Difficulty Rating System:

Easy - Requires no advanced cooking techniques and no specialized equipment to complete the recipe
Intermediate - Requires the use of one advanced cooking skill or one specialized tool to complete the recipe
Advanced - Requires the use of multiple advanced cooking techniques. May require at least one or more specialized tools to complete the recipe
Elite Chief - Requires multi-day preparations, an array of specialized tools, and/or multiple advanced skills to complete the recipe

Cooking Tips:

Use a Meat thermometer

Cook to the desired temperature not a specific time. Yes, stabbing the meat with a thermometer releases some juices. A highly controversial topic, but the family and guests, didn’t come over to eat a “rubber ducky” or chicken tar-tar! If you are a pro… You do you boo.

Balance your ingredients

Dairy balances spice. Vinegar balances sweetness & richness. Citrus balances sweetness & richness too, but can more importantly add a cleaner finish to a dish. If it goes too far with any one flavor, try to use another to balance it out.

A Sharp Knife

A sharp knife is both more enjoyable and safer. Don’t believe us? Trying cutting a tomato (or any fruit that won't harm you) with a dull knife and then try with a brand-new one.

Try Poaching Your Meat

Start with the liquid cold. Add the seasons and flavoring agents (including the meat) to cold water. Slowly bring the liquid to a simmer. Never a boil. This allows your ingredients to breakdown into the liquid, helping build flavor over the cook. Poaching is an easy way to keep meat tender and juicy.

Use Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is the “healthiest” type of pan to cook with, but we will let the online community argue about that... The reason we prefer to use it is because it gives the most control. The pans heats up quick too! If you can get an egg not to stick to a stainless steel pan, you will have a good understanding of heat control, the use of liquid, oil, and butter.

Build Flavor

Most people know a marinade needs to sit. Overnight or even multiple days. Seasoning should be thought of the same way. We dry brine. Simply put, brining is putting salt on meat and letting it soak in. This can be done hours or days before. Season the meat before the cook, during cooking, and finish it with seasoning. Use smaller amounts, go light, build the flavor as you cook.

Let your Meat Rest

Let it rest before and after the cook. Letting meat come to room temp (or, more likely, a few degrees closer) allows for a more even cook. Take your meat off 10 degrees before your desired temperature, and cover it for roughly 10mins. Allowing the rest of the cook to happen off the heat. - P.S. Food poisoning is real. Be mindful if food is left out too long or if you under cook the meat.

Add Mustard

When making a sauce or marinading meat, add a small amount of dijon mustard. Like, a tablespoon, teaspoon, or a small drop. We are talking, Grey Poupon not French's... If added in a small enough amount, the dish should not taste anything like mustard. Our goal is to add depth of flavor. Think Chick Fil-A sauce, but even less mustard flavor. Mustard is also a slight thickening agent!

Experiment

Do you know what a leek is? Have you ever played steak roulette, with whatever cheap cut of steak is on-sale at the store? You are opening that bottle of red, white, or brown anyway, see what happens when some of it ends up in the pan. You have to eat everyday. Make it interesting!

Did you try it?

Did you try it? What is it missing? If the first time you try your food its on your plate, how can you balance it, make changes? BBQ sauce, A1 sauce, hot sauce, and ranch, should not be requirements to eat your food. Nobody asking you to munch on some uncooked eggs. Taste the sauce, grab a smaller piece of meat out of pan… Who does not like a sampler anyway!