Kitchen Tips and Troubleshooting

Don't Google that question again. Consult our kitchen tips and troubleshooting guides for organizational hacks, safety and cleaning how-tos, and more.
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
Herb s in a bag being drizzled with olive oil next to a cutting board with a bunch of herbs and a knife.
We Tested Several Ways to Freeze Herbs—This Method Keeps Them Fresh for Months
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)
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
Green potatoes graphic
Is It Ever Safe to Eat Green Potatoes? A Food Safety Expert Breaks It Down
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
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
Slices of pie reheated using different methods including microwave oven wrapped oven unwrapped air fryer toaster and skillet
The Best Ways to Reheat Thanksgiving Pie—and Keep the Crust Crispy
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
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
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
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
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Basting Your Turkey Is a Big Mistake—Do This 5-Minute Finish Instead
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
Overhead view of a honey brined smoked turkey
Skip the Basting—for Crispy Turkey Skin and Juicy Meat, Try This Instead
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 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 chicken soup with a spoon holding a bite of meat and vegetables
8 Kitchen Shortcuts Our Editors Use to Make Life Easier
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 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
Four bowls with hummus labeled 10 25 50 and 100 on a tray
Want Creamier, Restaurant-Style Hummus? I Tested the 1 Ratio That Really Matters
Spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs
The Pasta “Rule” Everyone Still Follows—And Why You Shouldn’t
A plate with cooked chicken thighs being held above a copper pan
Scorching Your Dinner? We Tested 7 Stovetops to Show the Heat Cues That Really Matter
Closeup of fried chicken pieces being cooked in oil with tongs
I Made Hundreds of Fried Chicken Batches as a Line Cook—Here's the #1 Way to Keep it Crispy and Juicy
Overhead view of various tests of cakes
I Tested 20 Ways to Upgrade Boxed Cake Mix — Here's What Works (and What Doesn't)
Two cookies side-by-side on a marble surface.
The Overlooked Baking Step That Could Be Ruining Your Cookies
The baked maple brown sugar oatmeal cookies cooling on a wire rack.
My Simple Ingredient Swap for the Coziest Fall Desserts
Roasted squash salad with pomegranate lentils and fresh greens
The Simple Trick for Turning Lentils Into an Irresistibly Crunchy Topper for Salads, Soups, and More
Chopped vegetables sorted into small bowls placed on a marble surface
A Food Editor's Meal-Prep Shortcut for Stress-Free Meals All Week Long
Rendering pork fat to make lard.
Flakier Pie Crusts, Crispier Fried Chicken, Richer Noodles—This One Ingredient Does It All
Salmon on a foil-lined sheet tray.
Stop Overcooking Salmon—This Simple Restaurant Trick Solves the Problem