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.

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

Side view of steak frites

For Juicier Steaks and Crispier Chicken Skin, It's Time to Retire These 6 Meat Myths

Bowl of chicken and dumpling soup with herbs

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

Baked chicken thighs with chickpeas on a tray garnished with herbs in a savory sauce

I Grew Up With Harissa. Here’s How I Use It on Everything

A bowl of gyeranbap a Korean dish with rice fried eggs and seaweed

How I Turn Leftover Rice Into a Bowl of Pure Comfort

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 penne pasta topped with tomato sauce and grated cheese

I Tested 5 Ways to Reheat Pasta—Here's the Clear Winner

A bowl filled with fresh spinach leaves

Why Baby Spinach Took Over—and What We Lost When It Did

Lettuce leaves and outdoor dining at Via Carota restaurant

How I Unlocked the Secrets of NYC's Most Famous Salad at Home

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

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

We Taste-Tested 6 Brands of Frozen Buttermilk Pancakes—Our Winner Is as Good as Homemade

A hand holding anchovies from a jar with a fork

These Anchovies Are So Good, You'll Want to Eat Them Straight From the Tin

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

A pizza topped with lettuce crushed tortilla chips and a red sauce being applied by a spoon

I’m a Lazy Home Cook—This One Ingredient Makes Me Look Like a Pro

A piece of ghee melting in a stainless steel frying pan on a stove

How I Turn Butter Into Liquid Gold—And Why It Makes Everything Taste Better

An open refrigerator stocked with various groceries and food items on the shelves and compartments including beverages and produce

This Is the Safest Place in Your Fridge to Store Chicken (Most People Get It Wrong)

Side view of cake

Does Coffee in Desserts Actually Give You a Buzz? We Did the Math

Six boxes of waffle brands arranged on a countertop

We Taste-Tested 7 Brands of Frozen Waffles—Here Are Our Favorites

Slices and fillets of salmon arranged on display in a storefront or market counter

I Asked 4 Seafood Experts How to Buy Salmon, and They All Agreed

Grilled cabbages and carrots collaged together.

10 Fall Vegetables That Taste Even Better When Cooked Over Fire

View of Swedish candy on a grid.

Swedish Candy Is Still Viral for a Reason—Here's Why It’s So Much Better

Assorted apples organized in rows within a cardboard tray

Want to Bake a Better Apple Pie? It Starts With Buying the Right Apples

A variety of frozen hash brown products arranged on a marble surface

We Taste-Tested 8 Brands of Frozen Hash Brown Patties—Our Winner May Surprise You

A display of numerous red apples

You're Probably Storing Apples Wrong—Here's What Actually Works

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs

The Pasta “Rule” Everyone Still Follows—And Why You Shouldn’t

Four cranberry juice bottles from different brands displayed side by side on a table

We Taste-Tested 4 Brands of Cranberry Juice Cocktail—Our Winner May Surprise You

Bowl of beef stew for Serious Eats

The Savory Canadian Spice Blend I Use on Everything From Popcorn to Beef Stew

A selection of Trader Joes products including Parmesan cheese barbeque sauce pie crusts black tea and a bottled beverage

11 Trader Joe’s Products Our Editors Reach for Again and Again