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.
A plate of pasta being twirled on a fork topped with grated cheese and seasoning
Restaurant-Quality Pasta at Home Comes Down to 1 Simple Timing Move
Sliced prime rib roast on a wooden board red dish in the background
Perfect Prime Rib: Go High Heat or Go Low? We've Tested It
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The Overlooked Step That Can Make or Break Your Cake
Slices of cooked steak arranged on a wooden surface
Why So Many Meat Cooking “Rules” Are Wrong—and What Actually Makes Steaks Juicy and Chicken Crisp
A stack of pancakes topped with butter and syrup being poured over them
The Smarter Way to Handle Leftover Pancake Batter—and Get Better Pancakes Later
Two pieces of steak being cooked in a castiron skillet with yellow thermometers inserted
Bringing Meat to Room Temperature Before Cooking: Essential or Not? We Tested It
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I Tested 7 Ways to Reheat Leftover Ham—This Method Kept It Juicy Every Time
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Holiday Baking Disaster? Here’s Why Chocolate Seizes—and What to Do When It Does
Three samples of melted chocolate on paper labeled with their respective descriptions
I Melted Dark, Milk, and White Chocolate 3 Ways—Only 2 Are Worth Using
An arrangement of a grazing board adorned with various cheeses meats fruits bread slices and garnishes displayed on a table
Make-Ahead Tips for the Ultimate Charcuterie Board for Your Party
Sliced prime rib on a wooden cutting board with carving utensils nearby
Why Most Prime Rib Is Cooked Wrong—and How to Fix It
A person washing rice in a metal bowl with water
We Tested a Centuries-Old Rice Technique—Here’s Why It Still Makes the Fluffiest Grains
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6 Easy Decorating Moves a Pastry Chef Swears by for Bakery-Perfect Christmas Cookies
Assorted baked cookies cooling on racks and a table
The Real Reason Your Cookies Lack Flavor (It’s Not the Ingredients)
A glazed ham on a platter ready to serve
I Asked 3 Chefs the Secret to a Perfect Ham Glaze—They All Agreed on the Same Trick
Overhead view of a batch of brownies
The Easy Upgrades That Make Boxed Brownies Taste Bakery-Worthy
Three pies with slices removed labeled as metal ceramic and glass each with a piece on a plate below
I Baked the Same Pie Crust in Metal, Glass, and Ceramic—Here’s the Material That Won by a Mile
Decorative gingerbread houses arranged on a table
3 Pastry Chefs Reveal the Secret to a Perfect Gingerbread House—and the Common Mistake Almost Everyone Makes
Sliced cooked beef roast presented on a cutting board
I Tested Slow-Cooker Brisket to See If It’s Worth Making—Here’s the Verdict
Overhead view of All American Stew
The 1-Minute Parchment Paper Hack for Richer, More Flavorful Stews
Basting lamb.
The Simple Carving Trick That Gives You Perfectly Even Lamb Chops Every Time
Overhead view of chickpeas
Why Canned Chickpeas Stay Tough—and the Simple Fix That Softens Them Fast
Hands holding a halved fried potato patty with several patties on a marked baking sheet in the background
Gray Potatoes Grossing You Out? Our Tests Show How to Stop It
A plate of fried latkes served with applesauce and sour cream additional latkes cooling on a rack in the background
The Three Essential Steps to the Crispiest Latkes
Two stainless steel bowls with flour labeled 30 and 50 humidity one placed on a digital scale displaying 128 grams
Does Dry Winter Air Really Mess With Your Baking? A Surprising Home Test Says…
A comparison of muffins made with different egg substitutes labeled Egg Chia Aquafaba and Flax on parchment paper
Out of Eggs? The Best Replacement Might Already Be in Your Pantry
Overhead shot of a Jewish-style braised brisket in a sauce of carrots and onions
Stop Making Tough Brisket—Here's the Fix That Works
A bowl of beef stew with vegetables and garnished herbs
My Simple Ingredient Swap for the Richest, Meatiest Beef Stew
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We Tested 5 Cookie Storage Methods—Here's What Kept Them Freshest
Person breaking open a gooey chocolate chip cookie in their hands
Skip the Oven—This Is the Faster, Easier Way to Make Soft, Warm Cookies
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!