Originally Posted by ptlyon:
That's probably my problem. Thanks for the info!
When I first started cooking in 1980/1981, I did 90% of things wrong.
1. I never brought things to room temperature
2. Tried cooking everything at warp speed
3. Never prepped anything and tried doing prep while cooking. Disaster
4. Tried cooking everything at once - didn't know how to pace the items
5. Didn't season meat enough with salt
6. Didn't know how to layer flavors
7. Never used fresh herbs, which get added at the end
8. Added dry herbs late and didn't get the proper flavoring.
9. Didn't use ingredients like sherry or marsala or corn starch to create sauces.
10. Never used a meat thermometer.
11. Used old cookware and improper pans
12. Never steamed veggies, boiled to death
13. Always veggies in a can
14. Tried mixing unique flavors while cooking before testing and tasting, leading to some shitty tasting and even non edible meals.
15. Didn't know how to use cream in cooking
16. Grilled only meat and missed out on veggies and other items.
17. Didn't stir fry.
Then in 1990 I bought a really nice house with a buddy, we did a huge remodel as he was a builder and built an incredible kitchen. It was a wild batchelor pad with top notch amenities.
It was then that I decided to learn how to cook. I read recipes, got advice from friends, family and chefs, read books on cooking and began to change how I did things.
In a very short time, I went from a 2 to an 7 in terms of my cooking and grilling skills.
I have really tightened things up since then and I am a 8.5 at best.
There are some things I don't do like making bread or pizza dough or bake at all. I have never cooked fish, just some things like shrimp.
I have never cooked or smoked ribs.
Never cut up a side of beef. Only cooked a whole chicken once.
Never cooked a leg of lamb or rack of lamb even though I love both.
Never did an osso buco.
Never made a meatloaf or pot pie or casserole.
I just seem to focus on things I do well.
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