How-Tos

Our how-tos bring you everything you need to know to get in the kitchen and cook, from fundamental techniques to the whys and hows behind our recipes.
Broccoli cut into steaks, stems, and floret scraps.
The Broccoli Part You Always Toss Is Actually the Tastiest—Here’s How to Use It
Half and half being poured into a bowl.
Out of Half-and-Half? This Surprising Ratio Gives You the Same Silky Results
Overhead view of holiday cookie assortment
I’m a Pastry Expert—Here’s Exactly How I Build a Holiday Cookie Box That Lasts for Days
Side view of latke
The Low-Effort, Pantry-Ingredient Hack That Guarantees Crisp, Golden Latkes Every Time
A person holds a piece of cooked mushroom over a blue bowl containing more cooked mushroom pieces
The Lazy Cutting Trick That Makes Vegetables Crispier and More Delicious
Overhead view of cookie
This Pastry Chef Trick Guarantees You'll Have the Prettiest Cookies at Your Holiday Swap
A starshaped cookie cutter on rolled dough sprinkled with flour on a surface
I’ve Rolled Thousands of Cookies—These Are the Rules I Swear By for Easier Shaping
A bowl and plate containing freshly baked buttermilk biscuits
The Real Reason Your Baked Goods Won't Rise (It's Not the Recipe)
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I've Baked Thousands of Cookies—This Simple Trick Stops Bottoms from Burning
A bowl of soup with chunks of chicken herbs and a spoon
The Ancient Cooking Trick That Makes the Creamiest, Coziest Soups (No Dairy Required)
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Skip the Microwave—My Air-Fryer Method Revives Thanksgiving Leftovers Perfectly
A sous vide turkey leg on a bed of herbs next to sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.
Your Leftover Turkey Deserves Better—Here's How to Revive It for Juicy, Crispy Results
The Most Essential Thanksgiving Tools
The One Thing Guaranteed to Ruin Your Turkey (That No One Warns You About)
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No Brown Sugar? This Simple 2-Ingredient Fix Works Every Time
A bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes sits on a table. It's topped with a pat of melting butter and a grinding of fresh black pepper.
Creamy or Fluffy? Here’s the Best Potato for Every Kind of Mash
A slice of pumpkin pie topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a plate with a fork placed beside it on a table
I Asked 3 Pastry Chefs How to Make the Best Thanksgiving Pies—They All Said the Same Thing
Various pie crusts and fruitfilled pies arranged on a table
I Tested Butter, Shortening, and Lard in Pie Crusts—This One Was the Clear Winner
Graphic of baking soda and diced onions
This Simple Kitchen Hack Gets You Golden Onions in Record Time
A dish of stuffing with herbs and bread cubes on a table with other dishes
I Made Thanksgiving Stuffing 3 Ways—Only 1 Didn't Turn to Mush
Overhed view of turkey
The Safest, Easiest Way to Defrost a Turkey, According to Food Safety Pros
Overhead view of ultra fluffy mashed potatoes
8 Thanksgiving Recipes Perfect for Small Gatherings
A turkey placed in an oven on a roasting pan with a rack
Turkey Still Frozen on Thanksgiving Morning? Here's the Method That Saves Dinner
Hand adjusting pieces of bread stuffing mixed with herbs and vegetables
I Tested 6 Different Breads for Thanksgiving Stuffing—Here’s the One I’ll Use Forever
Four muffins labeled Oil and Butter one muffin from each group sliced in half to show texture
Butter vs. Oil for Baking—Here's Which Fat Makes the Best Cookies, Cornbread, and Cake
Plate of croquetas with one broken open showing the filling inside
My Mom's Secret for Turning Thanksgiving Leftovers into the Crispiest, Creamiest Snack I Know
Cherry pie slices on different plates one labeled with flour type
I Tested 3 Types of Flour for Pie Crust—Here’s the One That Stayed Crisp and Flaky for Days
Two roasted sweet potatoes on foil one partially peeled to expose the orange flesh inside
Stop Settling for Bland Sweet Potatoes—This Simple Step Makes Them Taste Even Sweeter
A serving of root vegetable gratin on a plate with a fork garnished with herbs and set on a red background
10 Easy Sheet-Pan Thanksgiving Recipes for Easy Cooking—and Cleanup!
Container of fresh mushrooms on a marble surface
I Tested 6 Different Ways to Store Mushrooms—This Method Kept Them Fresh for Nearly 2 Weeks
Slice of pumpkin pie on a plate with a fork next to it
The Pastry Chef Trick for Silky-Smooth Pumpkin Pie Every Time
Side view of saucepans on a baking steel.
The Restaurant Trick I Use to Free Up Stovetop Space on Thanksgiving
Jubilee bundt
12 Essential Cake Tips From Baking Legend Dorie Greenspan
Hand holding a salted popcorn kernel with more popcorn in the background
Why Your Seasoning Never Sticks to Popcorn—and the Simple Fix That Actually Works
A Thanksgiving dinner plate consisting of mashed potatoes roasted vegetables stuffing turkey with cranberry sauce and a fork
Stuffing Your Turkey Could Make You Sick—Here's What Our Editors Do Instead
Four raw turkey breasts labeled oil mayo plain and butter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
We Tested 4 Ways For Crispy, Golden Turkey Skin—Here's What Actually Works
A Thanksgiving dinner plate consisting of mashed potatoes roasted vegetables stuffing turkey with cranberry sauce and a fork
The Thanksgiving Shortcuts Our Editors Swear By for Easier Cooking
Broccoli being cooked in an air fryer with tongs
Your Air Fryer Is the Secret to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving: Here's How
A bowl of mashed potatoes garnished with chives on a table with Thanksgiving dishes
Pro Chefs Swear By This Make-Ahead Trick for Fluffy Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes—Without the Last-Minute Stress
Chopsticks lifting noodles out of a bowl of soup
8 Shortcut Dinners Our Editors Swear By When Cooking Feels Impossible
Overhead view of a honey brined smoked turkey
Skip the Basting—for Crispy Turkey Skin and Juicy Meat, Try This Instead
A plate featuring green beans mashed potatoes with gravy fried chicken and a side of coleslaw
Skip the Pan Drippings—This Foolproof Gravy Method Will Save Your Thanksgiving
Traditional Thanksgiving dinner with roasted turkey stuffing mashed potatoes green beans and assorted side dishes and desserts
When to Start Cooking Every Thanksgiving Dish, According to a Pro Chef
Side view of steak frites
For Juicier Steaks and Crispier Chicken Skin, It's Time to Retire These 6 Meat Myths
Two pots filled with cooked rice one large and one smaller placed on a dark surface
Fluffy Rice Every Time—Here's the Step You're Missing
A bowl of chicken soup with a spoon holding a bite of meat and vegetables
8 Kitchen Shortcuts Our Editors Use to Make Life Easier
A stack of pancakes topped with butter and syrup being poured over them
This Simple Trick Gives You Perfectly Fluffy Pancakes in Minutes—Without the Morning Mess
A stack of brownies with one being held above the stack
The 8 Kitchen Shortcuts Our Editors Refuse to Take—and You Shouldn’t Either
A bowl of penne pasta topped with tomato sauce and grated cheese
I Tested 5 Ways to Reheat Pasta—Here's the Clear Winner
Pattern of candy corn on a purple grid background
Think Candy Corn Tastes Like Candle Wax and Sadness? Science Says There’s a Reason
A close up shot of a sliced, pan-seared, butter-basted steak.
The One Ingredient You Should Never Throw Away
A person carving a jackolantern face on a pumpkin using a knife
Stop Hacking at Your Pumpkin—This Chef Trick Makes Carving Safer and Cleaner
Person holding several fillets of raw salmon with a white bag nearby
You Don’t Need to Be a Chef to Spot Great Salmon—Here’s What to Look For
A plate of pasta being twirled on a fork topped with grated cheese and seasoning
Restaurant-Quality Pasta at Home—It’s All About This Timing Trick
Tray of Parkerhouse Rolls, on a brown textile, with a side dish of butter and small serving dishes to the side.
The Surprisingly Simple Way I Finally Got My Bread Dough to Rise Perfectly
A pot of oil is bubbling while food is being fried
I Tested 5 Ways to Get Rid of Fried Food Smell In My Kitchen—Here's What Actually Worked
A closeup of crinklecut French fries
The Vintage Gadget I Didn't Expect to Love—That Makes Veggies Crunchy and Deliciously Dippable
A sliced baguette showing the crust and the texture of the interior
I Tried Every Flour I Could Find. This One Finally Made My Bread Perfect
Diced vegetables being added to a pot
This Make-Ahead Vegetable Trick Is a Game-Changer for Home Cooks