Having worked in restaurant kitchens and been the kitchen director for test kitchens, I’ve picked up quite a few chef hacks in my career. I’ve discovered some by accident, sometimes because of ingenuity, injury, frustration, or a lack of key tools or ingredients. Some are simple (wet towel under the cutting board), some are thrifty (mostly free pie weights). All are now standard operating procedures in my kitchens and can be in yours, too.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Presto, a third oven rack
Most home ovens are equipped with two racks; sometimes, you need one more for large gatherings. Place a metal cooling rack on the bottom of the oven to act as a third rack. (It’s one of the hottest locations in the oven with low air circulation, so watch that your dishes don’t burn on the bottom.)
Keep a cutting board from moving
Placing a damp cloth under the cutting board prevents the cutting board from moving. Wet a cloth or paper towel and wring it out. Lay it flat on your counter before placing the cutting board on top. The wet cloth creates friction and prevents the board from moving.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Cheap and easy pie weights
Pie recipes often call for blind baking with pie weights. Kitchen stores sell beads, weights and chains, but you can simply use dried beans or rice. Once baked, they will not be able to be consumed as rice or beans, so they can be reused time and time again as weights. My pie-weight rice is decades old. (I also reuse the parchment paper.)
A safe space for bread to rise
The preferred environment for breadproofing is a warm, moist, draft-free environment. The microwave provides the ideal conditions. Fill a large microwave-safe measuring cup with 2 cups of water. Heat on high until boiling, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove the cup and place the bowl of dough inside with the door closed until the dough reaches the next stage.
Tongs are multipurpose
The versatility of a good pair of stainless-steel tongs cannot be overstated. They can be an extension of your hand, just like a grabber tool. Uses include removing a small sheet pan or ramekin from the oven, as a citrus squeezer, or even as a shallow spoon for basting. Seek out heavy-duty tongs at restaurant supply stores such as Atlanta Fixture or REM (Restaurant Equipment Market) and online at webstaurantstore.com. (Many restaurant supply stores are open to the public and do not require a wholesale account, but some do, so check before you go.)
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Freeze veg for easy grating
Ginger is great to have in the fridge, but if you do not use it often, it will shrivel in your produce bin. Freeze it whole and when needed, peel, if desired, and grate it while frozen on a fine rasp grater. Pieces no larger than your hand are easiest to grate. This technique can also be used with other roots like turmeric, and chile peppers such as jalapeno and serrano.
An easier way to clean burnt pots
Detergent pods are excellent for removing burnt food from scorched pots. Fill the afflicted pot with hot soapy water. Add a dishwasher detergent pod. Let soak overnight in the sink. The pod will disintegrate and detach the baked-on gunk from the pot. Discard any solids. Wash with hot soapy water and rinse until cleaned.
Make your own all-natural drain cleaner
The chemical reaction caused when combining baking soda and white vinegar can wash away funky odors, and it’s also an all-natural method for unclogging drains. Pour 1 cup baking soda down the drain, then slowly add 2 cups white vinegar. Wait 15 minutes for the bubbling to react and then subside. Run the sink on the hottest water possible or pour boiling water to clear away any residue.
Label it now, eat it later
“Label and date it” will save you money and keep you well. It’s meant to encourage you to eat up or freeze prepared foods before they spoil and not consume foods that are past their prime. Plus, it helps you avoid unidentifiable science experiments.
Multipurpose metal straw
Metal cocktail and smoothie straws can also be used to pit cherries. Remove the stem end of the cherry, if attached. Place the straw where the stem was attached and press to push the straw through the fruit and eject the pit out the other side. (Blow out the straw periodically while pitting to prevent clogging.)
Sharp advice for knife care
Instead of placing the knife blade-side-down into the knife block, place it blade-side-up so that the back edge of the knife blade rests against the block, not the blade. This helps keep the blades from knocking against the wood and dulling the knife. Also, to keep track of serrated knives, place rubber bands on the handle end.
Peel (a lot of) garlic
If you have a lot of garlic cloves to peel at once, you can place the separated cloves in a jar and aggressively shake. The motion cracks the papery shell and makes it easy to peel. Alternatively, you place the cloves in a metal bowl. Invert a second metal bowl on top, both preferably with a lip or rim, to form a globe-like shape. Hold tight and shake repeatedly to split the skin of the garlic cloves.
Clean up cooking spray effortlessly
Spraying a cake or loaf pan for baking can leave a messy residue on your counter. Instead, open the dishwasher and spray the pan over the empty door. The excess spray is retained in the dishwasher, making cleanup a breeze.
Measure sticky ingredients
Sticky ingredients like nut butter, honey and molasses are tricky to measure. First, spray your measuring implements with nonstick cooking oil, making both measuring and cleanup a breeze.
Speed up slicing round fruits and vegetables
Slicing cherry tomatoes, grapes and pitted olives can be tedious and time-consuming. To cut multiple pieces at once, place them between two equal-sized plastic lids, like the ones used on takeout containers. Using a serrated knife, saw between the two lids to make a single, parallel cut.
Use a mixer to shred meat
When you need to shred a lot of meat for barbecue, tacos or chicken salad, use your mixer instead of forks, your hands or shredding tongs. Place the meat in the bowl of the mixer without overcrowding. With the machine on low speed, whip the meat until shredded. Discard any bones or skin.
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