Mise en place (getting everything ready first)
Beginner Kitchen basics
Mise en place is prepping and measuring every ingredient and setting out your tools before you turn on the heat.
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). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.
How do you do it?
1Read the recipe and pull out every ingredient and tool it needs.
2Wash, chop and measure everything, and put each item in its own bowl or pile.
3Group items by when they go in the pan, and keep them within reach of the stove.
4Start cooking only when everything is ready.
Why does it work?
Many dishes, like stir-fries, move faster than you can chop. Having everything ready means nothing burns while you hunt for an ingredient, and you notice anything missing before it's too late.
What are the common mistakes?
- Chopping while the pan heats — something scorches while you're busy.
- Not checking ingredients first — you discover you're out of something mid-recipe.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
More kitchen basics
- 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