding sodium citrate, slices of American cheese, or increasing the fat percentage.
American cheese contains sodium citrate; increasing fat helps the sauce reemulsify.
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Fry bacon in refrigerated grease saved from previous cooking sessions.
It is delicious.
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flavor, vinegar, salt, umami15
Add umami-rich ingredients like ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, anchovies, parmesan cheese, or garlic to meals for meaty richness and deeper savory notes.
Sprinkle salt on salads to add to flavor.
Vegetables need salt; lack of salt can make them seem unappealing.
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Avoid using commercial cooking wine because it is loaded with salt and tastes bad.
It contains enough added salt to render it undrinkable.
- Salted rice wine from an Asian market is a better alternative.
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Grind pepper fresh for each use to get better taste and more flavor with less quantity.
Freshly ground pepper provides superior taste and allows you to use less while getting more flavor.
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Add umami-rich ingredients like ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, anchovies, parmesan cheese, or garlic to meals for meaty richness and deeper savory notes.
They add to layers of flavor.
4 people, independently
- Use Worcestershire sauce as a versatile umami enhancer in place of or alongside soy sauce.1
- Enhance umami flavor in dishes by adding MSG, finely chopped mushrooms, or anchovy paste.1
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Use Roma tomatoes for canning and sauces, but avoid them for salsa.
They are not good for salsa.
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Add acid, such as lemon juice, lime juice, or apple cider vinegar, to vegetable soups.
It fixes missing flavor elements by adding a pleasant tangy-ness.
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Salt food adequately, even in small amounts.
It wakes up taste buds and prevents bland meals.
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Use apple cider vinegar when cooking meats, especially in slow cookers like for pulled pork, to improve flavor.
One person reported this changed their life.
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Use papayas or pineapples in marinades.
They contain enzymes (papain and bromelain) which break down proteins.
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Ensure food is properly salted to improve flavor perception.
Under-salting is easier than over-salting, and proper salting turns mediocre food into delicious food.
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Add balsamic vinegar to jarred spaghetti sauce or beef stews.
It restores acidity and adds umami.
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Use quality salt without anti-caking agents for brining.
Anti-clumping agents in table salt can impart bitter and metallic tastes.
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Marinate plant-based proteins like tofu, seitan, TVP, and tempeh.
It enhances mouthfeel and taste.
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