100 Cooking Tips and Tricks For Beginners

Cooking is an art that becomes even more delightful with the right techniques and tips.

In these two videos, Gordon Ramsay shares a treasure trove of practical cooking advice that can elevate your culinary skills, whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned home chef.

Ramsay’s insights are not just about recipes—they’re about enhancing flavors and streamlining the cooking process.

Here are 100 invaluable cooking tips from Gordon Ramsay, designed to inspire confidence and creativity in your kitchen adventures.

50 Cooking Tips With Gordon Ramsay | Part One

Here are some of the cooking tips and techniques from the above video:

Knife Sharpening and Safety

• Ramsay emphasizes the importance of working with a sharp knife in the kitchen, as it makes tasks faster, safer, and more efficient.
• His method for sharpening a knife involves holding the sharpening steel confidently, keeping fingers behind the steel, and using long, smooth strokes to sharpen the entire blade.

Chopping Board Stabilization

• To prevent a chopping board from slipping, Ramsay suggests placing a damp cloth or paper towel underneath it. This creates a stable surface for safer chopping.

Maximizing the Use of a Vegetable Peeler

• A vegetable peeler can be used for more than just peeling; Ramsay demonstrates how it can create thin ribbons of vegetables for Asian dishes or delicate parmesan shavings, and even chocolate curls.

Pepper Mill Versatility

• Ramsay explains how to adjust a pepper mill for different grinds. Tighten for fine pepper (suitable for soups), loosen for coarser pepper (ideal for steaks and fish), or set it in the middle for general seasoning.

Peeling and Chopping Garlic

• For a single garlic clove, Ramsay suggests bashing it with the back of a knife, making the skin easy to remove. For multiple cloves, he recommends shaking a whole garlic bulb in a bowl to separate the cloves quickly.

Onion Chopping Technique

• Ramsay advises leaving the root of the onion intact to prevent tears. He uses a method where the weight of the knife does most of the work, with precise cutting motions that produce finely chopped onions without waste.

High Heat and Preheating

• Starting with high heat is essential for certain recipes, and preheating pans and ovens ensures food cooks properly. He stresses preheating the oven for at least 20 minutes before use.

Cooking Meat at Room Temperature

• Ramsay emphasizes that cooking meat straight from the fridge results in tougher meat. Allowing it to reach room temperature and resting it after cooking makes it more tender and juicy.

Chili Preparation and Usage

• To de-seed chilies, Ramsay rubs them between his hands to loosen the seeds, which he says are incredibly hot. He suggests drying extra chilies by tying them together and hanging them in the kitchen. Dried chilies can be crumbled into dishes for instant heat.

Zesting Citrus

• Ramsay demonstrates how to zest lemons, oranges, and limes using a fine grater without grating the bitter white pith, which ruins the flavor. He uses long strokes and advises zesting onto a plate for easy collection.

Using Garlic and Ginger Efficiently

• He suggests adding a pinch of salt when chopping garlic to help break down the fibers. For ginger, he recommends using a teaspoon to peel the skin, allowing for better control around awkward parts.

Cooking Perfect Rice

• Ramsay explains how to make light, fluffy basmati rice by rinsing it to remove starch and cooking it with cold water. He infuses the rice with cardamom pods, star anise, salt, and pepper for added flavor.

Leftovers and Waste Management

• Ramsay encourages making the most of leftovers. He suggests using leftover rice for stir fries or salads, storing extra herbs in flavored oils, and preventing oxidation in fruits like apples by covering them with lemon-infused water.

Cooking Potatoes and Pasta

• Ramsay shares his technique for cooking potatoes by starting them in cold water, preventing the outside from falling apart while the inside cooks. For pasta, he uses a large pan with plenty of water, seasoning, and olive oil to prevent sticking.

Filleting and Skinning Fish

• Ramsay demonstrates how to fillet a salmon by removing the skin with a flexible filleting knife. He advises pulling the skin gently while slicing underneath and removing the pin bones with tweezers.

Roasting Tips

• For crispy roast potatoes, Ramsay parboils them, allows them to steam dry, and sprinkles them with semolina or flour before roasting. This method ensures a crispy exterior.

Freezing and Storing Leftovers

• Ramsay suggests freezing leftover wine for cooking in ice cube trays and leaving room in containers for soups and stews to expand. He also shares a tip for freezing citrus wedges to use in drinks.

Jointing a Chicken

• Ramsay demonstrates how to joint a chicken into thighs, wings, and breasts with minimal waste. He emphasizes slicing through the joints and using the carcass for stock.

Marinating and Cooking Techniques

• For quicker cooking, Ramsay suggests scoring meat or fish to allow heat and marinades to penetrate more deeply. He also shares a tip for preventing stains in Tupperware by coating it with oil.

General Cooking and Storage Tips

• Ramsay gives advice on using leftover chili seeds to grow new plants, marinating in plastic bags for easy cleanup, and infusing sherry with Thai chilies for a spicy kick in stir-fries or sauces.

50 Cooking Tips With Gordon Ramsay | Part Two

Here are some of the tips from the above video:

Whipping Cream

• Whip cream to a three-quarter stage to prevent splitting.
• Use a figure-eight motion while whisking, and spin the bowl for even whipping.
• Room temperature cream whips faster than cold cream.

Preventing Boil-Overs

• Place a wooden spoon across the top of a saucepan to prevent milk and cream from boiling over.
• To measure sticky ingredients like syrup, rub a spoon with neutral oil.

Greasing Cake Tins

• Use old butter wrappers to grease cake tins effectively.
• For handling pastry, lightly flour the surface and rolling pin, and avoid overworking the dough to prevent cracking.

Baking Tips

• Let pastry hang over the edge of the tin for a neat edge after baking.
• Place cakes and tarts in the center of the oven for even rising, and use a skewer to check if they are done.

Blind Baking Alternatives

• Use rice or pulses instead of baking beans for blind baking.
• When folding egg whites into mixtures, use a metal spoon to retain air.

Cooking Duck Breasts

• Start duck breasts in a cold pan, skin side down, to render fat without sealing it in.
• Cook skin side down in the oven for 6-8 minutes and let rest before slicing.

Slow Cooking Tips

• Remove excess oil from slow-cooked dishes with kitchen paper before serving.
• Deglaze pans with wine, stock, or vinegar to enhance flavor.

Chicken Stock Recipe

• Use a chicken carcass and add onion, leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns for flavor.
• Simmer for 30-40 minutes and skim off impurities for a clear stock.

Browning Meat

• Dust meat in flour using a plastic bag for even seasoning and thickening sauces.
• Line roasting trays with vegetables to prevent boiling in juices and for gravy base.

Pepper Preparation

• Choose firm, smooth peppers and cut around the seeds for easy removal.
• Julienne peppers for sautéing.

Egg Freshness Test

• Place eggs in water: fresh eggs sink, stale ones float.
• Use a larger piece of shell to fish out small shell fragments.

Perfect Chicken Breast

• Season and sear skin side down for flavor.
• Deglaze with masala or white wine and simmer in chicken stock.

Soup Enhancement Tips

• Use leftover Parmesan rinds for depth of flavor and whisk in cold butter for richness.

Baked Potato Tips

• Use salt on the skin before baking for a crispy texture.

Nut Peeling Method

• Toast nuts and rub in a towel to remove skins.

Chopping Herbs

• Chop herbs gently to avoid bruising.
• Freeze leftover herbs in butter for future use.

Asparagus Preparation

• Snap off the woody ends and boil or steam.

Prawn Preparation

• Twist off the head and peel the shell with your thumb.

Whole Fish Preparation

• Fillet fish at the table using a knife along the backbone.

Carving Ham

• Cut closely to the bone for even slices.

Chilling Wine Quickly

• Add salt to ice water for faster chilling.

Tomato Skinning Method

• Score, blanch, and plunge into cold water to peel easily.

Pomegranate Seed Extraction

• Slice in half, make slits, and whack to release seeds.

Using Leftover Pastry

• Transform leftover pastry into savory nibbles or sweet treats.