30 Bad Cooking Tips People Say They Ignore At All Cost (2024)

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I make the food how I like it rather than how it's "supposed to be made". I also don't care how another person eats food. If my pal is over and wants a steak charred to a crisp, then enjoy that brick, my friend. Want to slather it in ketchup? Who am I to tell you no? Eat food how you like it rather than how others tell you to eat it.

TrialAndAaron , Farhad Ibrahimzade Report

Measuring basically anything not associated with baking. I juust keep seasoning until the spirit of my great grandmother says "Enough, child."

Made a successful career of it!

NaughtyCheffie , Stefan Katrandjiski Report

I eat raw cookie dough, cake batter, etc., because while I understand that salmonella is a risk, it's a pretty small one and I am willing to live dangerously when cookie dough is involved.

reddit , Charisse Kenion Report

The amount of garlic or vanilla

the_littlestdragon , Mike Kenneally Report

The serving size and MY serving size are not the same.

EduardoElMalo , rangga ispraditya Report

‘Soften onions for five minutes’ man they always need longer if u want them browned and soft- also add garlic much later than they suggest.

Suttypotatoboi Report

Unsalted butter for baking. I’m not buying 2 different kinds of butter, salted in everything

bigmanpigman , Sorin Gheorghita Report

Not really a rule, but almost every damn recipe that calls for caramelizing onions lists the time necessary to perform that at like 5-10 min. Either these people don’t know what caramelizing means or they’re intentionally lying to people to make the recipe seem like it takes less time than it actually does.

Nillion Report

I don't throw pasta at a wall to see if it sticks. Seems like a waste to me. I just eat it to see of its ready.

CommanderShep99 Report

"one clove of garlic"

ProfXavr , Tijana Drndarski Report

I defrost my chicken on the counter instead of the fridge, 30 years I've been doing this, still fine

lhayes238 , Marco Verch Professional Photographer Report

I don't leave my scrambled eggs wet. I mean, I don't cook them until they are rubber or anything, but I want them dry not wet.

ktappe Report

spices that are "old". Not so much regular spices, but some blends I had acquired. When I feel they aren't as fresh, rather than throw them away I use them as additives to a salad dressing.

GrapefruitFriendly30 Report

I rinse mushrooms. That whole "wipe them gently with a paper towel" bulls**t is bulls**t. Take 2-3 mushrooms, hold them under lukewarm running water and roll them around between your hands, then set them on a rack to drain off any water. They scrub themselves.

ZweitenMal , Pixabay Report

1 garlic clove means one head of garlic! Don't tell me how to garlic!

lowtone94 Report

I always double the spices when using a recipe. They don’t know me!

Apprehensive_Zone281 , Tamanna Rumee Report

That whole “how to properly cut an onion” business. I get that in a restaurant kitchen it minimizes waste but I’m just gonna lop off both ends and remove like 1 layer.

AtlEngr Report

Minced garlic (the stuff in jars) is NOT blasphemy! It's handy and tasty when used properly.

Lots of great take-out places use minced garlic in their dishes, so if you're trying to recreate a favourite dish, it could be the secret ingredient you're missing.

I still use fresh garlic often, but I've gotten off my high horse about the other stuff.

iaskjeeves , popo.uw23 Report

Beer/wine pairings. I know them, I understand them and I get it. However, at home, I believe that regardless of what the world says, to me, the very best beer/wine to go with meal X is whatever my personal favorite beer/wine happens to be. Does this drink "go" with this meal? Who cares? It's my favorite, of course, it does!!!

LazySumo Report

Cooking with olive oil.

I really don't see the point. It cost a lot more and it has such a low smoke point, it's way too easy to burn your oil and then everything tastes weird.

I use vegetable oil for cooking. I keep a bottle of very nice olive oil to drizzle on top of things to finish them after they are cooked or to make the marinade, but i don't cook with it.

Robotick1 , Alexis Antoine Report

Not mine, but my wife's…

Adding salt to a finished plated dish without tasting it first. Cringe every time.

got86ed Report

Still flabbers my gasts that people rinse off the chicken.

dkajdas Report

Steak must be undercooked, so says all the hype…. I will eat mine how I like. Sometimes pink in the middle, sometimes cooked right through but never raw/rare.

Old_Dingo69 , Chad Montano Report

Frozen pizza:

Preheat the oven...

If I'm eating frozen pizza it's because I'm too busy/lazy to eat real food that evening.

Turn on the oven, unwrap the pizza, "OK google set timer for (recommended time +4 minutes)"

sloth9 , Stefan C. Asafti Report

I know risotto looks better when made with white wine but try a mushroom risotto with red wine and elevate it to something richer and more satisfying

bluecoastblue , Yalamber Limbu Report

I never bother to sift flour. I haven’t had a sifter in over 40 years.

solarmama , Mikhail Nilov Report

“Add a 1/8 teaspoon.” I’m sorry but a 1/8 tsp isn’t going to do anything.

Macarons124 , Jonathan Cooper Report

Searing meat when I make pot roast in an instant pot/crockpot.

I have done it and not done it enough times and it’s not a noticeable enough flavor for me to bother with anymore. I’m content with how it tastes.

SleepyBear3366911 , Ivana Cajina Report

White wine only in fish and chicken dishes

UnoriginalUse , Louis Hansel Report

I never rinse canned beans

backtotheland76 , Ron Lach Report

Note: this post originally had 79 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.