Ingredient Guides

Take a deep dive into ingredients, from commonplace produce to lesser-known condiments, with tips on how to procure, use, and store each one.

Bowl of instant pot oatmeal in a bowl with blue textile

Why Your Microwave Oatmeal Explodes—and the Easy Fix

Various brands of almond milk cartons and bottles arranged on a countertop showcasing a variety of packaging designs and labels

We Taste-Tested 14 Oat Milks—These Are the Ones Worth Buying

Side view of brining vegetables

Stop Roasting Bland Vegetables—I Tested the Simple Salt Step That Makes Them Better

Multiple small cups each containing oatmeal arranged on a surface with plastic spoons and small numbered labels

We Taste-Tested 13 Instant Oatmeals—These Are the Ones Worth Buying

Overhead view of a cut avocado

We Tested Popular Avocado-Ripening Methods—Here’s What Works

A variety of slices of garlic bread on a baking sheet numbered for a taste test

We Taste-Tested 11 Frozen Garlic Breads—This 1 Was the Clear Winner

Five different brands of frozen pancakes displayed against a tile background including 365 Eggo and Buttermilk Pancakes packaging

Which Frozen Pancakes Are Actually Worth Buying? We Taste-Tested 6 Popular Brands

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

Side view of open bags of potato chips

We Taste-Tested 9 Supermarket Potato Chips—Here Are Our Favorites

An assortment of canned cinnamon roll products from different brands lined up on a countertop

We Taste-Tested 5 Store-Bought Cinnamon Rolls—These 2 Are the Only Ones We’d Buy Again

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

Multiple slices of chocolate cake arranged on a tray

After Taste-Testing 8 Chocolate Cake Mixes, These Are the 2 Our Editors Would Serve to Guests

Variety of packaged cheeses displayed together sourced from Trader Joes

How to Pull Together a Festive Trader Joe's Cheese Board for Just $20—Yes, Even in This Economy

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

20131209-glazed-ham-sous-vide-snake-river-balsamic-brown-sugar-11.jpg

I Tested 7 Ways to Reheat Leftover Ham—This Method Kept It Juicy Every Time

Holiday Baking Disaster? Here’s Why Chocolate Seizes—and What to Do When It Does

An assortment of puff pastry packaging arranged on a surface representing different brands

We Taste-Tested 6 Store-Bought Puff Pastries—This One Was the Clear Winner

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

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 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

Decorated gingerbread houses on a table featuring intricate icing designs and candy pieces as embellishments on the roofs

We Taste-Tested 7 Gingerbread House Kits—Here Are the Best Ones to Build, Decorate, and Eat This Holiday Season

Egg Nog Taste Test

We Taste-Tested 7 Popular Eggnogs—This Is the 1 We’d Actually Serve at a Party

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 chickpeas

Why Canned Chickpeas Stay Tough—and the Simple Fix That Softens Them Fast

Three boxes of potato latke mix displayed on a countertop in a kitchen setting

We Taste-Tested 3 Popular Latke Brands for Hanukkah—Only 1 Delivered True Crispiness

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

Broccoli cut into steaks, stems, and floret scraps.

The Broccoli Part You Always Toss Is Actually the Tastiest—Here’s How to Use It

Cups of tomato soup with spoons presented for a taste test

We Taste-Tested 16 Popular Tomato Soups—This Is the Only Brand Our Editors Will Buy

Half and half being poured into a bowl.

Out of Half-and-Half? This Surprising Ratio Gives You the Same Silky Results

Eleven sticks of unwrapped unsalted butter.

We Taste-Tested 11 Supermarket Unsalted Butters—Here Are Our Favorites

A bowl and plate containing freshly baked buttermilk biscuits

The Real Reason Your Baked Goods Won't Rise (It's Not the Recipe)

A collection of shiny red apples piled together

That Glossy Shine on Your Apples? It Might Be Bug Juice

A variety of chocolate milk brands displayed on a counter including cartons and bottles

We Taste-Tested 14 Store-Bought Chocolate Milks—These Are the Only Ones Worth Buying

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

Closeup of the Diletta Mio Espresso Machine brewing an espresso into a glass

A Pinch of This Everyday Ingredient Might Make Your Coffee Taste Smoother

Overhead view of ground ginger in a bowl

Ground Ginger Deserves More Love in Your Baking Rotation—Here's How to Use It

Your "Yukon Gold" Potatoes Probably Aren't Yukons—Here's Why

Green potatoes graphic

Is It Ever Safe to Eat Green Potatoes? A Food Safety Expert Breaks It Down

Six baked biscuits arranged on a parchmentlined baking sheet labeled with numbers

We Taste-Tested 7 Store-Bought Biscuits—These Were the Flakiest and Most Flavorful

Red apples arranged on a blue grid background some cut in half to reveal their interiors

The Real Reason Your Apples Keep Going Bad—and How to Fix It

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

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

Overhed view of turkey

The Safest, Easiest Way to Defrost a Turkey, According to Food Safety Pros

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

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

A tray of cups filled with gravy samples each containing a spoon or utensil for tasting

We Taste-Tested 19 Brands of Turkey Gravy—Here Are Our Favorites

A steak with pepper sauce next to a serving of thincut fries on a plate

Inside the “Ancestral Fat” Trend: Does Beef Tallow Deserve Its Hype?

An assortment of canned and jarred cranberry sauces displayed on a counter in a tiled background setting

We Tried 15 Store-Bought Cranberry Sauces—Here Are the Winners That Took Down Ocean Spray

Side view of mille feuille

I'm a Former Pastry Chef—This Is the Only Puff Pastry I Buy for Holiday Baking

Six portions of mashed potatoes labeled by preparation method on parchment paper

I Tested 6 Potato-Mashing Methods—This One Made the Fluffiest Mash

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

Six dinner rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper numbered 1 to 6

We Taste-Tested 7 Brands of Dinner Rolls—These 2 Are Worth Serving at Thanksgiving Dinner

Roasted brussel sprouts and shallots with a balsamic glaze in a bowl, with glasses of sparkling water, some smaller plates and a colorfully printed table top

I Tested 3 Roasting Pans to Find the Secret to Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Basting Your Turkey Is a Big Mistake—Do This 5-Minute Finish Instead

Overhead view of a honey brined smoked turkey

Skip the Basting—for Crispy Turkey Skin and Juicy Meat, Try This Instead

Graphic of pulling meat from the freeze

I Tested 5 Ways to Thaw Ground Beef—This Method Was the Fastest and Easiest

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

Various cups of chicken noodle soup on a tray showing variety in ingredients and presentation

We Taste-Tested 9 Canned Chicken Noodle Soups—Here Are Our Favorites

Bowl of chicken and dumpling soup with herbs

This Pantry Staple Is My Shortcut to Creamier Soups, Desserts, Mac and Cheese, and More