Learn to cook: 252 techniques
Pantry to Pan's technique library is 252 free, plain guides to the cooking techniques recipes take for granted: what each technique is, how to do it step by step, why it works, and the mistakes to avoid.
Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F), King Arthur Baking's ingredient weight chart. Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.
The Pantry to Pan technique library is a free set of 252 short cooking guides for home cooks, from holding a chef's knife safely to tempering chocolate. Each guide explains one technique in plain steps, says why the technique works, and lists the mistakes that most often ruin it; the most-used guides show a real photo for every step. The food-safety guides follow the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: chicken and turkey are safe to eat at 165°F, ground beef at 160°F, and whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb at 145°F after a 3-minute rest, and perishable food should not sit between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours. A beginner can start with the ten essentials listed first, which cover the knife grip, dicing an onion, searing and seasoning to taste. In the Pantry to Pan app, technique words inside a saved recipe's steps link straight to the matching guide.
New to cooking? Start here
The ten that make the biggest difference, in order.
- Mise en place (getting everything ready first)Prepping and measuring every ingredient and setting out your tools before you turn on the heat.Beginner
- Holding a knife (the claw grip)A safe way to hold the knife and the food so your fingertips stay out of the blade's path.Beginner
- Dicing an onionCutting an onion into small, even cubes using the root to hold the layers together.Beginner
- Preheating the pan and the ovenLetting your oven or pan fully reach temperature before the food goes in.Beginner
- SearingBrowning the surface of meat or fish in a very hot pan for flavor.Beginner
- SautéingCooking pieces quickly in a little fat over medium-high heat, moving them often.Beginner
- Simmer vs. boilA simmer has small bubbles gently breaking the surface; a boil is big, constant, rolling bubbles.Beginner
- Seasoning to tasteTasting and adding salt, acid or sweetness until it tastes right to you.Beginner
- Using a meat thermometerChecking the inside temperature of meat so you know it's safe and not overcooked.Beginner
- Food safety: the danger zoneBetween 40°F and 140°F, bacteria multiply fast, so perishable food shouldn't sit there long.Beginner
Kitchen basics
Set yourself up: getting ready, heat, temperatures and food safety.
- Mise en place (getting everything ready first)Prepping and measuring every ingredient and setting out your tools before you turn on the heat.Beginner
- Reading a recipe before you startReading the whole recipe start to finish before you cook so there are no surprises.Beginner
- Preheating the pan and the ovenLetting your oven or pan fully reach temperature before the food goes in.Beginner
- Knowing when oil is hot, and smoke pointsReading the signs that oil is hot enough to cook in, and choosing an oil that suits the heat.Beginner
- Measuring ingredients (dry vs. liquid)Using the right cups and method so your amounts match what the recipe intended.Beginner
- Using a meat thermometerChecking the inside temperature of meat so you know it's safe and not overcooked.Beginner
- Carryover cookingFood keeps cooking from its own heat after you take it off the stove or out of the oven.Intermediate
- Food safety: the danger zoneBetween 40°F and 140°F, bacteria multiply fast, so perishable food shouldn't sit there long.Beginner
- Keeping raw meat separate (cross-contamination)Keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked.Beginner
- Thawing food safelyDefrosting frozen food in a way that keeps it out of the temperature range where bacteria grow.Beginner
- Caring for cast ironCleaning and oiling a cast-iron pan so it stays rust-free and naturally nonstick.Beginner
- Cleaning as you goWashing, wiping and putting things away during cooking so the mess never piles up.Beginner
- Storing and reheating leftovers safelyCooling, storing and reheating cooked food so it stays safe and still tastes good.Beginner
- Cutting boards: which to use and how to clean themChoosing wood or plastic boards and cleaning, drying and maintaining them so they stay safe and last.Beginner
- Storing produce so it lastsKnowing what goes in the fridge, what stays on the counter, and what to keep apart so fruits and vegetables last longer.Beginner
- Batch cooking and meal prepCooking larger amounts or ready-to-use components ahead so weekday meals come together fast.Beginner
- Plating food so it looks goodArranging food on the plate with color, height and space so it looks as good as it tastes.Beginner
Kitchen science
Why food does what it does: browning, gluten, emulsions, salt, sugar and more.
- The Maillard reaction: why browning tastes goodThe chemical reaction between proteins and sugars that turns seared steak, toast, roasted coffee and bread crust brown and savory.Beginner
- Caramelization vs. the Maillard reactionCaramelization is sugar alone breaking down under heat; the Maillard reaction needs protein too, and the two often happen together.Intermediate
- Gluten: how flour turns into structureGluten is the stretchy protein network that forms when wheat flour meets water, giving bread chew and cakes their structure.Intermediate
- How starch thickens saucesStarch granules soak up hot liquid, swell and leak long molecules that tangle together, turning thin liquid into a smooth sauce.Intermediate
- Why emulsions hold together, and why they breakAn emulsion is tiny droplets of one liquid suspended in another that normally will not mix, like oil in vinegar or butter in water.Intermediate
- How heat changes proteins: why eggs set and meat firms upHeat makes proteins unfold and bond to each other, which turns runny egg solid and soft raw meat firm, opaque and drier.Intermediate
- Collagen to gelatin: why tough cuts turn tenderSlow, moist cooking melts the tough connective tissue in hardworking cuts into gelatin, turning chewy meat into soft, succulent meat.Intermediate
- Salt and water: brining, curing and drawing out moistureSalt pulls water out of food at first, then gets absorbed and changes how meat and vegetables hold their moisture.Intermediate
- Baking soda vs. baking powderBoth release carbon dioxide gas to lift batters, but baking soda needs an acid in the recipe while baking powder brings its own.Beginner
- Acids and bases in cookingAcids like lemon, vinegar and tomato, and bases like baking soda, change food's color, texture, browning and flavor, not just its taste.Intermediate
- Why oils smoke and break downEvery fat starts to break apart and smoke at some temperature, and how refined and fresh the oil is changes that point.Intermediate
- Why fat carries flavorMany aroma molecules dissolve in fat rather than water, so fat holds flavors, spreads them and releases them slowly as you eat.Beginner
- What sugar does in baking, beyond sweetnessSugar tenderizes, keeps baked goods moist, helps them rise and brown, and steadies whipped eggs, so cutting it changes far more than sweetness.Intermediate
- What eggs do in bakingEggs build structure, trap air, bind fat and water together, and add richness and color, depending on how you use the whites and yolks.Intermediate
- Butter temperature and your cookies: melted, softened or coldThe same butter gives different cookies depending on its temperature, because it changes how much air and water end up in the dough.Intermediate
- Why water stalls browning: the 212°F ceilingAnything wet cannot get hotter than boiling water, about 212°F at sea level, so food has to dry before it can brown.Beginner
- How salt changes the way food tastesSalt does more than add saltiness; it quiets bitterness and makes the other flavors in food come forward.Beginner
- Umami and how to add more of itUmami is the savory, mouth-filling taste of broths, aged cheese and ripe tomatoes, one of the five basic tastes.Beginner
- Bitterness, and how to tame itBitterness comes from many compounds in greens, coffee, cocoa and burnt food, and you can soften it with salt, fat, sweetness or cooking.Intermediate
- Smell is most of flavorYour tongue senses only a few basic tastes; most of what you call flavor is aroma reaching your nose from inside your mouth.Beginner
- Fermentation: how yeast and bacteria make flavorFermentation is microbes eating sugars and starches and turning them into gas, acid, alcohol and new flavors, as in bread, yogurt, sauerkraut and miso.Intermediate
- Conduction, convection and radiation: how heat reaches foodThe three ways heat moves into food: by direct contact, by moving air, water or oil, and by glowing infrared rays.Beginner
- Choosing a pan: cast iron, stainless, nonstick or carbon steelHow the metal a pan is made of changes how it heats, holds heat, browns food and releases it.Beginner
- Your oven's real temperature and hot spotsChecking how hot your oven actually runs, and where it runs hotter, so recipes come out the way they should.Beginner
- Cooking and baking at high altitudeAdjusting recipes above about 3,000 feet, where lower air pressure makes water boil cooler and doughs rise faster.Intermediate
- Why crispy food goes soggy, and how to keep it crispCrispness is dryness: crisp crusts go soft when water from the moist inside, steam or sauce moves back into them.Intermediate
- Why color isn't a doneness testThe pink or brown color of meat depends on its chemistry, not only its temperature, so only a thermometer tells you it is safe.Beginner
- What really makes meat juicyJuicy meat comes mostly from not overcooking it, plus salt, fat and melted collagen, not from searing or sealing.Intermediate
- Why some cuts are tender and others toughA cut's tenderness depends on how hard that muscle worked and how much connective tissue it holds, which decides how to cook it.Intermediate
- Chocolate science: cocoa butter crystalsWhy chocolate snaps, shines or turns streaky and soft, depending on how its fat crystallizes as it cools.Advanced
- Sugar stages: thread, soft ball, hard crackAs sugar syrup boils, its temperature tells you how much water is left, which decides whether candy sets soft, chewy or glass-hard.Intermediate
- How yeast makes bread riseYeast eats sugars in dough and gives off carbon dioxide gas and flavor, while gluten traps the gas so bread rises.Intermediate
- Air, steam and chemistry: how baked goods riseBaked goods rise from three gases: air beaten in, steam from water, and carbon dioxide from yeast or baking soda and powder.Intermediate
- Why cold butter makes flaky pastryFlaky pastry comes from separate pieces of cold, solid fat in the dough that melt in the oven and leave layers.Intermediate
- Why cookies spread, and how to control itHow much a cookie spreads depends on how fast its fat melts compared with how fast its flour and egg set.Intermediate
- How mixing method changes a cake's textureThe order you combine fat, sugar, eggs and flour decides whether a cake turns out light and fluffy, tight and velvety, or coarse.Advanced
- Why green vegetables turn gray, and how to keep them greenGreen vegetables dull to olive-gray when heat and acid change their chlorophyll, so short cooking keeps them bright.Intermediate
- Why onions turn sweet when cookedHeat destroys the sharp sulfur compounds that form when you cut an onion and frees its natural sugars, so cooked onions taste sweet.Beginner
- Why raw, roasted and burnt garlic taste so differentHow finely you cut garlic and how you heat it decides whether it tastes fiery, mellow and sweet, or bitter.Intermediate
- Chile heat: where it comes from and how to cool itChile heat comes from capsaicin, an oily compound concentrated in the pale ribs, and it dissolves in fat and alcohol, not water.Beginner
- Freezing and freezer burn: what ice does to foodFreezing turns food's water into ice, which pauses spoilage but can damage texture and dry out surfaces as freezer burn.Intermediate
- Cooking with wine and spirits: what burns off and what doesn'tAlcohol adds flavor and dissolves aromas, but a good share of it stays in the food unless you cook it for a long time.Intermediate
Knife skills
Faster, safer, more even cuts.
- MincingCutting into the tiniest pieces you can — garlic, ginger, herbs.Beginner
- DicingCutting into even cubes: small (¼ inch), medium (½ inch) or large (¾ inch).Beginner
- JulienneCutting into thin matchsticks.Intermediate
- ChiffonadeCutting leafy herbs or greens into thin ribbons.Beginner
- ZestingGrating just the colored outer skin of citrus.Beginner
- Holding a knife (the claw grip)A safe way to hold the knife and the food so your fingertips stay out of the blade's path.Beginner
- Honing vs. sharpening a knifeHoning straightens a knife's edge between uses; sharpening grinds away metal to make a new edge.Beginner
- Rough choppingCutting food into pieces of about the same size without worrying about neat shapes.Beginner
- Slicing on the biasSlicing at a slant instead of straight across, which gives longer, oval pieces.Beginner
- Brunoise (a tiny, even dice)A very fine, even dice of about 1/8-inch cubes, often used for garnishes and sauces.Advanced
- Dicing an onionCutting an onion into small, even cubes using the root to hold the layers together.Beginner
- Peeling and smashing garlicUsing the flat of a knife to crack a garlic clove so the peel slips off and the clove is lightly crushed.Beginner
- Chopping fresh herbsCutting tender herb leaves finely without bruising them.Beginner
- Supreming citrusCutting citrus into clean segments with no peel, pith or membrane.Intermediate
- Butterflying meatSlicing a thick piece of meat almost in half and opening it like a book so it's thinner and even.Intermediate
- Cutting an avocado safelyHalving, pitting and cutting an avocado on the board without putting the knife anywhere near your hand.Beginner
- Choosing and caring for kitchen knivesPicking a few good knives that suit you, and washing and storing them so they stay sharp and safe.Beginner
Heat and cooking methods
Searing, roasting, braising, frying: what each one does to food.
- SearingBrowning the surface of meat or fish in a very hot pan for flavor.Beginner
- BraisingBrowning food, then cooking it slowly, partly covered in liquid, in a covered pot.Intermediate
- SautéingCooking pieces quickly in a little fat over medium-high heat, moving them often.Beginner
- SweatingCooking onions and other aromatics gently so they soften without browning.Beginner
- PoachingCooking gently in liquid kept just below a simmer (about 160–180°F).Intermediate
- Simmer vs. boilA simmer has small bubbles gently breaking the surface; a boil is big, constant, rolling bubbles.Beginner
- CharringCooking until the surface blackens in spots — peppers, corn, lemons, onions.Beginner
- RoastingCooking food uncovered in a hot oven so dry, surrounding heat browns the outside while the inside cooks through.Beginner
- BroilingCooking food with intense heat from directly above, like an upside-down grill inside your oven.Beginner
- Stir-fryingCooking small, evenly cut pieces fast in a very hot wok or skillet with a little oil, tossing constantly.Intermediate
- Pan-frying (shallow frying)Cooking food in a skillet with enough oil to come partway up its sides, usually turning it once.Beginner
- Deep-fryingCooking food fully submerged in hot oil so it crisps evenly on every side.Intermediate
- SteamingCooking food above simmering water so the rising steam surrounds and cooks it gently.Beginner
- Grilling with direct and indirect heatSetting up a grill with a hot zone for searing and a cooler zone for gentle, oven-like cooking.Intermediate
- StewingSlowly simmering small pieces of food fully covered in liquid until tough cuts turn tender.Beginner
- ParboilingPartly cooking food in boiling water so it can finish faster or more evenly by another method.Beginner
- Reverse searingCooking a thick steak or roast gently in a low oven first, then searing it hard at the end.Advanced
- GlazingBrushing or tossing food with a sweet or sticky sauce near the end of cooking to form a shiny coating.Beginner
- Confit (slow-cooking in fat)Cooking food slowly while submerged in fat at a low temperature until it is very tender.Advanced
- Smoking on a grill or smokerCooking food slowly with low, indirect heat while wood smoulders nearby to flavor it.Intermediate
- Sous videSealing food in a bag and cooking it in a water bath held at the exact temperature you want it to finish at.Intermediate
- Pressure cookingCooking in a sealed pot where trapped steam raises the pressure, so water gets hotter than its usual boiling point.Beginner
- Slow cooker basicsA countertop pot that cooks food gently for hours with low, steady, moist heat.Beginner
- Air fryingCrisping food with a strong fan blowing very hot air around it in a small basket.Beginner
- Using the microwave wellGetting even, safe results from the microwave by covering, stirring, using lower power and letting food stand.Beginner
- Sheet-pan dinnersRoasting a protein and vegetables together on one rimmed baking sheet for a whole meal with one pan to wash.Beginner
- Double-frying for crisp friesFrying potatoes twice, first at a lower temperature to cook them through, then hotter to make the outside crisp.Intermediate
Eggs and butter
From a perfect boiled egg to custard and brown butter.
- Whipping to soft or stiff peaksWhipping cream or egg whites until they hold a shape when you lift the whisk.Intermediate
- Tempering eggsWarming eggs gradually so they can go into something hot without scrambling.Intermediate
- Boiling eggs, soft to hardCooking eggs in their shells in simmering water, timed for a runny, jammy or fully set yolk.Beginner
- Poaching an eggCooking a cracked egg out of its shell in barely simmering water until the white sets around a soft yolk.Intermediate
- Scrambling eggsWhisking eggs and stirring them over gentle heat until they set into soft, moist curds.Beginner
- Making an omeletBeaten eggs cooked quickly into a thin, tender sheet, then folded around a filling.Intermediate
- Separating eggsSplitting each egg's white from its yolk so a recipe can use them differently.Beginner
- Egg washBeaten egg brushed on dough before baking for shine, color, or to glue toppings in place.Beginner
- Stirred custard (coating the back of a spoon)Gently cooking milk or cream with egg yolks until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.Intermediate
- Browning butterCooking butter past melted until its milk solids toast and it smells nutty.Beginner
- Clarifying butter (and ghee)Melting butter and removing its water and milk solids to leave pure butterfat that tolerates higher heat.Intermediate
- Frying an eggCooking an egg in fat in a pan, from soft and tender to crisp-edged, with the yolk as runny as you like.Beginner
- Frittatas and baked eggsEggs cooked with fillings in a skillet or baking dish until gently set, served warm or at room temperature.Beginner
- Soufflé basicsA flavored base lightened with beaten egg whites, then baked so it puffs high and stays tender inside.Advanced
Sauces and stocks
Pan sauces, gravy, vinaigrette and the classics.
- EmulsifyingMaking oil and water-based liquid (vinegar, lemon, stock) stay mixed — vinaigrette, mayonnaise, pan sauces.Intermediate
- DeglazingPouring liquid into a hot pan to lift the browned bits off the bottom — the base of a pan sauce.Beginner
- ReducingSimmering a liquid uncovered so some water evaporates and it thickens and concentrates.Beginner
- Making a rouxEqual parts fat and flour cooked together, used to thicken sauces, gravy and gumbo.Intermediate
- Making a pan sauceA quick sauce built in the pan you just seared meat in, using the browned bits left behind.Intermediate
- Finishing a sauce with cold butterWhisking or swirling cold butter into a hot sauce off the heat to make it glossy and slightly thicker.Intermediate
- Thickening with a cornstarch slurryMixing cornstarch with cold water and stirring it into a simmering liquid to thicken it.Beginner
- Béchamel (white sauce)Milk thickened with a cooked butter-and-flour paste, the base of mac and cheese, lasagna and gratins.Intermediate
- Making a vinaigretteA dressing of oil and vinegar or citrus, shaken or whisked together with salt and seasonings.Beginner
- Making stockSlowly simmering bones or vegetables with aromatics in water to make a flavorful base for soups and sauces.Intermediate
- Making gravyA sauce made from roast drippings thickened with flour and stock.Intermediate
- A cheese sauce that doesn't splitMelting cheese into a thickened milk sauce gently enough that it stays smooth instead of grainy or oily.Intermediate
- HollandaiseA warm, buttery sauce made by whisking egg yolks over gentle heat, then slowly beating in melted butter and lemon juice.Intermediate
- Mayonnaise and aioli from scratchA thick, cold sauce made by whisking oil drop by drop into egg yolk and acid; aioli adds garlic.Intermediate
- Pesto and other herb saucesA bright, uncooked sauce of fresh herbs blended or pounded with oil, garlic, nuts and cheese.Beginner
- A basic tomato sauceA simple sauce of tomatoes simmered with oil or butter, aromatics and salt until thick and sweet.Beginner
- Beurre blancA tangy French butter sauce made by whisking cold butter into a reduced mix of wine, vinegar and shallot.Advanced
- Compound butterSoftened butter mixed with herbs, garlic, citrus or spices, then chilled to slice onto hot food.Beginner
- Balsamic and other reductionsA syrupy drizzle made by gently simmering vinegar, wine or juice until much of the water evaporates.Beginner
Flavor and seasoning
Salt, acid, spice and aromatics: how to make food taste right.
- Blooming spicesCooking ground spices briefly in hot fat before adding liquid. (Blooming gelatin means soaking it in cold water first.)Beginner
- Toasting nuts, seeds and spicesHeating nuts, seeds or whole spices in a dry pan until fragrant and lightly browned.Beginner
- Seasoning to tasteTasting and adding salt, acid or sweetness until it tastes right to you.Beginner
- Balancing salt, acid, fat and heatTasting a dish and adjusting salt, acid, fat and spice until it tastes complete.Intermediate
- Aromatic bases: mirepoix, sofrito, the holy trinityChopped vegetables cooked slowly in fat at the start of a dish to build its flavor base.Beginner
- Spice rubsA mix of salt, spices and often sugar pressed onto meat before cooking.Beginner
- MarinatingSoaking food in a seasoned liquid before cooking to flavor its surface.Beginner
- Infusing oil, cream or milkSteeping herbs, spices or aromatics in warm fat or dairy so it takes on their flavor.Intermediate
- Toasting and grinding whole spicesBuying spices whole, then grinding them yourself just before cooking for stronger, fresher flavor.Beginner
- Fresh vs. dried herbsKnowing when to use fresh or dried herbs, how to swap one for the other, and when to add each.Beginner
- Cooking with citrus: zest, juice and timingUsing citrus zest and juice at the right moments, since they carry different flavors and react differently to heat.Beginner
- Kinds of salt, and how much to useHow table, kosher and flaky salts differ, and why the same spoonful can taste very different.Beginner
- Finishing touches: salt, oil, acid and herbsAdding a last layer of flavor and texture right before serving, after the cooking is done.Beginner
Vegetables, grains and beans
Rice, risotto, roasting vegetables and more.
- Blanching (and shocking)Boiling vegetables briefly, then plunging them into ice water.Beginner
- Caramelizing onionsCooking onions slowly until deep golden brown, soft and sweet.Intermediate
- Pasta water and al denteCooking pasta until just tender with a little bite, and saving some of the starchy water.Beginner
- Roasting vegetablesCooking cut vegetables in a hot oven until their edges brown and their centers turn tender.Beginner
- Cooking rice (the absorption method)Simmering rice in a measured amount of water so it absorbs all of it and cooks fluffy.Beginner
- Rinsing rice and grainsWashing grains in cold water before cooking to remove loose surface starch and dust.Beginner
- Making risottoSlowly cooking short-grain rice while adding hot broth bit by bit and stirring, until it turns creamy.Intermediate
- Wilting greensCooking leafy greens briefly with heat so they soften and shrink down.Beginner
- Massaging kaleRubbing raw kale with a little oil, salt, or acid so it softens for salads.Beginner
- Quick picklingSoaking sliced vegetables in a vinegar brine in the fridge for fast, tangy pickles without canning.Beginner
- Peeling tomatoesLoosening tomato skins with a quick dip in boiling water so they slip right off.Beginner
- Mashing potatoesBoiling potatoes until very tender, then mashing them with butter and warm milk until smooth.Beginner
- Soaking and cooking dried beansRehydrating dried beans in water, then simmering them gently until creamy and tender.Beginner
- Choosing potatoes: waxy vs. starchyPicking the right potato for the job, because high-starch and low-starch potatoes cook up very differently.Beginner
- Crispy roast potatoesParboiling potato chunks, roughing them up, then roasting in hot fat for a craggy crust and fluffy middle.Intermediate
- Cooking whole grains: quinoa, farro, barleySimmering whole grains until tender, either in a measured amount of water or in plenty of water like pasta.Beginner
- Making fresh pastaMixing flour and eggs into a firm dough, resting it, then rolling it thin and cutting it into noodles.Intermediate
- Cooking polentaSlowly simmering coarse cornmeal in liquid until it becomes a thick, creamy porridge.Beginner
- The pilaf methodToasting rice or another grain in fat before simmering it in hot liquid so the grains stay separate and nutty.Beginner
- Cooking mushrooms so they brownCooking mushrooms hot and uncrowded, and salting late, so they turn golden and meaty instead of gray and soggy.Beginner
- Salting eggplant and zucchiniDrawing water out of sliced or cubed eggplant or zucchini with salt before cooking, for better texture and browning.Beginner
- Roasting whole garlicSlow-roasting a whole head of garlic until the cloves turn soft, sweet and spreadable.Beginner
- Roasting and peeling peppersBlackening whole peppers over high heat, steaming them, then slipping off the skins for soft, smoky flesh.Beginner
- Blanching vegetables for the freezerBriefly boiling vegetables, chilling them in ice water, and freezing them flat so they keep color and flavor for months.Beginner
- Pressing and crisping tofuSqueezing water out of firm tofu, then pan-frying or baking it until the outside is golden and crisp.Beginner
Meat and fish
Prepping, cooking and carving.
- Resting meatLeaving cooked meat off the heat for a while before cutting.Beginner
- BastingSpooning hot fat or juices over food as it cooks.Intermediate
- BriningSalting meat ahead of time, in salty water (wet brine) or rubbed on (dry brine).Intermediate
- SpatchcockingCutting out the backbone and flattening a chicken or turkey (butterflying, for meat, means slicing it open like a book).Intermediate
- Rendering fatCooking fatty meat (bacon, duck skin, chicken skin) gently so the fat melts out.Beginner
- TrussingTying a bird or roast with kitchen string into a compact shape.Intermediate
- Patting meat dryBlotting the surface of meat or fish with paper towels before cooking.Beginner
- Slicing against the grainCutting cooked meat across its muscle fibers instead of along them.Beginner
- Pounding meat thinFlattening a piece of boneless meat to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly.Beginner
- Dredging and breading (the breading station)Coating food in flour, then beaten egg, then crumbs, so a crisp crust sticks while it cooks.Beginner
- Velveting (the restaurant stir-fry trick)Coating thin-sliced meat in a cornstarch marinade before stir-frying so it stays silky and tender.Intermediate
- Carving a roast chickenCutting a whole roast chicken into legs, thighs, wings and sliced breast.Intermediate
- Crispy fish skinPan-searing skin-on fish skin side down so the skin turns crackly and golden.Intermediate
- Cooking en papillote (in parchment)Sealing food in a parchment packet so it steams in its own juices in the oven.Intermediate
Butchery and seafood
Breaking down chickens and roasts, filleting fish, shrimp, shellfish.
- Breaking down a whole chickenCutting a raw whole chicken into legs, wings and breasts by working through its joints instead of its bones.Intermediate
- Deboning chicken thighsRemoving the single bone from a chicken thigh so it lies flat and cooks quickly and evenly.Intermediate
- Trimming silverskin and fatRemoving the thin, shiny sheet of connective tissue and excess hard fat from cuts like tenderloin, ribs and roasts.Beginner
- Frenching a rack of lamb or porkScraping the ends of rib bones clean of meat, fat and membrane so the rack looks neat and carves easily.Advanced
- Tying a roastWrapping a boneless roast with kitchen twine at even intervals so it holds a tight, even shape while it cooks.Intermediate
- Cutting steaks from a larger pieceSlicing a whole strip loin, ribeye roast or tenderloin into individual steaks of the thickness you want.Intermediate
- Trimming a brisketShaping a whole packer brisket by removing hard fat and thin edges before smoking or slow-roasting.Advanced
- Butterflying a leg of lambOpening a boneless leg of lamb into one flat piece of fairly even thickness for grilling or roasting.Advanced
- Scoring and prepping pork bellyCutting a crosshatch into pork belly skin and drying it so the skin turns into puffed, crunchy crackling.Intermediate
- Grinding meat at homeTurning cubes of chilled meat and fat into ground meat with a grinder, for burgers, sausage or meatballs.Intermediate
- Filleting a whole round fishCutting the two boneless sides off a round fish like trout, bass or snapper, leaving the skeleton behind.Advanced
- Skinning a fish filletSeparating the skin from a raw fillet in one piece, keeping all the flesh.Intermediate
- Removing pin bonesPulling out the thin, loose bones that run down the middle of fillets like salmon and trout.Beginner
- Peeling and deveining shrimpTaking the shell off shrimp and removing the dark digestive tract that runs along the back.Beginner
- Prepping and searing scallopsTrimming sea scallops and searing them for a deep brown crust and a tender inside.Intermediate
- Cleaning mussels and clamsSorting, scrubbing and debearding live mussels and clams so only healthy ones go in the pot.Beginner
- Shucking oystersOpening a live oyster with an oyster knife, cutting it free, and keeping its juice in the cup.Intermediate
- Cleaning squidSeparating a whole squid into a clean body tube and tentacles, removing the guts, beak and quill.Intermediate
- Cooking and cracking a lobsterCooking a live lobster quickly and getting the meat out of the tail, claws and knuckles.Advanced
- Cooking and cracking crabCooking live crabs, or reheating precooked legs, and getting the sweet meat out of the shell.Advanced
- Beef cuts: which to grill, roast or braiseA quick guide to matching beef cuts to cooking methods, based on where on the animal they come from.Beginner
Baking and pastry
Measuring, mixing, rising and crusts.
- FoldingMixing something light (whipped cream, beaten egg whites) into something heavier without knocking the air out.Intermediate
- Creaming butter and sugarBeating soft butter with sugar until pale and fluffy — the start of most cakes and cookies.Beginner
- KneadingWorking dough by hand or machine until smooth and stretchy.Beginner
- Proofing (letting dough rise)Letting yeast dough rest and rise before baking.Beginner
- Cutting in butterWorking cold butter into flour until it's in small lumps — pie crust, biscuits, scones.Intermediate
- Blind bakingBaking a pie crust before it's filled.Intermediate
- ScoringCutting shallow slashes into the surface of bread dough, meat fat or fish skin.Intermediate
- Weighing ingredients for bakingMeasuring baking ingredients by weight on a kitchen scale instead of by cups and spoons.Beginner
- Room-temperature ingredientsLetting butter, eggs and dairy warm to about 65-70°F before mixing them into a batter.Beginner
- SiftingPassing dry ingredients through a fine mesh to break up lumps and blend them evenly.Beginner
- Greasing and flouring a panCoating the inside of a baking pan with fat and a thin layer of flour so the bake releases cleanly.Beginner
- Telling when baked goods are doneUsing sight, touch, a toothpick or a thermometer to know when a cake, bread or cookie is fully baked.Beginner
- Beating to the ribbon stageBeating eggs and sugar until thick and pale enough that a drizzle sits on the surface like a ribbon.Intermediate
- Rolling out pie doughFlattening chilled pie dough into an even round about 1/8 inch thick to line a pie plate.Intermediate
- Crimping a pie crustPinching or pressing the edge of a pie crust into a pattern that seals it and looks finished.Beginner
- Docking pastryPoking small holes all over unbaked pastry so it bakes flat instead of puffing up.Beginner
- Proofing (activating) yeastMixing yeast with warm water and a pinch of sugar to check it is alive before making dough.Beginner
- Blooming gelatinSoaking gelatin in cold liquid so it softens before you melt it into a recipe.Intermediate
- Melting chocolateGently heating chopped chocolate until smooth without scorching or seizing it.Beginner
- Tempering chocolateMelting and cooling chocolate to exact temperatures so it sets glossy, snaps cleanly and doesn't streak.Advanced
- Making caramelCooking sugar until it melts and browns into a rich, nutty, golden-to-amber syrup.Advanced
- Resting doughLeaving mixed dough alone, covered, for a while before rolling or shaping it.Beginner
- Pastry creamA thick, spoonable vanilla custard set with egg yolks and starch, used to fill tarts, eclairs and cream puffs.Intermediate
- Meringue: French, Swiss and ItalianEgg whites whipped with sugar into a glossy foam, made three ways that differ in when and how the sugar goes in.Intermediate
- Whipping creamBeating cold heavy cream until it traps air and holds its shape, from soft and billowy to firm enough to pipe.Beginner
- Buttercream frostingA frosting made by beating butter with sugar, either simply with powdered sugar or with a whipped meringue for a silkier result.Intermediate
- GanacheChocolate melted into hot cream; the ratio decides whether it's a pourable glaze, a spread, or firm truffle centers.Beginner
- Sourdough starter basicsA living mix of flour and water full of wild yeast and bacteria that you feed regularly and use to raise bread.Intermediate
- Shaping a loaf of breadForming risen dough into a tight round or oblong with a taut skin, so it holds its shape and rises up, not out.Intermediate
- Baking bread with steamKeeping the oven moist for the first part of the bake so the loaf can expand fully and bake up crisp and shiny.Intermediate
- Laminated dough: croissants and puff pastryDough folded around a slab of butter and rolled and folded repeatedly to build hundreds of thin, alternating layers.Advanced
- Choux pastryA cooked paste of water, butter, flour and eggs that puffs into hollow shells for cream puffs, eclairs and gougeres.Intermediate
- Flaky biscuitsTall, tender biscuits with pull-apart layers, made by keeping the butter cold and folding the dough a few times.Beginner
- The muffin methodMixing the dry and wet ingredients separately, then stirring them together briefly, for muffins, quick breads and pancakes.Beginner
- Reverse creamingA cake-mixing method where soft butter is beaten into the dry ingredients first, before the liquids, for a fine, tender crumb.Intermediate
- Baking cheesecake without cracksMixing gently, baking low and slow, and cooling gradually so a cheesecake sets smooth and creamy instead of cracking.Intermediate
- Water baths (bain-marie)Baking a dish set inside a larger pan of hot water, so delicate custards and cheesecakes cook gently and evenly.Beginner
- Piping with a pastry bagSqueezing frosting, dough or batter through a bag and tip to make neat shapes, borders, swirls and even portions.Beginner
- Leveling and stacking cake layersTrimming domed cake layers flat and stacking them with filling so the finished cake stands straight and even.Intermediate
- Crumb-coating a cakeSpreading a thin first layer of frosting over a cake to trap loose crumbs, then chilling it before the final coat.Beginner
- Chilling cookie doughResting cookie dough in the fridge before baking so cookies spread less, bake thicker and taste richer.Beginner
- Making a tart shellMaking a firm, crisp, cookie-like pastry and fitting it into a tart pan with a removable bottom.Intermediate
- Baking swaps: which substitutions work and which failWhich ingredient swaps are safe in baking and which ones change the chemistry so much that the recipe fails.Intermediate
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