41 Life-Changing Kitchen Hacks You Wish You Knew Sooner
Kitchen hacks are a dime a dozen with hundreds of tips and tricks passed down by generations of dedicated home cooks. Explore this helpful list of useful and time-saving cooking hacks that elevate your kitchen game. Whether you want to save time or improve your culinary skills, there is a kitchen hack for any occasion.
Many professional techniques can save you time in the kitchen as well as handy tricks invented by home cooks. Have fun in the kitchen with this wide variety of food hacks meant to fit any situation.
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41 Genius Cooking Hacks You Need to Try
1. Easily Peel Garlic
Peeling off the many layers of outer skin on a bulb of garlic can be frustrating and fiddly. Speed up that process and save yourself the stress by using the microwave to help peel garlic. To use this kitchen hack, simply chop the top and bottom off the garlic bulb and then microwave for twenty to thirty seconds. After microwaving the outer shell should slip right off. Take care not to microwave your garlic for too long — it can burn and present a fire hazard if left unattended.
2. Quickly Husk Corn
While buying fresh ears of corn from the farmers market results in delicious corn, it also takes extra time to husk. Skip this annoying and tedious task with a fun kitchen hack. Microwaving corn in the microwave for around thirty seconds loosens up the outer husk and makes husking easier. Make sure to keep an eye on the corn while in the microwave to avoid safety hazards.
3. Upgrade Tomato Sauce
Want to make restaurant-quality tomato sauce at home? This chef-inspired kitchen hack effortlessly upgrades homemade tomato sauce by incorporating fresh carrots. The sweetness of carrots helps balance out the acidity in tomatoes resulting in a delicious sauce. Make sure to remove the carrots before serving and enjoy.
4. Keep Herbs Fresh
Nothing is worse than splurging on fresh herbs at the grocery store only to find them wilted the next day. Fresh herbs elevate many dishes, but they are extremely hard to keep fresh for long. Keep herbs such as parsley and cilantro fresh with this one simple kitchen hack.
First cut off the ends of the stems and then place them in a glass jar filled with fresh water. Next, place a plastic bag over the top of the jar and secure it with twine or a rubber band. With this kitchen hack, herbs can stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks.
5. Cut the Perfect Fries
Want to chop perfectly uniform potato wedges like a professional chef? You don’t need immaculate knife skills to pull off this kitchen hack. All you need is an apple slicer and large potatoes. Simply press the apple slicer over the potato for juicy wedges worthy of any steak house.
6. Quickly Pit Cherries
Pit cherries like a professional with this kitchen hack. If you need to get the pits out of a large number of fresh cherries in a hurry then this kitchen hack is for you. All you need is an empty glass bottle like a beer bottle and a chopstick or metal straw. Place the cherry on the opening of the bottle and then use the chopstick to push the pit out of the cherry and into the bottle. This kitchen hack is great for home cooks without access to a cherry pitter.
7. Get Extra Juicy Lemons
Want to ensure your lemons are extra juicy? This kitchen hack uses a microwave to ensure the maximum juice is squeezed from your lemons. Simply microwave the lemons for seven to 10 seconds and then roll the lemon back and forth on the counter to release the juices. This hack will leave you with more juice using less effort. This method can also be used on limes.
8. Hull Strawberries Fast
Using fresh strawberries while baking can be such a pain. Use this kitchen hack to quickly remove the stem and hull of your fresh fruit. Just insert a drinking straw into the bottom of the strawberry until the top pops off and the stem is easily discarded. This hack will save you loads of time when using a large quantity of fresh strawberries.
9. Tomato Halfing Hack
Need to slice a handful of cherry tomatoes in a rush? Use this kitchen hack involving two plates to speed up your tomato slicing. Start by placing the small tomatoes on a plate and then place another plate on top sandwiching the tomatoes between the two plates. Next, slice through the tomatoes horizontally while securing the top plate with your hand. Voila, you have now sliced multiple tomatoes in a single motion.
10. Rescue Salty Soup
Have you ever over-salted a large batch of soup but don't want to throw it out and start over? Adding fresh apples is an easy kitchen hack to save your soup in a pinch. The starch and sweetness in the apple slices can soak up some of the salt and neutralize the overly salty flavor.
To save your soup, slice up an apple chuck it into your pot of soup and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. You can also tie the apple slices into a cheesecloth to make them easier to fish out after simmering.
11. Preserve Brown Sugar
Keep your brown sugar from turning lumpy with this obscure kitchen hack. Simply toss a few marshmallows into the container with brown sugar and seal the container. The marshmallows will soften hardened brown sugar and keep it fresh for up to a few weeks.
12. Keep Your Cookies Day-One Soft
Baking the perfect cookie that is both soft, chewy and thoroughly cooked can be a challenge. Once you’ve managed to bake the perfect cookie you want to store them properly to ensure maximum freshness. Storing fresh cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread ensures day one softness for about a week. This kitchen hack works for other baked goods as well like cakes, cookies and even muffins.
13. Perfectly Proof Bread
Proofing bread in the winter can be a struggle. The yeast that makes homemade bread light and fluffy needs a very specific temperature to rise. If your house is too cool your bread dough simply won’t rise resulting in a dense loaf. To avoid this conundrum, try an easy bread-baking kitchen hack. Place your proofing loaf into the oven with just the oven light on to create a warm environment that allows the bread to be proofed.
14. Organize Baking Supplies
Keeping your station clean while baking can be a challenge. Skip the digging around in cabinets looking for icing, sprinkles and vanilla and instead declutter some of the mess with this organization kitchen hack. Use a tiered lazy susan to store your baking tools within arm's reach. This cute hack can make baking more enjoyable.
15. DIY Cooling Rack
When making delicate baked goods, getting air underneath the pan for quick cooling is essential. If you don’t have a fancy cooling rack available try this quick kitchen hack to cool off your treats. If you have an ironing board, remove the cloth cover and use the metal rack beneath as a DIY cooling rack. Be sure to set the ironing board in a safe space to prevent accidents with hot food.
16. Save Melting Ice Cream
Fast-melting ice cream is such a drag. To prevent your creamy pint of dessert from melting too quickly, wrap it in bubble wrap to slow down the melting process. This kitchen hack works by insulting the frigid ice cream from the warm air surrounding it and slowing down melting. This kitchen hack works great when you are traveling with ice cream and will keep it nice and firm for hours at a time.
17. Keep Melting Butter Tidy
Melting butter in the microwave can get messy fast. To save the inside of your microwave from becoming a greasy mess try this clever kitchen hack. Wrap the top of the dish with a butter wrapper to prevent splatters. It's also a great way to recycle the grocery store packaging before tossing it.
18. Speed up Butter Softening
If you need to soften butter in a hurry then try this kitchen hack. Dicing up a stick of butter speeds up the softening process. The cut-up pieces will be soft in about twenty minutes if left at room temperature. This hack also works if you need to melt butter quicker in a saucepan or the microwave.
19. Dice Eggs Quickly
Dice a large amount of boiled eggs in a flash with this kitchen hack. Grab a backing rack and gently push the boiled egg through the wire mesh for perfectly diced egg pieces. This genius hack also works for dicing up avocados.
20. Simplify Cheese Grating
Grating cheese doesn’t have to be an arm workout. Use cooking spray to speed up the grating process with this ingenious kitchen hack. Simply spray a small amount of non-stick spray on the surface of the grater for a smooth and easy grating experience that won’t have you breaking a sweat.
21. Make Great Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a hearty, homestyle meal great for a weeknight family dinner or a comforting meal during the colder months of the year. Making meatloaf can be a tricky process if you use all beef. Using just beef in a meatloaf can make the dish harder, grittier and less appetizing.
The kitchen hack of mixing pork and beef to make meatloaf is a quick and easy solution that leaves you with a tastier, softer meatloaf thanks to the extra fat in the pork. This hack also works for meatballs.
22. Bake Mess-Free Fish
Scraping stubborn baked-on fish residue from a baking tray is a nasty chore. Skip the arm-breaking dishwashing with this smart kitchen hack. Simply line your baking tray with parchment paper before placing down the fish for baking.
When the dish is done cooking, simply remove the soiled paper to reveal a nearly spotless tray beneath. This kitchen hack is very versatile and works well for a variety of dishes including roasting vegetables, baking cookies and baking meats.
23. Shred Chicken
Shredding chicken can be a time-consuming task even for the most accomplished chefs. Outsource this tedious labor to a stand kitchen mixer and save time and hastle. To implement this creative kitchen hack, use the paddle attachment on the mixer to shred apart your chicken quickly and efficiently.
24. Dodge Greasy Meat
Taking a big bite of overly greasy meat is never appetizing. Unfortunately, baking certain high-fat proteins in the oven can result in the meat sitting in a pool of its own grease. Bypass this messy situation by using a cooling wrack when baking meats.
To use this kitchen hack place a cooling wrack onto a baking sheet and then place the meat on top. Doing so allows the grease to drain away while cooking the perfect protein. This food hack works great for extra fatty meats like bacon, pork belly and pork meatballs.
25. Use a Digital Scale
Digital scales are used religiously in commercial kitchens and for good reason. Weighing out proteins such as fish and steak ensures an accurate weight allowing you to calculate the correct cooking time.
Using a digital scale also comes in handy when making burger patties or meatballs because you can check to make sure they are all a uniform size. Digital scales don’t have to be used solely for meat, they can also be handy when weighing pretty much any ingredient in the kitchen.
26. Chill Wine Fast
Need to chill a bottle of wine fast? Try this science-backed kitchen hack that will have your bottle of white chilled in no time. Mix ice, cold water and salt together in a bucket and place the wine bottle down into it. The bottle of wine should be cooled and ready to drink in twenty minutes or less.
27. Upgrade Wine
This easy kitchen hack takes an ordinary bottle of wine and upcycles it into a delicious and refreshing cocktail. If you only have a bottle of wine in the fridge but want to make a fancy drink, fill a wine glass with ice, add the wine and then top with seltzer for a fizzy sipping experience. You can even add fresh fruit for an even tastier drink.
28. Repurpose Mason Jars for Cocktails
Mason jars are some of the most versatile containers to have in a kitchen. This kitchen hack repurposes Mason jars by turning them into DIY cocktail shakers. These shakers are spill-proof and easy to use for novice mixologists and they won’t cost you any extra cash, unlike bar shakers. To use them, put the cocktail ingredients into the jar, screw the lid on tight and shake. Next, strain off the ice and enjoy.
29. Learn To Rim Your Glasses
What separates a restaurant-quality craft cocktail from a homemade drink? The rim. Learning to rim a cocktail is an easy kitchen hack that will instantly upgrade your homemade drinks and impress guests.
Adding salt or sugar to the rim of a glass is easy. Cut a wedge of lime or lemon and slit the middle. Next, run the slit of the fruit around the rim of the glass and then press the damp rim into a plate of your preferred powder. Voila, you know have a perfectly rimmed cocktail.
30. Label Jars With Rubber Bands
Labeling ingredients for freshness is a non-negotiable part of running a restaurant kitchen. This small kitchen hack ensures food safety and tasty, fresh ingredients. To use this cooking hack at home use rubber bands wrapped around jars for mess-free labels. Simply write the date on the rubber band for a quick and easy labeling system.
31. Don’t Mince, Microplane
Mincing garlic and ginger is a time-consuming process that seasoned chefs know to skip. Using a microplane to quickly produce finely chopped ingredients such as garlic, ginger and onions is an easy kitchen hack you can use to make a variety of dishes.
32. Speed up the Pour
Storing jars upside down is a simple kitchen hack that will save you time and frustration when preparing a meal. This food hack is easy to implement: simply place jars such as jelly, peanut butter and thick dipping sauces like ketchup upside down for storage. When you need to use the jar, the product will be at the top for easy access.
33. Skip the Oven Mitt
Want know an industry secret? Real chefs never use oven mitts. In restaurant kitchens, things move fast and there’s no time to stop and wash an unwieldy oven mitt between making every dish.
This professional kitchen hack uses standard kitchen towels instead of oven mitts. Just fold up the towel and grab the hot pan for easy handling. The kitchen towels can be easily washed and switched out if soiled during cooking and they can be handily stored in your back pocket for easy access.
34. Cool Chilled Appetizers
There’s a reason restaurants serve cold appetizers like shrimp cocktails on ice. This kitchen hack keeps chilled food nice and cold for an extended amount of time. To recreate this cooking hack at home without purchasing new servingware, simply fill a bowl with ice, cover the ice with large lettuce leaves and then place the appetizer on top for an effortlessly elegant presentation.
35. Warm Knives for Easy Slicing
Ever wonder how restaurants always cut the perfect slice of cake? Using a warmed knife on cold desserts results in a perfect cut every time. To use this kitchen hack, soak a sharp knife in hot water and then use it to effortlessly cut through the dessert in question. The heat helps the knife run smoothly through the high-fat content of the cake, eliminating snags and tears.
36. Organize Snacks
If you have a picky eater in your life, you know all about the ick that comes from food touching. This easy kitchen hack uses a common item to eliminate food touching. Use muffin cups to separate snacks for easy organization in a lunch box.
37. Prep Soup In Advance
Freezing a soup starter is a great kitchen hack for busy people on the go. Prepare a large batch of your favorite soup ingredients and place them in a resealable bag and freeze. You now have a grab-and-go soup starter that is great for quick dinners.
38. Upcycle DIY Shakers
Upcycling and recycling empty food containers is a great way to reduce waste and live an eco-friendly lifestyle. To make your own shakers at home, save the tops of Parmesan cheese shakers and then screw them on top of mason jars. Fill the jars with homegrown herbs, gourmet sprinkles or anything else you plan to use regularly.
39. Freeze Ready Made Sauce
Making fresh homemade sauce from scratch is great, but it is also labor-intensive and time-consuming. To recreate the flavor of homemade sauce for many recipes, make a large batch of sauce and then freeze it in portion sizes in an ice cube tray. Whenever you need a savory homemade sauce, simply pop out a cube and heat it for a perfect meal.
40. Steady Mixing Bowls
Need an extra hand when whisking ingredients in a bowl? Putting a damp towel underneath the bowl will keep it steady and make the mixing process a little easier.
41. Install Handy Hooks
There’s no such thing as too much storage in the kitchen. If you are running out of space to put all your utensils try hanging hooks on the wall for extra storage space. This is a cheap kitchen hack to give all your culinary bits and bobs a home.
Take Your Skills Further With Cooking Classes
Want to discover even more fun and helpful kitchen hacks? Check out cooking classes near you and learn hundreds of exciting new skills from a professional chef. From perfectly seasoned sauces to bakery-quality desserts, there is a cooking class for every type of aspiring home cook.
Don’t want to leave the house? Explore online cooking classes for a convenient learning experience available from your own home. There is a huge variety of cuisines to choose such as French, Japanese and Mediterranean fare.
Join 200,000+ Culinary Enthusiasts
The culinary arts are a beautiful feat of human inventiveness spanning the globe, and hopefully this guide has proved that achieving professional kitchen prowess is something we can all achieve with a few easy tricks. From simple upcycling hacks to professional culinary tips, there are so many interesting kitchen hacks to explore as a home cook.
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