How often do you follow an actual recipe from a book?

[purplepoppy]

Most people (hopefully) know how to cook and don't need instructions on how to boil an egg or fry a steak. Similarly, we've all got recipes we've done so many times they're etched into memory or ones so flexible they're hard to get wrong.

But how often do you follow brand new recipe from a book or website?

All the time, I need instructions to make a sandwich

Most of the time

Only when doing something new or different

I've dozens of recipe books but only ever cook the same 5 dishes

I never follow instructions

Recipes are government mind control

[veganrogue]

If the cookbook is from an author that I know has solid recipes, I'll usually cook it the first time as written, perhaps making substitutions of ingredients based on availability. Then the next time I'll make adjustments based on my palate.

Baking on the other hand is science. I always follow the recipes exactly.

[Potteplante]

I'm an indivual - who at times need to Google the time to boil eggs.

I'm also someone who knows multiple of recipes by heart. I try to at least twice a month to try out something new - depending on the dish, I'll either follow it step by step or be a bit creative. Tho, I do admit that when I solo cook something that is supposed to be spicy, I do spice it down - a LOT. (I'm the poster person for "white people can't handle spice"

[msmissydc]

In Cooking I never follow instructions with three exceptions:

1. if cooking with someone together someone has to take controle otherwise it ends in chaos.

2. Baking times for casserole dishes

3. Everything that is more in the baking with dough side. I am not good with improvising that. I know pancake and one cup cakes other than that I need a recipe for doughs.

[Jaximus-Lion]

Only when i am cooking something new. I don't follow the instructions exactly but most of it, see how it tastes and how the original combo works. The next time i make the meal! I will be adding what i think would be good/better and remove the things that i don't want. But baking! 100% always follow the recipe because i struggle with baking 😁

[Jersey2]

I clicked “all the time”. My wife is an excellent cook, better than most restaurants for sure. That’s why I need time at the gym. I literally need instructions for making iced tea. I call it “cooking” because you have to boil water and there are multiple steps :)

But I can fix many/most things without help, instructions or using youtube, its innate. So there’s that.

[bolverk]

I have multiple 'of the shelf' recipe books which I use as the basics but I'll expand or change them depending on what ingredients I have available, and I've also got copies of family recipe books which those recipes I never deviate from as I wast to keep the original flavours.

[katiesmuff]

Usually only when it is something new and different do I actually read the recipe as i am preparing it and that is very seldom. Most everything I make, I've made so often by now it is embedded in my brain, even the tweeks I've made to some of them.

[ShesRad80]

i tend to loosely follow, then wing it

[AngryCarl2]

nice gif!

[ShesRad80]

@AngryCarl2 💕💕🤣👍

[mstbooblover]

To be honest my answer should be "nearly never" do I follow an actual recipe. Which means to try something new, I need only the basics of the recipe, and then I adapt it according my inspiration and taste.

[Static_In_The_Attic]

As for me I usually following the recipe the first time & depending on how it tastes & how it comes out I usually add or change ingredients the next time to try something new.

[AviatorTom]

I don't cook much. My SO does most of the cooking. But if I am making something for the first time, I try to follow the recipe, usually from an online website.

[genericname85]

i only do that in baking. cause in baking, the slightest imbalance in ingredients can cause a cake to be soggy or something like that. cooking is for more forgiving, so i usually just take inspirations and cook by whatever seems right to me.

[OlderAndWiser]

Every single time I bake, because precise measurements are important for good results. Otherwise, I almost never read a recipe.

[Guido]

I get very creative in my cooking and I am always researching recipies and then modify them to suit my taste.

I have never made something that wasn't edible. Occasionally a little bland but most were absolutely delicious and made it to the make again list.

My wife complains I spend too much time researching, planning and preparing the meal but she never complains about the food and loves how good it tastes.

[CuriousMufuxka]

My cook book is nested right inside of my liquor drinkin, olding ass, cat memory brain! I prepare by feel, I cook by smell, and I serve by delicious :)

[Anonymous]

sometimes the recipes need modifying i've had plenty of recipes when followed exact tasted like shit but when i swap certain ingredients like water for milk or oil for butter it comes out better and tastey

[Opinion Owner]

the problem is the internet and some companies are littered with health freak shit that tastes like bland crap like using water and oil to make cake brownies pancakes waffles any baked goods which is repulsive i've learned over the years to substitute water for milk and oil for butter
also the instructions for say baking a pizza are never long enough for a time and often require much more time then what the instructions say or sometimes less time it's one of those things you have to wing it to find out same with the temperature settings
also when using dough i've learned to never use cornstarch regardless of what restaurant or what cookbook or recipe or chef says always use flour instead

[PBandJ_Nerd]

Not always. But if I make something I'm not familiar with, I use a cookbook or read the recipe. ADHD can make this hard sometimes though.

[Astarlessnightsky]

When baking i follow the recipe, but i never cooked something out of a book, i just throw stuff together.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

I don't waste money on cookbooks. Google is the new library

[Aiko_E_Lara]

But a lot of the times i don't even follow the recipe. I only search for recipes for guides but i use my own measurements.

[electromagnetic]

Considering I do not cook, usually quite often as it helps me stay on track

[Smashingdoozy]

From a book hardly ever. I find recipes online often and follow those.

[mandyfire98]

Only when I'm doing something new. Even then I change things in it. Lol.

[DJB72]

First couple of times, then I start to make it my own

[Anonymous]

Recipe books suck. I used to use allrecipes. com back when the site was useful but even that site has went to s***.

If you have a good recipe site you'd recommend I'm listening. I never see anything new and inventive anymore.