How to become a better cook?

[1newname]

It can't just be practice, I've been cooking most days for 24 years! I can cook and have some dishes that are very good but most are mediocre. I actually feel like I've gotten worse over the years. Is it possible to improve? Or is it a case of you've either got or you haven't, a bit like art?!

Oh the other thing i just thought, would be to experiment. Obviously its expensive to continuously experiment, but for example and going back to basics, make a basic tomato base, and keep back a good few spoonfuls, divide between a few bowls and add something different to each, add soy sauce to one, chilli flakes to one, honey to another. This way you aren't using up a whole meal to experiment. I tend to use soy sauce to add savoury/salty flavour, and a good honey to add sweetness to dishes.

Get some new recipe books. We travel a fair bit and whenever we have something unusually good I always ask for the recipe.

Definitely tbat
plus layering seasoning, using good salt and pepper, if something needs browning then brown it hard, take the time to caramelise onions etc
marmite is one of my fave things to add to beef dishes to get the umami flavour or tinned anchovies, Parmesan rinds I freeze and save for ragu
dontgobaconmyheart is a really good recipe website, I find his stuff always turns out really well

I definitely think some people have a knack for cooking, and some simply don't.

It's that instinct of knowing if something's cooked, ratios, seasoning etc.

More oil and butter than you think is necessary!

I'd just budget for some recipe boxes for a couple of months of jazz things up. That way the teenager can get involved too!

Have a few months of gousto boxes and away you go!

If you want to add more flavour, up your seasoning, use good quality sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper. Also, good quality oil and butter to cook in, add a good squeeze of fresh lemon for some acidity and fresh herbs at the end for freshness. Try some of the box deliveries from Hello Fresh or similar for new ideas.

Season as you go, not just at the end. And keep tasting throughout so you can adjust the seasoning if necessary.

I started getting Hellofresh and Simply Cook boxes. They help you get a feel for flavour profiles and combinations that work well, cooking techniques and where to use them, while also being very easy.

After a while I started making adjustments to the recipes to suit my own tastes. Then transitioned to just making them myself. Now I have a big repertoire of recipes I can cook freestyle and I'd say I'm now a competent cook. I get lots of compliments on my food anyway!

Another vote forbthe recipe boxes, I've done Gousto quite a few times, and keep the recipe cards in a binder. Easy to do yourself from the supermarket when you've done the step by step thing with them. I'm a recipe follower, Dp is not. Which is annoying as he'll make something great then can't replicate it, or will kill me with chilli.....

Why are you serving up an end result that’s only ok? Don’t you taste it and then add seasoning and stuff to improve it if required?

If I make bolognese sauce for example (always make it the same way but don’t measure anything) I taste it and think, does that taste lip smackingly good? If not, why not? Is it too bland? Add seasoning…Not beefy enough? Add another stock pot, etc etc.

Thanks everyone. I do use good quality ingredients, I'm a bit of a food snob , never use jar sauce, can make my own bread. Maybe it's just bad recipes?! I've got all sorts of books, hairy bikers (reliable), Rick Stein (hit and miss) Nigella (pretty good). I think I'm going to try Gousto

Something I struggle with: roasting meat. I find a whole chicken is NEVER even close to cooked after the recommended time, but then it can end up dry. Can't roast beef but am quite good with lamb

Do the children cook with you?

Family cooking gets tedious after a couple of decades, even if you generally enjoy cooking. It becomes a chore to be fitted around work, home and squeezed into the time available. I think most of us find this at a certain point.

We all cooked with my parents from early on, my DC did the same with us. I found including the DC in more of the cooking revived my interest a bit and of course they learned to cook. They would also come up with ideas that my jaded routine had not and as they grew older quite often cooked some of the weekend meals without us. I also used basics cook books with them which was a reminder of basic techniques which get sloppy over the years. These days I’d use some of the online courses such as Delia Smith’s which starts from boiling an egg and is completely free to use.

They all went to uni as competent cooks. My challenge now is working up enthusiasm for cooking and shopping for one most days.

I also agree with the good ingredients but this does add a lot to the shopping bill.

It’s one reason I like using the simply cook boxes - and I make something twice a week - they have all been totally delicious , generous portions and I buy the fresh aspects on the day -

I find recipes with videos helpful, you can find plenty on YouTube. There are lots of techniques that improve your cooking. Once you’re at a decent standard, compile recipes that work for you and create your personalised recipe book. It took me a while to become anywhere near decent!

Have you got a food thermometer? They’re helpful

How well do you know your oven? Mine runs hot, especially with the fan on. Perhaps you need to turn it up a bit.

Also, I rarely time things. I work on smell and can smell when something is just right. If some things need a bit more I move the cooked stuff to the side oven to keep it warm.

I love food and cooking but it certainly becomes more challenging after years of providing family food. I watch loads of cooking programs and my favourite chefs are those that do family style/sharing food rather than fancy restaurant stuff:

jamie oliver
nigella
georgina hayden
sabrina gayour
hairy bikers

Totally agree, that's why Delia is good. Nobody can cook from Elizabeth David Richard Olney or Keith Floyd, the basic info is there, but you need to already be a decent cook to use it, A lot of recipes, especially from the internet, have mistakes, ingredients listed, then not mentioned again, whole sections of how to make the dish missed out, cooking times and temperatures wrong. I also find a lot of recipes are very under seasoned, even if you spot the misprints like tsp instead of tbsp

I used this recipe for aubergine and it was v bland, but when we had leftovers the next day it was delicious!!

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/melanzane-parmigiana

I'm think I'm alright at cooking and get very good feedback - especially when I roast a chicken. How do you roast it? I add lots of seasoning and always make sure the oven is preheated

Agree with previous points re:quality of recipes. Delia, Mary Berry are good for this. I also have an American book called the Food Lab which goes into the science of cooking and explains why things work/don’t work. Some of the recipes are online at Serious Eats.

Add more oil/butter and salt, and check your oven temps. And then tell your teens they are doing 2 dinners a week!

I think it's recipies - usually only find a few good ones per recipy book.

Though I am puzzled about the chicken - we just follow the packet instructions - have you tried the boil in bags ones?

We've only recent tried chicken in slow cooker - and that's great

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-roast-chicken

Family cooking gets tedious after a couple of decades, even if you generally enjoy cooking. It becomes a chore to be fitted around work, home and squeezed into the time available. I think most of us find this at a certain point.

I'm at that point TBH - so many dislikes to accomodate as well and ever rising costs trying to keep down it's too much at times.

I've found couple of peopel on youtube shorts who try popular recipies and say which are worth trying IMO - so will when DS leaves ahve a go at finding a few more recipies to try. Also just got a slow cooker so experimenting with that as well.

Im actually the same, it's so hit and miss.

I blame the low fat marketing craze. I bet you’re cooking with seed oils and such.

Learn some French recipes with butter, cream and lard. Fat is where the flavour is.

The French incidentally have the lowest rate of heart disease but highest saturated fat consumption.

Butter, maldon salt, olive oil, fresh herbs, freshly ground black pepper.

All the little things make a difference. I also had to get over a lifelong fear of using oil, butter, and frying/searing meats first.