10 Cooking Skills I Wish I Had Known...

[@QueChingar]

Great video! As a professional cook, I would just add two (related) things that most home cooks neglect: Multitasking and cleaning as you go. I can cook something in a quarter of the time as my friends who aren't cooks, because I do three or four things at a time, all planned out in advance based on the time and attention needed for each task. Then at the end of cooking, I have little to no mess and dishes left to clean, which just makes everything nicer, including the food. I would also add to this to wash your hands more. Most home cooks don't wash their hands enough.

[@TheCatWitch63]

Wise words. I’m a humble home cook, but I also clean as I go. My kitchen is small and my utensils are limited, so I might need to reuse them several times during the process. Also, I hate a messy kitchen, and hate even more having to do a huge pile of dishes at the end of the day, when I’m tired. As for multitasking, that’s the only way to cook, in my opinion. You have to make several dishes at the same time, if you want to serve a complete meal. I often have two burners and the oven on, plus any fresh salad I might be also fixing, along with its homemade dressing.

[@tessasilberbauer6219]

Lucky you. My brain doesn't work that way. I cope by mise en place, deciding in advance my plan of attack, and lots and lots of one pot wonders.

[@TheCatWitch63]

@@tessasilberbauer6219 please share those recipes. I would love to simplify my cooking. Lol. And planning ahead & mise en place are key elements when you’re multitasking.

[@tessasilberbauer6219]

@@TheCatWitch63 heh maybe if I bought myself different coloured electric timers, one for each pot - I'm too deaf to hear the mechanical ones - I could multitask again. So. I do a lot of fake paella (using whatever veg and protein I have on hand and adjusting the timing for the ingredients. Also, normal rice because budget.) Stovetop mac & cheese with added veg & cheesegrillers/protein whatever). Stew & dumplings. Soup. Chow mein with spaghetti instead of noodles. Rice/samp & beans (with veg). Chicken Pie, but with another protein and veg. And I learned how to use single spices and herbs and adapt them to the protein, or use cultural blends in other things (like Greek gyro flavours in the fake paella when I use beef, or falafel spices when I use chickpeas/beans). It's 3 AM here and I saw your reply by coincidence; I hope that made sense!

[@tessasilberbauer6219]

@QheChingar 100% agree with washing hands! And a small plate next to the stove just for putting dirty spoons/whisks etc on. Much easier to clean that than heated and dried-out puddles on the stovetop!

[@Shahrdad]

I'm so glad you bring up salt/acid. One of the first things I learned from my mother, who is an excellent cook, was that if a dish tastes a little too salty, add a little acid, like lemon juice. She understood the push and pull between salt and acid and how they complement and counterbalance each other.

[@urzamtg]

heres a tip from me: get yourself a small simple wooden stool in the ktichen. it makes doing prep work so much more chill and relaxed. i put on music, toke up and sit down and chop. its such a relaxing ritual after work. i wish i had gotten a stool years ago because all the prep work always made me anxious but now its relaxing

[@mdechi]

I hear you - will do!

[@blindmango69]

As a blind person having a Passion for food since I was 6 years old I've had to learn to cook with intuition. Thanks for all your videos and would love to see more of your cooking tips.

[@rouxsauced200]

You go dude

[@pinkponyofprey1965]

@@rouxsauced200 That thumbnail in your channel picture !!! XD

[@pinkponyofprey1965]

@ Blind Mike's Adventures Impressed! Good luck!

[@EricCanadaMan]

I find it interesting that you say "see" more of your videos, as a blind person. I mean no disrespect. I am just curious.

[@blindmango69]

@@EricCanadaMan Just because I can't see doesn't mean that I don't use the same types of words that in a most sighted person would use. And no disrespect taken whatsoever.

[@beckysnay1609]

I'm 63 and have been cooking and baking for years, but I learned several things from this video.

[@sherylgreenfield6908]

Im 64 and Mikes mom and learned from this and so many of his cooking videos.. funny thing is he didnt learn how to cook from me I learned from him and have upped my cooking game .

[@droopypie]

@@sherylgreenfield6908 He went pro :D

[@Cheesypockets]

Timestamps: 1:20 Dry Brine 2:32 Mis En Place 4:05 Braising 5:36 Caramelizing 7:02 Fresh Ground Spices 9:19 Using Acids 12:01 Building Layers of flavor 13:28 Adapting 14:25 Home Made Bread 17:07 Paying Attention

[@CookingWithTheCajun]

thanks for the timestamps

[@Hahayoucantcatchmeh]

Just helped me with my assignment for culinary 😹

[@itsROMPERS...]

There are timestamps in the description.

[@insecurenana9255]

Keep k

[@Fallout3131]

Thank you

[@Unabonger420]

Tip - add celery half way through caramelizing your carrots and onions. Celery is mostly water and it tends to steam the other components of your mirepoix, affecting how quickly you can draw the natural sugars.

[@JackDaniels_8171]

You must have learned cooking from UK as we call it mirepoix in the kitchen

[@Hyperborean_2]

Does UK have a cuisine??

[@alexdacome3672]

@@JackDaniels_8171I think the french invented mirepoix. they call it the holy trinity

[@TracySnell]

@@alexdacome3672 I've always heard that the holy trinity is the cajon version of mirepoix which is 1 part white onion, 1 part celery and 1 part green peppers.

[@patentdad]

I've tended to add celery later in the cooking process because I thought it takes less time to cook than the onions and especially the carrots, but your comment explains what's going on. Thanks for that tip.

[@mserf]

I have been cooking for 30 years and have training, I have learned these things in bits and pieces. ( I had stop watching guy fieri because it seemed he would say "layers of flavour" and "flavour town" 10 times an episode ) but you wrap it all up in the context of one dish which is really fantastic, you really give cooks a reason to do these things. These steps like spending 10 more minutes to caramelize your mirepoix is what separates a chef from a cook. Thanks for this, great video.

[@thomaswijgerse723]

Wait, isn't the point of a mirepoix to sweeten, but not really caremelize them? I didn't think one ought to be sautè a mirepoix?

[@lmomakeswaveshedoes322]

Loooooll!! "flavour town"

[@christopherg9806]

One of the things that irritates me about Guy Fieri and other TV chefs is that they feel compelled (probably by the producers) to have a BIG personality or they have overused catch phrases, like creepy Mr. Food with his "Oooh, it's so good!" I've only watched two videos from Pro Home Cooks so far, but he speaks to the camera like we're having a normal, adult conversation. What a refreshing change! As a communications professional and occasional voice over guy, this is EXACTLY what I teach my clients about being on camera: Act natural and have a conversation.

[@shells500tutubo]

@@thomaswijgerse723 Depends on what dish you're making.

[@michaelbinion2555]

You by far are my favorite cooking coach. You make me feel like a friend is helping me become a better cook. Thanks

[@bierbrauer11]

Married 10 years and only recently did my wife tell me why she married me: because I could cook. She’s definitely a much better cook and can whip up something from seemingly nothing (and hates my mise en place lol) but to her it was a sign I was matured and a functioning adult. The joke was on her

[@lushpaw1]

Ha! cracked me up.

[@weskergeorge97]

I hate mise en place too lol. It's such a waste of time

[@dobbsd6737]

I feed myself fine, thanks Mom, does not make me a cook, yes

[@lushpaw1]

@@dobbsd6737 Cook- noun, a person who prepares and cooks food.

[@StephBer1]

Your wife and I were both duped. Been married 30 years this year, and although my husband is younger than me he was very mature in so many ways. But the icing on the top, so to speak, was that he had to make a dessert for work one day (this is when we were dating), and he produced 30 of the most perfect chocolate eclairs you've ever tasted. I can cook well but I thought, wow, this is next level. Little did I know that he could follow a recipe exactly, but he didn't know how to boil a potato - seriously! I had to teach him months later. I still married him anyway, and he still hates cooking. The only thing he still cooks are perfect eclairs!

[@Sangegarcon]

Having worked in restaurants most of my life I can honestly say, this is one of the most informative videos out there. Great job, most cooking videos the host is talking down or speaking like these are skills most home cooks should have. I thought your commentary was great; as well as the breakdown of what you were doing and why. Very well done and I will definitely be checking more of your videos.

[@rad1930]

One of the best skills I have learned through out the years is caramelizing onions with vinegar & sugar, fry your onions on a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of any vinegar, fry your onions & vinegar until your onions look soft & translucent 2 - 3 minutes. The acid will eat into your onions. Add a tablespoon of sugar into your frying onions to neutralise the acid (vinegar) & keep frying and stirring occasionally until the onions are brown, sticky & caramelized, it just locks in all the flavours when cooking your aromatics. I love doing this when making a pasta sauce, especially tomato sauce, it gives it a lovely southern Italian, sweet & fruity flavour. I always try to remember acid, salt ,sugar & fat = flavour.

[@MrAllstar]

dude that’s some classy advice, thanks 🙏

[@ugbemugbemosass]

That amount of vinegar and sugar for about how many onions?

[@rad1930]

@@ugbemugbemosass 1 whole onion, 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar, fry your onions in vinegar until they look translucent/start to look white, see through, then add 1 tablespoon of sugar and keep stirring occasionally until the onions are a little brown and caramel sticky, from there you can fry your meat in the caramelized onions, it just helps lock in the flavours when making a pasta sauce or stew, sometimes I like to use the caramelized onions on burgers or hotdogs, very easy to make, once you have made it once, you will be able to make it again with ease, instead of just frying onions in a recipe I do this instead, just habit now.

[@jorgelariosr1567]

Do somebody knows if this guy Umi's talking about plain white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or vinaigrette? I've tried frying the onions with Apple cider then the sugar to caramelize, but the end result was not pleasant at all 😭🥴😵‍💫

[@rad1930]

@@jorgelariosr1567 plain white vinegar works best, 3 tablespoons let it simmer until the onions look transparent then add 1 tablespoon of sugar then stir it & fry until it looks browned and caramel sticky.

[@aldente5311]

This video could also be called "The Kitchen I Wish I Had".

[@lagoya]

Right?? I was drooling over the kitchen almost as much as the short ribs

[@13Nicozurdo]

And the time I wish I had

[@allrise3056]

Over what appears to be a walk-in freezer is what appears to be a train or subway overhead. Cool all around.

[@hawksawed]

@@allrise3056 Thats the entrance to the studio

[@wxleed7]

And u can also call i the thing i never knew when i was younger.

[@nathanhill9208]

I am always always always a fan of someone telling me about what they've learned. Great video my friend.

[@TrevorPhillips2024]

Same. instant Subscription for me

[@OliHandy2008]

You might like WIL's video's. (WIL stands for 'What I've Learned')

[@ramonascott-kemp4799]

Ditto & love! A person has to really love cooking and then things turn out!

[@Jmoneypoprocks]

I have been cooking since I was 16 in restaurants, culinary school, and now for my family as an adult. You have a wonderful gift for conveying essential information to transform the kitchen. And yes I have learned a lot from your videos. Keep up the awesome work.

[@feltlifegaming3741]

I love how you tied this all into one meal!

[@victorsr6708]

That’s a good teacher

[@xolisilekhuzwayo]

very smart

[@DanliciousFood]

I really like how you used the beef short rib dish to present these 10 cooking skills to us, don't need to follow a "recipe" or anything, classic home cooking style! Also like how you incorporated the stew juice into another delicious side dish in the adapting step, I do that all the time with leftover sauces, it adds so much flavor to whatever starch or marinade you make with it!

[@mysteriousnova600]

like you brought up at the end, my favorite part of cooking is finding out something by trying. The coolest part is that that happens at any stage of learning.

[@trackie1957]

Great. Lots of good information, and I love short ribs! Another tip: don’t get too hung up on measuring stuff unless you are baking. Every piece of meat is slightly different, every stove’s ‘high’ and ‘medium’ is different, every carrot , etc. A recipe is a guide.

[@dzurisintube]

I don't like sponsorships and ads but I understand that they are part of the deal. However, when I saw that you were going a spot for Misen I thought I would pipe up and just say that we have had Misen chefs knives (his and hers) for years now and use them daily. They are great quality and they look as good today as they did when we bought them. If anyone is considering picking one up I highly recommend them.

[@jacobbelanger2648]

Same! My experience with them has been great! I've had mine for over a year and I use them daily!

[@namelessone3339]

I love my Misen knife too, have bought a couple pots, and waiting on the new Dutch oven. It's all been excellent.

[@coleengoodell7523]

One good tip that I learned, when chopping celery, carrots or onions. The large end of celery or carrots, I don't cut off before chopping. This gives my fingers plenty of space at the end of the chopping process. Leave it on, just like one end of an onion and cut or slice until you get to the part that you'd normally cut off at the start. It really is much easier and gives your fingers plenty of space from a sharp knife.

[@aniljoshi948]

Wow, thanks ! Like this trick.

[@paperoffavoritcolor]

Man, you’re such an inspiration to me! The most relatable cook on KZbin. Thank you for spending time and energy learning how to properly cook and sharing your knowledge with us ❤️

[@fiatunonewsletter6782]

Waaay back my humble beginning as a cook was through into a large kitchen as assistant... cooking for 500 kids... big pots big stoves ... big lady chefs (like big mamma).... vegetable cutting by the crate! Peeling potatoes... Ohhhh... by the bags! I'm glad to be one of the chefs going back soon to the schools feeding program in a huge kitchen! Best learning experience... through into the deep side of the pool and learn big and fast cooking quality healthy food!

[@mr.gafolopolos7677]

I love the progression of complexity in the skills shown. Starting with some common sense basics, moving forward into some clever, game-changing concepts, and finally into some fine-tuning skills that seem basic, but things an amateur wouldn't consider. Fantastic video, new subscriber.

[@dreenyan]

I'm so happy to actually see a sponsored product that I'm ACTUALLY actively looking to buy! I was glad to support the channel by getting Misen products! Keep these awesome atypical sponsorships coming :D

[@dennislofstrom6177]

Was going to buy one, but upon checkout I learned that they only ship to Canada and the US. As I live in Sweden I was really bummed out.

[@deusex9731]

@@dennislofstrom6177 im so confused because they say they ship to Europe but your adress keeps defaulting to the US and Canada.

[@misscharlotte160]

Where have you been all my life? I love your food approach. Thanks SO much for sharing your experience with the world. ❤️

[@markalexander4641]

Observations from a near-newbie on why you're my favorite cooking teacher, EVER! Let me try to come up with some apt superlatives about why your coaching resonates so thoroughly for me. You're casual, accessible, highly knowledgeable, with no pretensions, no ego, fun as opposed to intimidating, a pure humility that enjoys sharing knowledge. And you're just downright lovable to your core! Your delivery is spot-on, without the tedium of repeating yourself needlessly, over and over, as some are wont to do. You're just very easy to listen to and watch. This is about the sixth presentation of yours that I've watched. I bookmark every one of them for revisiting as needed. I would certainly be a buyer, should you ever decide to compile your work into a set of DVDs! Cookbooks are all well and good, but you're such a compelling presenter that I think you'd find a great market, just as you have here. But, then again, I'm just a 73 year old geezer and maybe DVDs are just too Jurassic a thing these days. Keep up the inspiring work. I'll be a fan for the rest of my years!

[@Xeqcme]

I just learned to pickle onions a few months ago- levels up pretty much any savory dish! Acid adds so much. Going to make sure I master the rest of this list.

[@grumpyinbrooklyn6347]

This is an outstanding video on all fronts. I particularly like how well though out and structured it was, since it's quite ambitious in terms of all the skills it mentions.

[@vijish8994]

Came across your channel today. Love the organization, the strategic use of visual elements and the amazing storytelling. You have a natural gift.

[@minhazulislam4682]

never cooked on a massive scale as I am scared but watching your content gives me confidence, I feel like I can do it if I try once or twice.

[@RoninXDarknight]

I generally cook large batches once a week or so that I can eat off of for that entire week. And while that may sound boring to eat the same thing every day, the trick is to make something that can be adapted in a variety of ways into different dishes or flavors. Rice stores pretty well and is a good base for a ton of different meals: curries, gratins, soups, stews...and pairs well with pretty much anything. Go check out Alton Brown's most recent rice video here on KZbin...stuff is seriously amazing and is extremely simple to make. Soups and stews are phenomenal and are real easy for beginners since at their most basic level they're just tossing things in a pot and letting them cook for a long time. You won't be wowing people with just that but you'll be getting your feet wet, so to speak, and they'll let you experiment with what you like. Videos like this on KZbin are a great source of inspiration too...even if you don't follow them exactly. Chef John, Chef PK, Binging With Babish, Joshua Weissmen are some other channels I like quite a bit but there are literally thousands out there. Gordon Ramsey (I know the above responder doesn't like him) is one of my favorite big name chefs too simply because of the energy and passion he has for cooking...yes some of his recipes are not the most beginner friendly but I would argue that the vast majority of his stuff isn't all that complicated and incorporates a lot of what was talked about in this video too. Simply put, just go for it. Cooking is equal part science and art where you get to eat your experiments :D

[@minhazulislam4682]

@@RoninXDarknight I know, I eat rice everyday(I live in Bangladesh(Indian Subcontinent) and possibilities are endless. btw, huge fan of Gordon Ramsey(he is a little arrogant on talk shows but there is good and bad in all of us). I do agree that his cooking methods sometimes get a little intense.

[@dont_talk2me]

Start with pork burgers. Yummy

[@whiskey_with_maks]

I like to add less wine to my short ribs. Instead I add some beef stock in there and when I'm done I add half a stick of butter into the sauce with the meat removed. It makes the sauce rich and creamy, I like to serve it over some creamy mashed potatoes. I loved your tip on caramelizing, although I thought I had that technique down I think I need to slow down a bit and really develop those flavors. As for dry brining I like to keep the meat on a wire rack to make sure air can reach all parts of the meat.

[@melinalicharowicz7332]

Totally blown away by Alex's surprise appearance! I love his channel as well and had no idea you guys knew each other. Learned a lot from both of you.

[@vitoiacopelli]

I will definitely follow this step to make my very first short ribs pizza ever made thank you my friend

[@bimber83]

Even the great Vito still has something new to learn not just teach others :D

[@KarlMerkli]

I did not expect master pizzaiolo Vito here! Grazie Vito, my Pizzas are great because of you!

[@revrinn1324]

That was a great video. I'm a self-taught cook and I've learned some of those skills myself. It's good to have ideas from someone else who is doing the same kind of thing I'm doing. And I learned something new as well. Thank you for posting this.

[@zaydbrewer4187]

I think a great additional note is to try every ingredient you use before you add it into your dish including spices. This will help you to understand the flavor profile of what your making and when you try your end result you can look for the flavors that you added and you can see how they interact with all the other flavors of the dish. This also means you should try every ingredient in you spice rack and every ingredient in your fridge even if you're not going to use it right now. This will also help you find new flavors that you wouldn't have thought of trying or using.

[@skilletborne]

For some reason people are scared of this, but I think it's the most helpful thing you can do for yourself. Eating a pinch of everything the first time you use it and every so often gives you a headstart in knowing what it will pair with and how much you'll need to get the intensity that you want. It's also the best way to understand the building blocks of a dish so that you can make substitutions for more common ingredients or ingredients that you have on hand.

[@NewCuber4u]

What an awesome video! This is pretty much the same kind of stuff I learned in a 2 hour cooking class, simmered down to a clean 18 minutes. Thanks for taking the time to explain it all.

[@cameronmcgill5144]

In my home we rate every recipe we cook on a scale of 1 to 10 and this was the 3rd perfect ten we have found over the course of several years! We've cooked it 3 times already!

[@j.w.penland1255]

So what were the other two?!!

[@cameronmcgill5144]

@@j.w.penland1255 fresh ground beef cheeseburger with 9 hour sauteed onion, but instead of normal buns we made hashbrown buns! The other was pan seared cajun shark steak. Cooked within a few hours of catching the shark. Best seafood if my life sooo fresh. Thanks for asking!

[@druec2863]

This video is golden! I've been cooking consistently for about 2 years (basically ever since I moved out of my parents house) and at 1st cooking was just a means of survival. Now, I have a fully stocked pantry that is constantly evolving with kitchen tools and ingredients. Watching this video was extremely validating because I have done all of these steps. I even know how to make a simple flatbread. I definitely agree with all of these points because they are essential steps to making great food at home.

[@Frickes]

I would highly recommend to sieve the cooking liquid of the meat to remove all the bits, reduce it down and use some cold butter flakes to create a wonderful sauce as well.

[@forunlawfulcar-nalknowledg1081]

I was thinking the same thing. And making a gremolata instead of just parsley.

[@marcuscicero9587]

absolutely and then chill the liquid and remove the horrible amount of fat that braised short ribs produce

[@evelynbaron2004]

@@forunlawfulcar-nalknowledg1081 OMG yes! love this conversation

[@lapismosi8065]

It looked like the mirepoix had reached the end of its cooking limits and yet the meat was still not tender. I believe he needed a tighter fitting and heavier lid than just that loose foil or I would have selected a pressure cooker.

[@TimurKazbekov]

I have started my home cook journey watching your "how to buy stuff" videos back in the day, was really happy to see you grow. I would say home cooking is not a skill you can learn by just watching and listening. Trial and error seems to work waaay better because I have never seen anyone cook the same dish the same way. P.S. Still can't get over "would of" on 00:49

[@jujubees]

Also it's "mise en place" not "mis en place"

[@MikeyClark]

Made this few months back and was amazing. Made an great enchilada sauce with the left over liquids that was out of this world. Just got done making it tonight, so it will be ready to go for our special xmas dinner tomorrow night :D This video changed my entire thought process of cooking. Thanks for all the content

[@firstnamelastname6699]

Awesome tips! Im a 24 yr old guy and noticed im really disorganized and "dgaf" which can be good because I know alot of friends who are too perfectionist and are scared to cook and mess up. But as I get older I find prepping my ingredients and cleaning as I go is just as important as all the stuff after the burner is on.

[@Your.Majest.y]

good for you

[@firstnamelastname6699]

@@Your.Majest.y thanks

[@dakotawade9833]

Awesome video. As a chef, one thing I might consider in this dish is straining that braising liquid and reducing it to a demi-Glace. Great for sauces👍

[@PrinceGebauer]

That's the best part of it. It will enhance the flavor ×2. I also use strainer to make the texture of the sauce smooth.

[@vbritt3990]

@@PrinceGebauer Or a stick blender.

[@PrinceGebauer]

@@vbritt3990 noted.

[@LindsayWilliams100]

I really enjoy Mike's take on cooking. I have been a home cook evangelist for several decades. Mike does talk about the health benefits of not living on food that has come out of a factory but that is a big part of the attraction for me. Use whole spices is something I have definitely taken from Pro Home Cooks and lots of others stuff. Never heard of dry brining. I will be doing this dish.

[@garlicgirl3149]

I like the growth process. I think what helped me learn to experiment more in the kitchen is a challenge I take every October. It is called October Unprocessed by Andrew Wilder. Basically, you are to cook everything in October...limit buying anything that is processed. So, over the past 6 years I have learned to make my own dressing, granola and cereal, roast meats, make bread and try other cultures foods. This past October I had a goal of pickling. I am so happy I did try it. Once, I learned I could make my own foods, I stopped going out to eat.

[@breakthespice]

As a super passionate home cook, these were some great tips to learn! Also your kitchen is so gorg I'm in love 😍❤️

[@clairevinet3557]

Oh my goodness this is cementing my “why “of preparing/cooking in certain ways! You have inspired me and excited in perfecting some of my simple dishes. Thank you dear Sir! 🥰🇨🇦👍🏼💖🥓🍖🍗🧈

[@87truthfinder]

Thank you so much for being so flexible, open-minded, and simplifying concepts that seem so daunting! I find all your ideas to be so true! Intuitive cooking is really making my life so much easier!

[@supcop5021]

for dry brining, I heard: "all you need is salt and thym". I understood it was time when you explained braising

[@HellGod67]

I'm like "Where is the thyme bro?!|

[@milanbijl558]

Every "time" sounds like "thyme".

[@DaFooling]

It amazes me that I learned all of these from my mother. She was raised with servants and had never cooked before I was born and then had to teach herself. I guess we never appreciate how knowledgeable our parents are as kids.

[@aagambora9796]

The pots and ceramics and bottles ahh I am in love with the studio

Me too. I would absolutely love a kitchen like this. It makes cooking in the kitchen such a joy, and makes a huge variety of ingredients readily available. 💛

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Don't gush. It's undignified.

[@LifebyMikeG]

check out Adam field pottery and wynne noble ceramics

[@aagambora9796]

@@LifebyMikeG thank you sir 🙏🙏

[@sheilagunter4374]

ErawreppuT

[@rwaidaalkhoury5885]

As a pharmacy student who refused to learn the Maillard reaction, you just gave me a reason to want to learn it!

[@enzok6]

Easily my favorite channel, you are the reason behind my motivation to cook, bake and now am running my own restaurant, thank you ☕

[@lKawerMusic]

Awesome video man! Have been following the channel for over 5 years and your content just keeps getting better. Just nitpicking, but it's 10 skills I wish I *would have* known, not *would of* known, haha. Other than that, love what you do bro.

[@MakeSushi1]

I enjoyed this video a lot, very well filmed and thought out 👍👍👍

[@smason321]

Well done.

[@jamesphillips935]

smason321 is

[@leuqar1]

@@smason321 pop

[@waynemcdowell9485]

miz@

[@seamus6994]

GREAT VIDEO! For those of us that are "Home Cooks", every Kitchen tip is highly helpful. I'm a decent home cook. But by no means a Pro, Chef or Great cook. Besides coming on KZbin for many Foreign Food or old Recipes. I have been trying to find more "How To" videos on anything and everything to do with buying foods. Cutting, chopping techniques. Proper knives etc. And the WHY we do it this way. So all tips and mini classes, I'm all for. Specially if it makes my cooking life easier and somewhat more challenging and enjoyable! Thanks for your HELP!!!

[@nickchen-yin7821]

As a chef, here are some high level pro tips not directly covered: 1) Use more salt than you think. Generally speaking, home cooks simply don't use enough salt. Typically most home cooks need to add anywhere between 10 - 20% more salt to their dishes. 2) Use acid. Again, home cooks tend to neglect this flavour profile. Acid will help brighten a dish and depending what you use (sherry vin, white wine vin, rice vin, lemon juice, etc), you can achieve some complex layers. 3) Build your flavour library. What most cooks/chefs have that home cooks don't, is an ability to visualize flavours and how they partner with others. Put everything in your mouth (even if it's gross) and pay attention to what flavours present themselves. 4) Learn about umami and how to build it. Again, this is one area I see a lot of home cooks ignore. Parm rinds, oyster sauce, dried shrimp, crab paste, tomato paste, MSG, miso, soy sauce, mushroom powder, hing, etc. These ingredients - when used properly - are what separates a dish being good and a dish being restaurant grade. For example - much to the chagrin of Italian cooks - adding a splash of fish sauce to a bolognese will turn the volume up to 11 :D 5) just keep cooking and accept that there will be stinkers. I'm a firm believer in trial and error but also happy accidents. The more you play around, the more confidence you will have in your library and how to pull from it.

[@seamus6994]

@@nickchen-yin7821 You should create a learning channel. Beginner to expert. Some try, but usually want you to go to another site. Be nice to learn right on KZbin.

[@ghettofridge]

15:05 I'm definitely on board with a cooking to Chopin video series.

[@KarstenBelt]

Amazing video, I love those kinds of conceptual videos! By watching your videos I feel like I'm becoming a better cook. I find it quite hard to think of dishes myself, do you have any tips on that?

[@amarmehta01]

The internet is your friend here. Find inspiration from other chefs.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat - it's on Netflix & there's a cookbook. Once I watched all of that, I understood some basic principles that make any dish taste really good. Now, whenever I'm cooking anything, I remember SFAH, and raid my pantry to find one of each. No two recipes will be exactly the same (unless you want to) but it will mostly turn out delicious. Sure, there will be failures, but you learn from them.

[@KarstenBelt]

@ thank for you the recommendation! I will watch that 🤗

@SeriousName It could, but it can also mean onion or garlic or some sort of pepper (hot or sweet or even black pepper)... I think the cookbook explains in more detail. It's on my list to buy. 🙂

[@jacknoonan9172]

@SeriousName heat = the temperature(s) you cook something at. It's not about spiciness. It's about using the right heat (with purpose) when you're cooking.

[@publicserviceannouncement4777]

These videos have really helped transform my health both physical and mental during the pandemic. The vibe is wholesome.💗

[@LifebyMikeG]

what skills have you learned over the years that have transformed your cooking?

[@gal5656]

Cleaning up after myself right after I create said mess, and just the importance of good quality ingredients.

[@Jagdwurststulle]

What transformed my cooking most is adopting a zero waste mentality and starting to get creative with leftovers. When I started cooking, I just bought ingredients for one really specific recipe, but I didn't know what to do with those ingredients other than that one dish. Over time i learned that you can stir fry almost any vegetable, you can put almost anything into a salad, and whatever you have, you can always just put an egg on it and make it delicious.... :)

[@NoniBose]

I recently learned how to dice an onion so yeahhh

[@SindyxLotus]

I recently learned how to make smash burgers and of the maillard reaction thanks to Ethan.

[@florab02]

Reverse sear on my steaks. I love cooking my steaks that way

[@liammcc2426]

Big fan of this video! I knew about a few of these skills already but the way you put it all together, and made a beautiful recipe at the same time, was very impressive!

[@hikazayanikushi9086]

15:40 this piece always tugs the heartstrings! Love that you added that as a background music.

[@Chocoholic1337]

Hey man. Love the content! I was wondering: would you perhaps doing a video about choosing the essential cooking materials? Like what to look for in a pan, chef's knife etc.

[@enriquedossantos3283]

just go for the expensive ones, victorinox and wustof for knifes (you just need ONE multipurpose chef knife and a small knife for deboning and peeling) high quality iron cookware, or carbon metal, anithing 5mm thick should be enough, youll need one pot and one pan to begin with

[@beverlyschultz9276]

Hey bud, it’s been about three weeks since you last posted. I’m an old lady of 61 and hoping and praying that all is well with you and your family. You do a great job and have helped me transition into retirement during Covid. I’m so happy for you and your wife with your new baby. You are all in my prayers as you figure out your career and your family life, you have a real fan here!!

[@gileschenery974]

Lovely comment! I enjoyed reading it :)

[@deenee6789]

I recently made fried chicken sandwiches at home with homemade hamburger buns, coleslaw, and fries and my family loved it all. They all especially praised the buns as they really did enhance the whole experience

[@JaytothaTee]

One of the best, most comprehensive, most concise cooking videos I've ever seen...

[@Erik_Swiger]

Over the years, I've learned the importance of the Maillard reaction, of making sure that each and every ingredient is properly seasoned, and just recently, the need for acidity. It's amazing how far you can go with some basic knowledge.

[@diannevita4574]

One - love my Misen knives. They are awesome. Two - you didn't mention the French name for the aromatics. That combination of onions, carrots & celery are called a 'mirepoix". In Italian or Spanish cooking, it's a sofrito. In Cajun cooking, they use sweet peppers instead of the celery & call that the "holy trinity". This is the base of many great dishes, like an awesome bolagnese or coq au vin or beouf bourguignon or jambalaya. Basically any dish that will have a flavorful sauce has a mirepoix. Three - every dish is a balance of fat, salt, acid & time, but it's often time that is left out in home cooking & any chain restaurant. And time is what you pay for at a fine restaurant.

[@dollarbaba247]

On my cooking journey for over 10 years now without going to culinary school the most important things I learned were to understand the technique behind the recipe and also to apply techniques from different culinary cultures on my recipes. I glad to see that you doing the same

[@dshephardcomposer]

Superb vids. Like other commenters here, I, too, have been home cooking for 20+ years and learned some of these tricks slowly through a lot of trial and error. Gathering a lot of these essential tips into one quick, concise video that you simultaneously build around an actual recipe makes this video stand out. Bravo! Really high quality, value-added stuff here.

[@alexking4463]

Absolutely loved your video. I would have believed it if you said you’ve been a professional chef for 10 years. Great job. Clear and precise, excellent footage. I’m an instant fan. :)

[@Fl4dd3rm0uz]

Thank you, Mike! I have been watching since you and your brother gave college cooking tips. This video was helpful because it sums it up in a great list. So now I have a syllabus. I would not call myself a pro home cook because I don't do it full-time but I am the main chef in my household. If I improve the whole whānau eats better - thank you for helping me out!

[@santiago71Q]

Man you brought me back to my basic principles of cooking and what you have talked through the recipe was was what I forgot and although I tweaked it a bit it was an amazing recipe thank you for reminding me of what it is to cook the proper way definitely a blessing in how it all came out. Thank you

[@leavesongrass]

My mother taught me to look up techniques in The Joy of Cooking. They tell you how to do everything. Just check the index for any term you have any questions about. Great video!

[@1sTEfFaniE1]

The most useful tip I've learned is to crush garlic cloves before attempting to peel them. Life-changing hack.

[@ohnitiel]

You can also grate them without removing the peel.

[@1sTEfFaniE1]

@@ohnitiel whaaaaaaaaaat?! You learn a new thing every day. I don't think I've ever even grated garlic before though.

[@ohnitiel]

@@1sTEfFaniE1 Learned that one on Sorted Food channel, can't really remember which video, but I had the same reaction as you did lol

[@aarontallant4644]

@@ohnitiel you can also throw them in a garlic press with the skin on.

[@aarontallant4644]

Yup. Crush with the skin on with the flat of your blade and the peeling becomes easier as well.

[@allrise3056]

“Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2” @15:05 is among Chopin’s finest, and for the Bread Skill. Well-played, Sir.

[@connierose648]

thank you!!!!! Agree!

[@motoristan7707]

What I also can recommend for a dish such as one in this video a small touch of good rum in the beginning can be amazing or instead of red wine you can use German Schwarzbier that gives it a very welcome soft bitterness with some wonderful malt flavours and with some lemon zest you can really bring in that freshness that gives it a good touch. That is how my family in Germany have done Ox cheeks for generations and it is amazing.

[@sdtrenchless1221]

Always so much thought in your video’s, that translates into me watching till the very end. Keep up the awesome content! Love the way the cheese nook turned out! Cheers

[@jacktracy4845]

Very well done. It mirrors my journey since 2002.

[@amal6419]

Awesome video. Just an FYI for the analytically inclined. "Breaking down connective tissue" starts at about 160f internal temp and continues to 180f-ish. So if you check and the meat is still "tough" it is likely because it has not reached that temp yet. Word of caution if it gets much beyond 200f then it will toughen again. Good news is there is a large window of time for the meat to go from 160 - 200+.

[@SighNaps]

Well done. This is a fine example of simplifying what can be be complex concepts to some unfamiliar with the nuances of food preparation. My only criticisms would be to use a neutral oil with a higher smoke point such as rapeseed (canola) or peanut to sear, and (this is personal preference) I make my flatbreads in a dry, ripping hot cast iron skillet. It produces those lovely, lightly charred patches and firm outer texture that is often found on proper naan from a quality Indian restaurant.

[@XanderPie]

10 tips I wish I would *HAVE* known. If you were to use an "of" in there, it would have to be at the end (i.e., "would have known of")

[@wilesfiles1]

Or, as I like to say, "of" is not a verb.

[@evelynbaron2004]

This is not a written transcript; everyone makes grammatical errors in everyday speech why pick on that Dylan got the Nobel prize for literature using bad grammar which if you know your history of words used to mean glamour you ass. I refer you to Shakespeare and Dickens.

[@evelynbaron2004]

@@wilesfiles1 refer to reply to above

[@evelynbaron2004]

@@mathewdallaway refer to reply to above

[@evelynbaron2004]

@@wilesfiles1 sorry just find evelyn baron

[@TedBackus]

my aunt used to make the best beef short ribs ever. she would buy them, marinade them, & put them in the horizontal freezer in the garage, until next year. So every year, she was preparing next years ribs. these things are amazing.

[@50sKid]

You missed one: glazing. Strain the veg from the sauce and then reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove the bone from the short rib, trim the hanging fat where the bone was, and roll the short rib around in the glaze in the pan. Takes it to the next level.

[@binaboop1]

@@Bill-tz3wg I know this wasn't intended for me, but thanks for the great recommendation!

[@derekblade740]

Appreciate your videos! You make me go up and beyond when I'm cooking by making the skill feel casual and basic common sense. I love to braise now and cook with wine for its acidity! Currently learning how to make my own bread cause that flatbread looked gorgeous and reminded me of the Halal guys and Dumplings Dudes I used to frequent in the Lower East side. Scallions in bread is 🔥🔥🔥

[@RowdyPumper]

Seeing those prime skills all used in one dish is a creative way to teach them' which is a fun way to learn. I want to go right now and start practicing.

[@tomhanks1732]

"sometimes you dont have a day to let the liquid marinade penetrate into the meat, which is why i choose a dry brine. now you are gonna want to let this dry brine rest and settle in for 24 hours" .... wait ...

[@non-readingtom3998]

He said few days ago

[@dexterek011]

Kudos for that Frederic Chopin music playing in background, when you show how to make bread !

[@ChromeDrakeGaming]

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Perfect pairing.

[@rayM3459]

I love the music in the bread making portion. So peaceful.

[@PITMASTERX]

What an awesome video!

[@RobinPilcher]

@@torTxoFognaTuluZ ... You POS...

[@Dlihc]

I used to cook for a living but whenever i see these videos i usually watch them. Can never know too much in the kitchen

[@jobell1060]

MISEN knives are the absolute best! My husband bought our first 2 about 2-3 years ago and i now have about 8 pieces and I love them!!

[@georgehicks4035]

The onscreen subtitle at 0:50 should be "10 cooking skills I wish I would HAVE known"

[@nickherman311]

This

[@SindyxLotus]

Mike I hope one day we can see your approach to Indian and or Ethiopian food. Ethiopian cuisine is my favorite along with Japanese. I've not had enough Indian food but I love what I have had and the flat bread section reminded me of naan. I realize he's done a video on Indian food before but he's on a whole another level since he has. I need to see the Pro Home Cooks approach to Indian food as well as the other 2 at some point.

[@LucavonRaumer]

Thank you for taking the time to teach us all the stuff that you learned over all those years. I really appreciate the high quality videos you are making and i hope that you will keep blessing us with them in the future.

[@lakunas23]

Another mistake: frying meat in expensive olive oil instead of neutral, and saving the flavourful olive oil for finishing touches :D Love the videos, though, helped me so much during lockdown, many thanks :D

[@matissgleglu6437]

olive oil also has a low smoking point. the biggest reason to not use it for frying

[@donutmike]

Olive oils are great for sofrito aka sweating out your vegetables but not for searing...

[@kamil8502]

@@matissgleglu6437 Low compared to what? IIRC it's around 400 for extra virgin and 450 for regular olive oil. Better than canola, coconut, grapeseed and many others. For very high heat, avocado oil is certainly preferred with its 500+ smoke point but olive oil is perfectly fine for daily use.

[@fayhoopertatamic9548]

I use light or medium olive oil for frying and save extra virgin for dressing. You won't get a Mediterranean using anything else for shallow frying.

[@evelynbaron2004]

I don't deep fry anything and olive oil would be a disaster but for mid range heat short time cooking who cares. I have a friend, actually an ex who has an olive grove outside Lucca; this makes him no money at all. I use that wonderful oil certainly not for cooking but cannot vouch for ANYTHING else. Peanut oil for deep frying. Keep safe during these times!!!

[@benlee5039]

Ok, but nobody gona talk about HOW GOOD THAT LOOKS

[@leonidych]

Nice way, to show all techniques in one-and-a-half recipe. Just learned about 'dal'. Thanx!

[@Gianrot]

From Urban Dictionary: Would of A construction used by people who may be native English speakers, but who still don't understand that "of" and "have" are different words. "I would of known the difference between "of" and "have", but I of not been educated. Of a nice day!"

[@jonathang8263]

I almost stopped watching when I read "would of".

[@hassanhaider2380]

It's not "Would of" it's "Would have"

[@Moshthun]

I may have gotten irrationally angry reading that introductory screen.

[@michaelwalker1017]

Thank you, I looked specifically for a comment regarding this.

[@jjs81082]

To all the grammar police: Get a life!. He made a very informative and educational video for those who want to learn. You all descend upon the comment section like a wake of buzzards. Cackling and peacocking your own grammatical superiority. Get the f*** out of here and do something else with your time.