How do you get better at cooking?

[Shazam]

I've made some things. But, I'm not that great. I manage to make things look nice, if that counts for anything. Haha. But, I need to work on the procedure and the taste.

To get better, do you retry the same recipes?

Do you do trial and error, adding your own things in?

[-Asmo-]

If you're not that great, just keep practicing with the same recipies to begin with, when you have a decent understanding of cooking you can be more creative. For cooking, in my opinion, it's a combination of recipe, ingredients, timings and cooking techniques (how you cut the ingredients, how often you stir the mixture, the amount of oil you use, not flipping the food too often, understanding what temperature you use for certain things and how fast things cook, etc.) Once you have a more thorough understanding of these kind of principles, things will be easier to do.

[aly-marie]

I like this answer best, it helps most to learn about the cooking principles for each type of food. Then everything else is just practice.

[Matrim]

Practice makes perfect. Start with following the recipes as closely as you can. Then start changing some things , doing things differently in a way you think might make the food better. Hopefully because you read it somewhere or heard about it. Then with time you get the "feeling". Its pretty much like any other skill you want to obtain. Like playing a guitar or something.

[Shazam]

:) Thanks. I notice when a recipe includes lemon or lime, I put too much of it...gotta change that. Sounds good.

[Matrim]

It also helps if you now and then cook with someone that has lots experience with it. Grandmothers and mothers are the best. Especially Grandmothers that cook. They can tricks you can't even find in books. But make sure to ask why they do things a certain way because they are so accustomed to the way they cook that they see it all as "standard". Joining a community online that is very active and has greats forums is not bad either ;)

[Hidden_P]

Practice makes perfect.

I've been cooking since I was little and because I had to. I'm fairly good now, I can make a wide range of cakes, main meals, puddings.

If you're not very confident, start with recipes. You can make your own or use a recipe from a book/chef/online.

Cooking isn't an exact art, if a recipe says 200g you really don't need to be on the dot. It's learning what texture something should be, the taste etc.

What is it you're trying to make? Cakes, or main meals? I don't mind sharing some tips and recipes if you want?

[Shazam]

Main meals really. I like baking. I make a pretty good strawberry cheesecake.

Thanks

[Hidden_P]

Even if it's main meals you're looking for do, first think about the type of foods you like. Eg if you like italian food and chicken, you could start with doing mac and cheese (I do it as cook the pasta and, put in a dish and sprinkle all of it with cheese and bake) and you could put chicken in. Experiment with tomato sauces, herbs, find your tastes. Recipes are guides, not bibles, so use them as a starting point :)

[LetsGoSailing]

I only know how to make (well): chocolate chip cookies, mac and cheese, and pancakes

I would say practice makes perfect...my family actually encourages me not to cook all because of a few minor incidents

but my mom is an awesome cook...but I guess you would get better if you cook everyday and of course family recipies help...

[Shazam]

Yay for pancakes! I can flip them. Its fun.

I feel like I won't be able to cook fully well until I get my own place..

Makes sense. Thank you. =)

[rachiee]

Yes retry! Also taste it as you go. Spices are your best friends in cooking. Get to know different spices and what goes with what. After that it'll be easy to know what you need to add. Don't add your own things in until you know what would be good with it (after doing the recipe right). Cooking is easy. Just takes practice and knowing what to add.

[Anonymous]

i just go with the flow

if you wanna practice you can watch YouTube videos on cooking