by Chef Ben Kelly | Jun 18, 2018 | Cooking Tips
One of the biggest complaints I get from people when I talk about cooking is time. No one seems to have enough of it. Now, whether it’s actually a lack of time, poor time management, or just where someone’s priorities lay, I don’t know. What I do know is that cooking and eating well are usually the first things to get cut when time runs short. So, what can be done?
7 Time-Saving Cooking Hacks
I firmly believe that if time is the only thing holding someone back from cooking, there are solutions. So, in an effort to help time restrained people cook more I have compiled a list of 7 time-saving cooking hacks that I have learned and developed over my almost 20 years in the restaurant industry. Let’s take a look.
Number 1. Have a plan.
Having a plan when entering the kitchen will start you off on the right foot. It doesn’t have to be a super detailed plan. Just have some kind of path forward in your mind. Think about what you’re making, how you’re going to make it, and the steps that go into making it. Read any recipes you’re following a few times so that you know exactly what needs to be done. And if you think it would be useful, make an actual prep list to keep your mind focused and organized.
Number 2. Stay Organized.
Staying organized in the kitchen is incredibly important. We have a saying in professional kitchens that a disorganized station leads to a disorganized mind. This causes all kinds of issues from losing things, to tripping over things, to burning things. All of the bad things. Keep things as organized as possible and things will become easier and quicker.
Number 3. Clean as you go.
Nobody likes having a big mess to clean up after they just spent an hour cooking. It sucks. So, clean as you go. Keep your sink full of hot soapy water and when you have a second wash any dishes that are there. Wipe down your counters whenever you get a second. If you make a mess clean it up as soon as you can. Cleaning as you go takes no extra time because you are just optimizing the time you have. You are using inactive time. This also helps keep everything organized and tidy.
Number 4. Make ahead if you can.
Make things ahead of time that can be made ahead of time. For example, if you knew yesterday that you were going to make potato salad with tonight’s dinner, you could have boiled the potatoes and eggs then. This way when you go to make the potato salad you don’t need to wait for that stuff to cook or cool down. There are lots of things that can be done a day in advance. It’s really about saving as much time as you can when you are actually cooking.
Number 5. Preparation.
Being prepared is pretty much the key to all this. It is the most important of the 7 time-saving cooking hacks. This includes making sure you have all of the ingredients you need. Maybe even having them premeasured. Making sure your kitchen is clean and organized when you start cooking. This definitely includes making a plan or prep list. And of course, having anything done ahead of time that can be done.
Number 6. Stay calm.
It is super important that you don’t freak out while cooking. I know you’re not likely too. You’re not really under a tonne of stress in your home kitchen. But, if you do feel a sense of panic it can mess everything up. If you do start to feel overwhelmed step back, take a deep breath and figure out what’s going on. It could be as simple as clutter is starting to build up and you didn’t really notice. So, take a minute and tidy up, get your mind straight and move forward.
Number 7. Enjoy it.
Try and enjoy it. This is really important and I’ve talked about it a bunch. Try to stop thinking of cooking as a chore that needs to be done. If you follow all of the other time-saving cooking hacks you’ll notice that cooking not only takes less time but it’s actually more enjoyable. I find that it’s a great way to unwind after a long day as long as everything is organized, tidy, and you know what you’re doing.
For me cooking is a form of meditation. I get in the kitchen, I focus on what I’m doing and let everything else slip out of my mind.
To be fair, this last hack doesn’t really save you time. However, it definitely changes your perception of time making it seem like cooking is going a lot quicker than it actually is.
So there you go 7 time-saving cooking hacks that will help you not only spend less time in the kitchen, but also help you enjoy that time more. I hope that you enjoyed this post and if you did please share it and tell your friends. And most importantly, get cooking.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Jun 8, 2018 | Cooking Tips
I am obviously a big proponent of people cooking more. I think that there is tremendous value in it. And I think that it is beneficial to physical health, mental health, and the bank account. But I know that it can get boring and tedious, especially during the week when work and life get in the way. I also know that for a lot of people the last thing they want to do in their leisure time is to cook.
Most of the time cooking is considered to chore that must be done.
Most of the time cooking is considered to chore that must be done. Because of this, it’s easy to associate cooking with the same negative feelings we all had towards cleaning our bedrooms as children. The thing is, that anything can seem like a chore when you only do it when you have to. If you only ever had sex to make babies I bet that would feel like a chore pretty quick too, right?
If you only ever had sex to make babies I bet that would feel like a chore pretty quick too, right?
I do think that there is a way around this idea of cooking only ever as a chore. It’s really quite simple. Cook when it’s not necessary to do so. Meaning, cook during leisure time. There may be arguments running through some people’s heads that go something like this… “I don’t cook because I’m not good at it.” “I can’t cook.” “I don’t like cooking.”
…to love the thing that you hate, you need to do it until you don’t hate it anymore.
So, here’s the paradox of it all. By cooking when it’s not necessary to do so, most, not all, but most people will find some form of joy in it. They will get better at it. They will learn more about it. And all of this will lead to them enjoying even more. So, to love the thing that you hate, you need to do it until you don’t hate it anymore. Does that make sense?
Now, why put ourselves through this? Why put in the effort? Why force ourselves to do something that we don’t like to do just because we might learn to like it?
…we all know people who say they hate to cook but then watch 14 hours straight of the food network.
Here’s the thing, we all know people who say they hate to cook but then watch 14 hours straight of the food network. We all know people who say they hate to cook, but read food blogs like this one and have a Pinterest board full of recipes. And we all know people who say they hate to cook but when they eat something really delicious they say “I wish I could cook like that.”.
…do most people actually hate to cook, or do they just not have the skills they need to cook.
The question arises, do most people actually hate to cook, or do they just not have the skills they need to cook. Do they not know how to develop those skills? Or, do they just not want to put the effort into learning those skills?
Why not give ourselves the opportunity to enjoy it?
I don’t know where everyone falls on the spectrum of wanting to cook versus not wanting to cook, but I do know that is worth a little effort. Everyone has to eat, and it’s more than likely that every person reading this is doing some type of cooking anyway. So, why not set aside a little time and try to learn to enjoy it? Why not give ourselves the opportunity to enjoy it? Whether it’s trying a new ingredient or a new recipe, or even just making something because there is a craving for it, just try it.
When we do something because we want to, and not because we have to, our brains recognize that. It causes a shift in perspective. We feel fulfilled rather than frustrated. We feel a sense of accomplishment and pride rather than just being happy it’s over.
So, here is what I suggest. Set aside a few hours this weekend. Choose a dish that you really want to eat. Do a little bit of research by reading a few different recipes, and then make it. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Do this once a week, and I’m willing to bet it will completely change how you look at food and cooking. Yes, there will still be times when it seems like a chore. There always will be, but more importantly, there will be times when it doesn’t.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Jun 6, 2018 | Cooking Tips, meat
It’s almost officially summer and we all know what that means. It’s burger time! Burgers are obviously classic summertime fare, and one of those unique foods that pretty much everyone has their own secret recipe for. Now, despite the fact that everyone thinks they make the best burgers, they don’t. Yes, some of you out there can make a really good burger but all too often people fall into the same burger traps. Avoid the common burger mistakes and become a burger pro with my 7 tips for making your burgers better.
Number 1. The Meat.
Choosing the right meat is the key to burger success. I would like to tell you to get some beef chuck and brisket and grind it yourself making a perfect 50/50 blend. Undoubtedly, that will make an incredible burger. But, you’re not going to do that and generally neither am I. So what should you use? Buy good quality lean ground beef. Fat is good in a burger but too much fat leads to a lot more shrinkage and flare-ups on the grill that’s why lean ground beef is better.
Number 2. Seasoning The Burger.
People are often given bad advice when it comes to what they should put in their burgers. There are a lot of “experts” out there that recommend adding all kinds of things to your burger meat before cooking it. Things like bread crumbs, onion, garlic, Worcestershire Sauce, steak spice and all kinds of other weird things. To be completely honest I was brought up on burgers like this but have since gained a new perspective. Let the burger taste like beef. All I put in and all I recommend putting in your burger meat is a little salt and pepper.
Having said that, I generally do season the outside of my burger with a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, and Old Bay Seasoning. I use this blend on steaks as well. This way you still get a lot of flavour from your burger but it also still tastes like beef.
Number 3. Making Your Patties.
I am of the school thought that thinner is better. I make my patties as thin as I can by flattening them first in my hand than on a flat surface covered in parchment paper or plastic wrap. I use enough meat so that once they are fully flattened they are about one and a half times the diameter of the bun. I do this because the burger cooks quicker. They end up cooking into the perfect thickness and diameter for the burn. They cook more evenly. And they’re easier to eat.
If you do like a really thick burger there is a way to mitigate some of the shrinkage. After your patty is formed, stick your thumb in the centre making a thumb-sized hole pretty much all the way through the centre of the patty. This will not only help prevent the patty from shrinking too much, it will also help it cook more evenly.
Number 4. Cooking Your Burgers.
How you cook your burger depends on how thick you’ve made it. If you followed my advice and made your patty thin, you want to cook your burger on a medium-high to high heat. For thick burgers, you want to cook on a medium heat. The reason being that if you cook a thick burger on high heat it will burn on the outside long before it ever cooks through.
If you are cooking your burger in a pan, let’s say cast iron, get the pan nice and hot and don’t add any oil. Enough fat will come out of the burger that you don’t need to add any extra.
If you are cooking on a barbecue, heat your grill up for at least twenty minutes before you start cooking. Also, make sure your grill is really clean. As long as the grill is hot and clean, you shouldn’t need to oil it. If you have cleaned your grill and heated it up and your burger is sticking it’s likely because you are trying to flip it too soon. Give it a minute and let it release from the grill naturally.
Don’t push your burger down. All you’re doing is squeezing the juice out of it and making your burger dry. The only time this is acceptable is at the very end of cooking. If you give the centre of the patty a little push with your tongs or spatula and the juices run clear the burger is done, if they are still red cook it some more.
Number 5. Say Cheese.
The cheese that you use is fully up to you. I do have to say that for a long time I snubbed processed cheese slices but have recently fallen back in love with them on burgers. They add something that nothing else can. I think it’s probably just nostalgia but either way, it’s delicious.
Now, what type of cheese you use is your call completely, but when you add the cheese is really important. If you add it too early it will be melted and gone before your burger is fully cooked. If you add it too late, your burger will be overcooked and dry before the cheese melts. This isn’t really that big a problem with processed cheese slices as they melt if you blow on them.
Add the cheese once you flip your burger for the last time. You know it’s the last time because you checked the doneness of your burger by gently pushing down the centre of the patty and the juices are almost clear but not perfectly. This gives you the perfect amount of time to melt your cheese and finish cooking your burger. Flip the burger before adding the cheese as this gives the cheese the hottest possible surface of the patty and helps to speed up the melting process.
Number 6. Choosing the right bun.
When it comes to the bun there are really only two things that you need to worry about. The first being the size of the bun in relation to your burger. If you made your patty nice and thin and one and a half times the diameter of the bun this shouldn’t be that much of an issue. But keep it in mind. There are few things more annoying when eating a burger than having too much or too little bun.
The second thing you need to think about when choosing your bun is its structure. If the bun is too soft it will absorb fat from the burger and go mushy. If it’s too firm, it may fall when you try to eat it. You want a bun somewhere in the middle. Now, some of these issues can be dealt with by toasting the bun, but you want to be careful with this as well. A light toasting is delicious and helps to protect the structural integrity of the bun by creating a bit of a protective barrier between the surface of the burger and the inside of the bun. However, a bun that is over toasted and crispy falls apart and takes away from the enjoyment of eating the burger.
Number 7. Condiments.
What you put on your burger is your own business. I’m not going to tell you how to live your life. However, I will say don’t put too much stuff on your burger. There is a trend these days to pile unnecessary shit on a burger just for the sake of doing it. But ask yourself if it’s actually enjoyable to eat that or does it just look cool? The other thing is, the more stuff you put on your burger the harder it’s going to be to eat and the messier it is going to be. Just think it through.
If you are going more of a classic route with lettuce, tomato, and pickles cut them as thin as possible. This is especially true of the tomatoes and pickles. The are few things worse than biting into a burger and having its contents shoot out the backend because the tomatoes created a slick surface. By cutting the tomatoes as thin as you can you hopefully prevent this. Same going for pickles.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Jun 4, 2018 | Cooking Tips
Where do they come from? Those recipes you see in all those cookbooks and all of those websites, how do people create them? I can’t tell you exactly what other people do but I can tell you the three techniques that I use to write recipes. And I can tell you how to use my techniques to create your own recipes at home.
Like I said there are three main techniques that I use to create recipes. They are all very different and they all have strengths and weaknesses. In all honesty, a hybrid version of all three techniques is likely going to yield the best results, so that is what I would recommend to you.
Why write recipes?
Before I get into my techniques you may be wondering why it’s important for you to know this? Why do you need to know how to write a recipe? Well, you don’t necessarily. But, the more you get into cooking, the more you want to experiment. Sometimes those experiments will be really good and you will wish that you had a recipe to go along with it. Also, even though this whole post is about writing recipes, the techniques I’m about to describe will help you be able to cook without a recipe as well. So, let’s get into it.
Recipe Research And Development
Very often when you use a recipe from the internet, or even from cookbooks they don’t exactly match the idea you had in your mind. The dish may fall short in some ways. And so the first technique I’m going to describe to you is essentially research and development.
I use this technique when I know the dish that I want to make, it’s very specific or complex, and I’ve never made it before. This technique is actually how I wrote my butter chicken recipe. The idea is that I research and develop my recipe based on a culmination of all the recipes I find.
The first place I start is actually researching what the dish is. What makes butter chicken, butter chicken? Where does it come from, what are the dominating flavours? I want to know as much about the dish as I can. This will help me understand what parts of certain recipes I want to keep and what parts I want to get rid of.
The second thing I do is read as many recipes for that dish as I can find. I look for all the things that are common among all the recipes. I look at the ingredient ratios and I think about how they play off each other and how I think that they will taste together. And I look at any ingredients that may only show up in a small number of recipes. These ingredients may be completely unnecessary, or they may be the key to totally unlocking the recipe. Essentially, it comes down to trying to figure out what makes sense and what doesn’t. Get rid of all of the clutter and you are left with some semblance of a recipe.
Based on all of the information I have gathered, I write a recipe and then I cook it. Sometimes it works perfectly, and sometimes it needs adjustment. Either way, it is a great starting point and it puts me much further ahead than I would have been had I just started making random recipes off of the internet. So, I have my starting recipe. As I cook and taste I adjust some measurements, some cooking times. Usually, if the dish isn’t exactly what I want the first time I make it, it’s on point the second time.
Go With The Flow And Write It All Down
The second way I write a recipe is really pretty easy. I start with some idea of what I want the dish to be. Then, I just start cooking and write everything down as I go. I like this technique for just playing around in the kitchen, coming up with new things. This technique works well because you can adjust as you go and just change measurements and stuff on the paper.
The downside I find to this technique is that it disrupts the rhythm of cooking when you have to constantly stop to write things down. And, I also find that because I am writing things down, I’m not actually committing the steps to memory like I normally would. This can throw a wrench in things if I forget to write down an ingredient or step. Also, taking the time to measure everything out, which I normally wouldn’t, can get tedious. This is especially true when you are adding little bits here and there to adjust the flavour.
Recipe Mind Games
The third and final technique I use to develop and create recipes is to build them completely in my mind. Generally, when I do this I have an idea of what I want. I sit down with that idea and I imagine it inside and out. I make the dish in my mind from start to finish over and over until I get it exactly the way I want it. Once I’m happy with what’s in my head, then I’ll write it down, and then I’ll cook it.
I’m able to do this just because of experience. I know how ingredients play off of each other. I have a vast flavour library in my head that allows me to imagine new and different flavour combinations. And I know what cooking techniques will yield what results. Because of all of this, by the time I actually make the dish in real life, it comes out pretty much exactly how I wanted it.
This is definitely the technique that I use more than anything else. I generally use it on its own or in combination with one of the other techniques to create recipes. I use it for things as simple as thinking of a cool sandwich idea, or as complex as coming up with a really high-end dish.
Conclusion
Those are the three main techniques that I use to write recipes. Like I said, for you at home, a combination of the three will likely yield you the best results. There is one thing I should say about writing recipes that I haven’t yet.
When writing a recipe be consistent. Use consistent measurements. If you weigh everything, weigh it all in the same units. Don’t write a recipe that has one ingredient measured as 14 g and one as 2 lbs. The same goes for volume measurements. Keep it consistent. Try not to mix weights and volumes either. Choose one or the other and stick to it.
Write as concisely as you can. Even if you’re just writing the recipe for yourself, assume that the person reading it has no cooking experience at all. There is nothing worse than trying to figure out some weird shorthand you decided to use once in some random recipe years ago. Trust me.
by Chef Ben Kelly | Jun 1, 2018 | Food and Culture
Spicy food is not something I ever ate growing up. It was never around for me to try or experience. Because I had no experience with spicy food I had no tolerance for it. Even into my mid-twenties, I couldn’t tolerate any heat at all. In fact, medium chicken wings were about as spicy as I could manage. I had no idea what I was missing.
By the time I was finished eating, I would think “that wasn’t so bad”
I don’t specifically remember exactly what changed or when. I do know that it started slowly. I would make a noodle stir-fry and add a little extra heat by accident, not wanting to throw it away I would suffer through. By the time I was finished eating, I would think “that wasn’t so bad” and the next time I made noodles I would add a little extra heat and then a little more, and then little more and so on.
Because she was adding more spice, I added more spice, then she would add more, so again, I had to add more.
I think things really escalated when my wife, then girlfriend, started working in a Thai restaurant. She would come home and talk about all these spicy dishes the kitchen got her to try and how incredible they were. I was probably a little jealous of these cool culinary experiences she was having and I think this brought out my competitive side. From there on out whenever I made anything spicy, she would eat it, but would always add more spice. Because she was adding more spice, I added more spice, then she would add more, so again, I had to add more. This just kept going and going.
When you start to eat really spicy things, something strange happens.
When you start to eat really spicy things, something strange happens. Among the sweat, the runny nose, and the burning mouth, there is a sense of euphoria. You feel amazing! You feel like you could run a marathon. Your blood is pumping, your skin is warm, you practically vibrate and you just want more.
I had bought the hottest of the three jerk sauces
There was one experience my wife and I had with a jar of jerk chicken sauce that illustrates my point pretty well. I bought a bottle of jerk chicken marinade that was made in Jamacia. I took the bottle home and emptied its contents onto a chicken. I let the chicken sit, covered in this jerk sauce overnight. The next day I roasted the chicken with all of the sauce still on it. When my wife and I sat down for dinner we discovered that the chicken was really flavourful but unbearably hot. What I didn’t realize was that I had bought the hottest of the three jerk sauces this company makes.
My wife and I each took a bite of the chicken and our faces went red, steam came out our ears, and our eyes immediately went bloodshot. We couldn’t eat this chicken it was too hot! It wasn’t just the surface of the chicken either, the spice had penetrated the entire bird. We sat there for a minute, and then we both ate more. And then we ate more. We could barely breathe, but we ate more. We wanted to stop, we just couldn’t. It was so good. It was painful, but it was amazing. Our bodies began to release endorphins and dopamine which sent us into a euphoric state similar to runners high. It was amazing. Over the course of two days, we ate the whole chicken. Although I have to say that she did eat more than me.
My only regret is that I didn’t make the effort to increase my tolerance sooner.
Now that I have experience with spicy food, and I have built up my tolerance, I love it. There is no other experience like eating something really hot and all that comes with it. My only regret is that I didn’t make the effort to increase my tolerance sooner.
Summer is the perfect time to push your boundaries a little and experiment with spice. The hot sun, hot food, and a cold beer make the perfect combination. Yes, it is painful, but it is absolutely worth it. I know that too the uninitiated this seems crazy, but the only way to know for sure is to try it for yourself. You won’t regret it…well you might regret it a little the next morning, but on a larger scale, you won’t regret it.
by Chef Ben Kelly | May 16, 2018 | Cooking Tips
It has been my experience that the best way to consistently make good food is to not overcomplicate it. Keep it simple. Don’t over think it. It takes less effort to make simple food delicious and generally it is more enjoyable to eat. Now, what do I mean by simple food? I mean using as few ingredients as possible, and cooking in the simplest way. Strip back all of the unnecessary stuff and focus on the things that matter.
Think of a margarita pizza. It has four ingredients and is perfection.
The Italians are experts in this. They focus on the quality of the ingredients and do very little to them. They let the natural flavours of the ingredients stand out. Rather than covering up these natural flavours, they work to compliment them. Think of a margarita pizza. It has four ingredients and is perfection. Dough, crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella. What about carbonara? It has five maybe six ingredients. Simple!
How do we cook simple food?
So, how do we do it? How do we cook simple food? The first thing we have to do is change how we think about cooking. It has become part of cultural consciousness to think of cooking as adding more and more ingredients. We are conditioned to think that cooking is about creating something new by combining as many ingredients as possible. We need to start thinking of it in terms of not creating something new but simply enhancing what’s already there. Compliment not cover up.
…even though all of those vegetables are cooked the same way…they will all taste very different.
Let’s think about vegetables. Most vegetables are best when tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, maybe an herb or two, and roasted on high heat until they are cooked. There is nothing complicated about that, and there is little to no effort. This works great for peppers, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, asparagus, onions, leeks, mushrooms, cauliflower, squash, sweet potato, and brussels sprouts if you blanch them first. Obviously, this technique is pretty versatile. And the thing about it is, that even though all of those vegetables are cooked the same way with the same ingredients, they will all taste very different.
Vegetables aren’t the only foods that can benefit from a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Vegetables aren’t the only foods that can benefit from a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Fish is fantastic when roasted this way and the addition of a touch of lemon, and some thyme or other fresh herbs will make it a great dish. Chicken can be done the same way as the fish or instead of lemon, a few spices like paprika and cumin can be added. Yes, before you ask, this works with pork, lamb, beef, turkey, duck, quail, pheasant, emu, llama, or pretty much anything else you can think of.
cooking simple food is just about letting the food speak for itself.
Really, cooking simple food is just about letting the food speak for itself. It’s about using as few ingredients as you can to maximize the amount of flavour. It’s about using techniques that limit the amount of time you have to actively be cooking. And really it’s about using those techniques that draw more of the natural flavour out of the food.
…focus on complimenting the main ingredient.
Obviously, roasting is not the only technique that lends itself to cooking simply. Steaming, sauteeing, stir-frying, poaching. All of these techniques can be used. Just focus on complimenting the main ingredient. Even with sauces. If I make a meat sauce, doesn’t it make sense that it should taste like meat? Why cover up the meat flavour with twenty-seven different ingredients. The best meat sauce I’ve ever had had less than eight ingredients and two of them were salt and pepper.
There is beauty in simplicity.
The more ingredients we add to our food, the more complicated we make it, the more opportunity there is to mess it up. There is beauty in simplicity. There is beauty in letting the ingredients stand out and speak for themselves. Stop focusing on what needs to be added. Stop adding ingredients just for the sake of adding ingredients. Enjoy cooking and eating more by focusing on simple food done really well.
by Chef Ben Kelly | May 14, 2018 | Cooking Tips
Meal planning is not the most exciting topic in the world. In fact, it can be straight-up boring. Unfortunately, it is one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against food waste. And of course, in the effort to stretch the ever-shrinking grocery budget there is no more valuable tool. Why is meal planning so important? How do you properly build one? How do you stick with the plan?
Why is meal planning so important?
Imagine that you are wandering aimlessly around the grocery store, filling your cart with whatever catches your eye. You have picked what you think is enough food to get you through the week and head home. A few days later you go to make dinner and you are struck with the realization that you don’t really have anything to make dinner with. You have chips and crackers. You have some cheese, and maybe a frozen pizza or two. You may even have a few fresh veggies that are starting to go bad. The problem is that there really isn’t a meal here. So you go out and buy more groceries or grab some takeout completely demolishing that budget you had set for yourself.
…planning is everything.
The scenario above is not an uncommon one. In fact, it was my life for a very long time. And in all honesty, occasionally still is, though I am much better than I used to be. What I have learned over the years, and really what I have translated from the restaurant world to my home life is that planning is everything.
…you fly through the aisles with a smile on your face…
Imagine instead that before you left the house you made a plan. You looked at the flyers and know what’s on sale where. You mapped out what meals you are going to make for the week and what ingredients you need to make those meals. You have even planned to buy a few snacks. Once you get to the grocery store you fly through the aisles with a smile on your face knowing exactly what you need to get, and in the blink of an eye you’re done and on your way home.
Because you have a plan, none of the food you just bought is going to sit in your fridge and go bad. It will be used because you bought for a reason. You have a plan for what to do with it. Now, there is no trying to figure out what to make for dinner when you get home from work, you already know. This makes life a lot less stressful. It also makes it a lot less likely that you are going to panic and just eat takeout three nights a week.
How do you properly build a meal plan?
Building a successful meal plan is like doing a puzzle.
Building a successful meal plan is like doing a puzzle. There should be no spaces left and you shouldn’t have any extra pieces leftover at the end. Start with the edges just like doing a puzzle. In the case of meal planning, the edges would be the main ingredient. This would usually be the protein. Now, fill in the rest of the puzzle with vegetables, starches, and sauces.
…BUY AS FEW INGREDIENTS AS YOU CAN WHILE STILL MAINTAINING A VARIED DIET.
There are some ingredients that you really can’t buy in small quantities. Things like cabbage for example. So, if you plan on making a stew or soup with cabbage early in the week, plan on making a coleslaw with the leftovers later in the week. Essentially, the idea is that you buy as few ingredients as you can while still maintaining a varied diet.
There are always sales. Use them.
As I talked about a little bit earlier, use sales to your advantage. Where I live we have two main grocery store chains. Very often they go back and forth with sales. One week something will be on sale here, the next week it will be on sale there. There are always sales. Use them. Even if it means that you have to go to two different grocery stores. I know that seems like hell to a lot of you but if you know why you are there and what you’re getting it will only take a few minutes.
Consider leftovers when meal planning as well. Even build that into the plan. If you know that there is one night next week when you just are not going to have time to cook, plan for a bigger meal the night before. This way you have leftovers and don’t really need to worry about cooking. Leftovers are also great for lunches.
…try at least one new recipe or ingredient each week…
Plan for variety. Try not to get stuck in a cycle of making the same meals every week. This will get boring to eat and to cook. Build into your meal plan the idea that you will try at least one new recipe or ingredient each week and it will keep things exciting. This will also make you a better cook.
You should also, on occasion, plan for a night out or to get take out. I think it’s important to build this into your plan for once or twice a month. Acknowledge that you are going to order a pizza sometimes, or go out for burgers. By building this into the meal plan you are taking away any negative feelings and instead have given yourself something to look forward to as a fun night.
How do you stick with the plan?
Sticking to your meal plan comes down to practice. Really, you just have to do it. But once you do it for even just a few weeks, you will notice that you are less stressed, you are spending less money, and you are eating better. You may even find that you enjoy cooking a bit more because there is a lot less stress.
Try not to be too hard on yourself if you mess up. Life is ever changing and despite your best efforts sometimes your plan will just go to hell. Live with it, learn from it, and get right back to it. But don’t beat yourself up over it.
by Chef Ben Kelly | May 11, 2018 | Cooking Tips
A well cooked boiled egg is a thing of beauty. It is the definition of simplicity, yet to master it can be difficult. It takes practice to get the timing just right. And there are as many techniques for cooking a boiled egg as there are people who enjoy them. I think that the technique I am about to lay out for you is the most consistent. So keep reading if you want to know how to cook a perfect boiled egg.
First of all, let’s clear something up. Eggs shouldn’t really be boiled. The high heat toughens the white and makes them chewy and rubbery. So, these are more simmered eggs than boiled eggs. Also, the times I am about to give are for large to extra large eggs, cooked at sea level. If you are in the mountains your cooking time is going to vary slightly.
A lot of people will start their eggs in cold water and then slowly bring the temperature up. I find that cooking eggs like this is an unreliable method. Instead, we are going to start with boiling water. So, bring a pot of water to a boil. Before you add your eggs to the pot give them a quick rinse under hot water. I find that this kind of tempers the shells and makes them less likely to explode from heat shock. Also, check the shell for any cracks or weak spot. Carefully lower the eggs into the pot using a slotted spoon. Once the eggs are in the pot bring the water back up to the boil and then turn down to medium-low immediately.
Often when people cook hardboiled eggs they end up with a green ring around the yolk. This green ring has a sulfur smell and doesn’t look great. This just means that egg is overcooked. Reduce the cooking time by a minute or two and you will be able to avoid the green ring of death.
How do you like your boiled egg?
Now that the eggs are cooking it just comes down to how you like them. If you like them soft 4-5 
minutes of cooking is what you are aiming for. For medium eggs, 6-7 minutes. For hard-boiled eggs, you are aiming for 8-10 minutes. No matter how you like your eggs you should shock them with cold water once their done cooking. The eggshell acts as an insulator and will retain heat for a long time. If you don’t shock the eggs, they will continue to cook and a perfect will quickly become an overcooked egg. It’s important that you just quickly run them or immerse them in cold water, otherwise, you will cool them to the point where the whole egg is cold, which probably isn’t what you want.
A few Tips on Peeling boiled egg.
The fresher the egg the more difficult to peel. If you are finding that your eggs are really difficult to peel you can leave them out on the counter at room temperature for an hour or two before you cooking. This will artificially age the egg and cause the membrane around the white to loosen from the shell. Some people say that adding a tsp of baking soda to the cooking water will make the eggs easier to peel but I have not tested this and it seems unlikely to work.
I also find that breaking the shell into a lot of little pieces makes it much easier to peel. I find that doing this works better than trying to peel off big pieces of shell. The big pieces are more likely to get stuck on the membrane and tear the white of the egg apart.
I like soft boiled eggs on toast with a touch of butter and salt and pepper. How do you like your eggs?
by Chef Ben Kelly | May 9, 2018 | Food and Culture
I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. I don’t want to build up a false narrative and create an image that is impossible for people at home to live up to. It is absolutely true that I want you and everyone else to cook more, but I also live in the same world that you do. I know that some days things get away from us and we really don’t have time. I know that sometimes we don’t plan properly. And I know that we sometimes just don’t feel like cooking. That’s okay. But on those days, when we don’t want to, or don’t have time to cook, what should we eat?
Sometimes it’s like we are watching ourselves order a burger and fries and have no control over whats happening.
To be frank, I can’t really tell you what you should eat. Picking up a roast chicken and premade salad is probably better than eating a big greasy pizza. Even though a big greasy pizza would really hit the spot right now. Let’s be clear, we know when something is good for us and when it isn’t. We know what we should eat versus what we want to eat. But sometimes it just doesn’t matter. Sometimes it’s like we are watching ourselves order a burger and fries and have no control over whats happening. And sometimes you just want a burger and fries.
…eat fast food, eat what you want, but cook and eat at home much more than you don’t.
I don’t see any problems with any of us eating whatever we want as long as it is in moderation. Like I’ve said before, eat fast food, eat what you want, but cook and eat at home much more than you don’t. That to me is the key.
if I don’t feel like cooking I’m going to eat a bowl of popcorn, or cereal, or gluten-free mac and cheese.
On those days when I don’t have time, or really just don’t want to cook, and yes it happens, what do I eat? Well, I always have a couple of gluten-free pizzas in the freezer which is my go to. But I love a burger and fries just as much as the next guy. I also really love shawarma and the regional specialty of my hometown the donair. More often than not though, if I don’t feel like cooking I’m going to eat a bowl of popcorn, or cereal, or gluten-free mac and cheese. Those are kind of my go tos.
…within the context of your life, cook as much as you possibly can.
I’m really just telling you this because I want you to know that I do it too. That I eat shitty food sometimes and absolutely love it. That it’s oaky. We are all human, we are all really busy and we all have our own things to deal with. I want you to cook more. I want you to eat at home more. But I fully understand that in order for you to do that, it has to fit into the context of your life. And so if I sat here and said, “you have to cook every night or you’re a terrible person.” you would think I was crazy. You physically can’t cook every single night, I get it. But within the context of your life, cook as much as you possibly can. That is what I want for you and for everyone.
by Chef Ben Kelly | May 7, 2018 | Cooking Tips
Over eight-teen years have passed since I first stepped foot in a professional kitchen. A lot has changed since my first-day prepping vegetables in a Chinese restaurant. I have learned a lot over the years and grown more than I knew I could. It likely wouldn’t surprise you to know that I can create delicious food out of only a few ingredients. I can make something magical out of almost nothing. I have set myself down a path towards excellence and work every day towards it. I’m not bragging just setting the scene. What would likely surprise you is that even with everything I know, I have screwed up way more food in my life than you have.
In the last two weeks, I have made mistakes that have almost completely ruined two meals.
I have made more mistakes and made more inedible food in eight-teen years than any home cook will make in a lifetime. To be perfectly clear, this is not something in my past. In the last two weeks, I have made mistakes that have almost completely ruined two meals. Part of this is that I have really high standards for myself and so what I consider to be a giant mess up others may consider fine. Another aspect of this is just sheer numbers. I have cooked thousands upon thousands of meals, of course, I have messed up more than you.
The main reason I have messed up way more meals than you is because I’m willing to make mistakes in order to learn and to create something I haven’t seen before. I experiment, I try new things. Sometimes I just do dumb shit, have no idea why and it either works out or it doesn’t.
No one is excellent right off the bat.
I operate based on a philosophy that the pursuit of excellence is a continuing series of mistakes we have stopped making one by one. No one is excellent right off the bat. No one attains anything great in their life without making a pile of mistakes. As cliche as it sounds, we learn from our mistakes.
There are a million reasons why people aren’t willing to make mistakes when cooking. I think a lot of it has to do with the imaginary perfectionism we see constantly on Instagram and the food network. Very few people are willing to show their mistakes. They aren’t willing to show how the sausage is made so to speak. This gives a false sense of isolationism. It is not unreasonable, based on the information provided to think that you are the only one who has ever messed up a meal. But it’s not true.
Mistakes are the tiles that pave the path to excellence.
I’m here to give you permission to mess up. It is okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to take risks. Try new things. I promise you that when you have to eat something that tastes like shit because you messed it up, you learn quickly not to make that mistake again. If you aren’t willing to make mistakes, you will never become a better cook. You will never learn to truly enjoy cooking and you might as well just lay down and die. Life is about learning. Learning is about making mistakes. Mistakes are the tiles that pave the path to excellence.
minutes of cooking is what you are aiming for. For medium eggs, 6-7 minutes. For hard-boiled eggs, you are aiming for 8-10 minutes. No matter how you like your eggs you should shock them with cold water once their done cooking. The eggshell acts as an insulator and will retain heat for a long time. If you don’t shock the eggs, they will continue to cook and a perfect will quickly become an overcooked egg. It’s important that you just quickly run them or immerse them in cold water, otherwise, you will cool them to the point where the whole egg is cold, which probably isn’t what you want.
