Key skills for beginner to gain confidence in kitchen

 We’ve put together a list of 18 key skills that every beginner cook should know in order to gain confidence in the kitchen… 

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1. How to chop an onion 

 The cornerstone of so many dishes, learning to chop an onion efficiently can speed up dinner preparations no end. Take a few moments out and learn how to slice like a pro with our how to chop an onion video below. We’ve also been discussing ways to keep the tears at bay; apparently, sucking on a teaspoon while chopping will keep your eyes dry. 

 

2. How to master basic knife skills 

 Once you’ve mastered chopping onions, it’s time to broaden your knife skills and get to grips with scoring, shearing, fine slicing and more. Our knife skills video demonstrates how to sharpen and handle a knife with confidence, while our guide to the anatomy of a knife will help you get the most from your blade. 

 

3. How to boil an egg 

 Sounds simple but a perfect, runny yolk can be lost in a moment, so timing is key. The duration of a boil depends on how firm you want the eggs to be, but it’s always best to start with them at room temperature to avoid undercooking. For a soft-boiled egg, bring a pan of water to the boil, gently lower the egg into it with a spoon and cook for three to five minutes. For hard-boiled eggs, start in a pan of cold water and bring up to the boil, then cook for seven-10 minutes – the longer you cook, the firmer the egg will be. Plunge the egg into cold water as soon as it’s done to stop it from overcooking. For more help perfecting your egg timing, read our guide on how to boil an egg. 

 

4. How to cook pasta 

 If you’ve been put off pasta by stodgy, stuck-together school dinners, it’s time to learn how to cook it properly. In Italy, pasta is always served ‘al-dente’, which literally means ‘to the teeth’ – boiled until softened, but still firm to the bite. To achieve this, fill a pan with double the water to cover the pasta, add salt to taste and bring it to the boil. Carefully drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook for 10-12 minutes, making sure to stir within the first two minutes of cooking to prevent sticking. Bear in mind that different pasta shapes will have different cooking times and fresh egg pasta will cook much quicker than dried. To help you decide, why not read our guide to which pasta to buy. 

How To Eat Yogurt For Breakfast (And lose weight Non-Boring Way)

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 If you want to completely start from scratch with your own homemade dough and a pasta machine, our video on how to make pasta has some helpful advice. 

 

5. How to poach an egg 

 There’s no need to buy special pans to get perfectly poached eggs – they’re much easier than you think. Follow our video guide to poaching an egg with just a pan of boiling water, a splash of white wine vinegar and a slotted spoon. 

 

6. How to melt chocolate 

 Using a ‘bain marie’ to melt chocolate might sound fancy, but it’s actually really simple, and will ensure you don’t ruin your favourite sweet treat by burning or splitting it. Our video walks you through how to melt chocolate properly. 

 7. How to make an omelette 

 For a tasty lunch or light dinner, you can’t beat an omelette. Beat your eggs until thoroughly combined, pour into a frying pan, and scatter over your fillings. Simple! To make it fluffy, drag the egg into the middle of the pan as it sets, as shown in our video on how to make the perfect omelette: 

 

 8. How to bake a potato 

 The humble jacket potato needs very little to turn it into a substantial meal, but a few tweaks to your method can transform it from just average to outstanding. Try rubbing the outside with a little oil and salt for spuds that have crisp skin and fluffy white flesh. Follow our guide on how to make the ultimate baked potato for success every time and delve further into our baked potato collection. 

 

9. How to stuff and roast a chicken 

 Roast chicken is a Sunday favourite, but you can add even more flavour by stuffing it. Check out our video on how to stuff a chicken for roasting and use our roast timer to ensure perfect, juicy meat. Use a temperature thermometer or check that the juices run clear, as shown in our how to test & joint a chicken video. To achieve a flavourful and healthy roast, rub the chicken with thyme, lemon juice and rapeseed oil then serve with chopped vegetables, as shown in our healthy one pan roast chicken video. 

 

10. How to make gravy 

 Real gravy made in the roasting pan tastes so much better than powdered gravy. Follow the foolproof steps in our how to make gravy video to create silky sauce every time. For more in-depth instructions, read this guide on how to make the ultimate gravy. 

 

11. How to make stock 

 A good stock can lift your soups, stews and risottos to the next level. Master this technique with our video on how to make stock – perfect for using up leftover bones after a roast. 

 

12. How to cook rice 

 An everyday staple that deserves to be prepared properly. You don’t need to buy a rice cooker to get fluffy grains; the absorption method, shown in our how to cook rice video, simply uses a lidded pan of boiling water: 

 

 13. How to separate an egg 

 Lots of recipes call for only egg whites or yolks, so how do you separate them out? One of the easiest methods is to crack the egg with the blunt side of a knife, open the shell into two halves, and pass the yolk several times between the halves, letting the white drop down into the bowl underneath before popping the yolk into a separate vessel. Watch our video on how to make meringues to see this technique in action. 

 

 

14. How to knead dough 

Bread is a staple, but if you’ve never tasted a fresh loaf when it’s hot from the oven, you’re missing out. Mixing flour with water and a gentle pummelling activates gluten, which needs to be developed through kneading to make the dough stretchy and elastic. Prepare a flat, clean surface by sprinkling over a little flour, and take your bowl of risen dough. Using your fists, ‘knock back’ the dough until it forms a smaller ball, then tip this out onto your kneading surface. Using the heel of one hand, push the dough down and forwards, stretching and squashing it. Give the dough a quarter turn and fold it in half, then repeat, kneading and turning in a rhythmic manner for as long as the recipe states. See this technique in action in our how to make bread video and improve your bread skills. 

 15. How to crush garlic 

 Garlic is essential to many recipes, and our video guide for how to crush garlic with a knife will not only save you the hassle of buying and cleaning a garlic crusher, but will give you a smooth paste that will simply disappear into your dish with no lumps. 

 

16. How to prepare chillies 

 Fresh chillies can add a kick to your cooking. You can vary the heat depending on the type of chilli that you use, and whether you prepare it with the seeds or not. Find out how to prepare chillies – just make sure you wash your hands after! 

 

17. How to brown meat 

 For meat to stay succulent and juicy when it’s cooked in a stew, it needs to be sealed first. Browning meat is a simple technique of briefly pan-frying until the outside is seared to give a richer flavour and keep meat tender before cooking further. Try it out in this beef & swede casserole. 

 

18. How to cook the perfect steak 

 Pan-frying is one of the easiest ways to make sure that your steak is cooked to perfection. The cooking time will depend on how well-done you like your meat, how thick the cut is, and what type of steak it is. Follow our perfect steak guide to serve up a steak that’s cooked to your liking