Science-Backed Food Hacks
If you are looking for ways to up your cooking game, your best bet is to turn to science.
As you may or may not have thought about before, cooking is informed by science.
In fact, you could think of it as a branch of science in and of itself.
So when it comes to improving the quality of your game, take some time to research scientifically backed methods.
Here are just a few science-backed food hacks for you to try next time you step into the kitchen.
Reverse-Sear
When it comes to sealing in the flavour of meat, we have all been given the same tip at one point or another.
Sear your meats before you roast. What this means is that you turn on the oven and, as it heats up, you put the meat in a frying pan with a bit of oil or fat.
Alternatively, you can blast it at high heat in the oven and sear the outside until it is brown.
From there, you pop it in the oven and cook it as needed.
When finished, you have a perfectly juicy piece of meat.
Except science says that advice is backward.
Rather than sealing in the juices, the meat is more likely to expel the juices, leaving the meat dry.
But since we still want that perfectly browned outside, you cannot simply skip searing.
The science backed solution? Cook first and then sear.
Once your meat has reached the desired temperature, turn up the heat and get the outside brown and crisp. Perhaps the biggest advantage of this method?
You can serve the meat right away—no need to rest.
Don’t Skip the Salt
For years we have heard how salt is bad for us.
However, recent studies have shown that our bodies actually require salt in order to survive.
That is good news since it does a much better job than the alternatives, especially when it comes to marinating meat.
Vinegar and citrus juices can break down the outside of the meat, but it tends to make it mushy.
Salt, however, helps the meat absorb the flavours without breaking it down.
The Secret to Chewy Cookies
Crispy cookies have their place, but nothing beats a soft, chewy cookie.
Due to the water content of butter, once melted, it mixes with the proteins in flour, forming gluten.
Bad news if you are going gluten-free, but good news for fans of delectably soft cookies as that is what makes them chewy.
Up the Unami
If you are looking to easily up the savoury factor of a dish, grab some anchovies.
Not a fan? Don’t worry, you aren’t looking to load the dish with anchovies.
A little bit goes a long way.
You can pop a single anchovy into the dish, or if you don’t care for the actual fish, opt for anchovy paste.
Alternatives to anchovies include soy sauce and the British favourite Marmite.
Interested to learn more cooking techniques?
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