What Foods Seem Easy to Prepare but Are In Fact Difficult?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

This is clearly a troll comment, intended to cook up emotions. Please excuse the pun. This person has not interested in an actual discussion so you're wasting your time trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the issue with mashed potatoes? Lumps?

I usually mash mine with a masher because I like them kinda lumpy, but if you don't, get a ricer. It's like potato play-doh for adults.

My kids like them really smooth so I just whip them on the kitchen aid and it works really well. Usually the solution to mashed potato’s is just more butter. I think it also helps to use nice potato’s to start — I like the golden ones. Also don’t ask my why my phone keeps correcting potato’s to add an apostrophe.

Personally I find things like brisket to be really hard. It’s just always tough. I can’t get it right. I also absolutely cannot do chicken on the grill—I always either overcook it or undercook it. I can do baked chicken, roasted chicken or chicken cutlets.

I also agree with PPs about biscuits. Mine are okay but they are no way as fluffy as what you get at a nice southern restaurant.

This recipe for brisket has been recommended several times. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/tangy-spiced-brisket/

It was incredible. I didn't bother with the two day process and cooked it in the oven and it was heavenly.

Ooooh. Thanks. I will make this. Not PP, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Breading anything drives me crazy. Flour egg breadcrumbs….i know how to use my different hands so I don’t bread my fingers, but it still drives me crazy. I’ve given up.

It's such a huge mess. One of my family's favorite meals is Schnitzel with spaetzle but the combo is killer. Lining up the plates/bowls to dredge and dip the meat makes a mess. I do that while cooking the meat and it's stress inducing. The spaetzle dough is often so tough to get through the speatzle maker than I often have to get my dh to help. I now make the spaetzle a day in advance.

Sometimes I do breaded fish (baked in the oven). The first few times of course my hands were all battered and breaded. Now I use my fingers to drop the fish in the flour then tongs to move it to the egg and from the egg to the breading, and I used a fork to gently turn it in the breading, then the tongs to move it to the pan. Works pretty well actually. I try to grab just an edge of the fish when moving it, which helps.

[Anonymous]

A couple of times I have made raised donuts. I had a single time where they came out just amazing--just like krispy kreme. The next time was a few years later and I couldn't remember exactly how I handled them during the rising after they have been cut out. I've made a few attempts but basically end up mangling them one way or another, or they dry out or something. If anyone has a perfect technique please tell me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the issue with mashed potatoes? Lumps?

I usually mash mine with a masher because I like them kinda lumpy, but if you don't, get a ricer. It's like potato play-doh for adults.

My kids like them really smooth so I just whip them on the kitchen aid and it works really well. Usually the solution to mashed potato’s is just more butter. I think it also helps to use nice potato’s to start — I like the golden ones. Also don’t ask my why my phone keeps correcting potato’s to add an apostrophe.

Personally I find things like brisket to be really hard. It’s just always tough. I can’t get it right. I also absolutely cannot do chicken on the grill—I always either overcook it or undercook it. I can do baked chicken, roasted chicken or chicken cutlets.

I also agree with PPs about biscuits. Mine are okay but they are no way as fluffy as what you get at a nice southern restaurant.

This recipe for brisket has been recommended several times. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/tangy-spiced-brisket/

It was incredible. I didn't bother with the two day process and cooked it in the oven and it was heavenly.

Ooooh. Thanks. I will make this. Not PP, though.

Also, if your brisket is coming out tough, you may not be cooking it long enough to break down the collagen. Low and slow is the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the issue with mashed potatoes? Lumps?

I usually mash mine with a masher because I like them kinda lumpy, but if you don't, get a ricer. It's like potato play-doh for adults.

My kids like them really smooth so I just whip them on the kitchen aid and it works really well. Usually the solution to mashed potato’s is just more butter. I think it also helps to use nice potato’s to start — I like the golden ones. Also don’t ask my why my phone keeps correcting potato’s to add an apostrophe.

Personally I find things like brisket to be really hard. It’s just always tough. I can’t get it right. I also absolutely cannot do chicken on the grill—I always either overcook it or undercook it. I can do baked chicken, roasted chicken or chicken cutlets.

I also agree with PPs about biscuits. Mine are okay but they are no way as fluffy as what you get at a nice southern restaurant.

This recipe for brisket has been recommended several times. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/tangy-spiced-brisket/

It was incredible. I didn't bother with the two day process and cooked it in the oven and it was heavenly.

Ooooh. Thanks. I will make this. Not PP, though.

I made this recently when it was posted on another thread - my picky elementary kids loved it. I also didn’t do it over two days and still fantastic. Made for a special birthday dinner for DS! I’m not a terrific cook but this was easy to follow.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Pie crust.

This definitely. Pie crust is a pain in the arse.

Completely agree and I don’t think homemade pie crust tastes much better than premade. Not worth the effort.

I guess this is where I truly differ! This one is just practice and studying. I read a couple different recipes and after making like 3-4 pies in a month or two during the pandemic I had it figured out. And homemade is MUCH better than packaged. The last time I tried packaged it literally tasted like a cracker and had the texture of one too.

rolling it out is annoying and never looks as nice as packaged - that’s true!

I agree, it tastes a lot better and it's not that hard (food processor is essential) but I can never roll it out into a good circle. I hate peeling and slicing all the apples more than dealing with crust.

OMFG, I hate cleaning my processor. For grating cheese in bulk, or doing a giant vat of hummus or pesto, I'll do it.

For pie crust? F no. Pastry knife, or even just two knives. Or, if you're really feeling lazy, freeze and grate your butter.

Yes! I hate cleaning food processor too. Plus I feel like it doesn’t get clean enough by hand washing and needs to go in dishwasher but takes up so much space that I end up having to hand wash a bunch of dinner dishes.

But I’ve tried to make pie crust by hand and can’t seem to get it right. Explain exactly, if you would please!

Not PP but I hated cleaning the food processor so much that I finally just got rid of mine. I was intimidated by the sharp blades as well.

I do make pie crust successfully, though, and even though I'm a crappy baker it always turns out well. I make it with butter and shortening and freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients. Then I use a pastry dough cutter/blender thing, the kind you hold in your hand. Just make sure everything is super cold, including the water and the bowl.

Another one with love/hate relationship with the food processor. I only hand wash it. So I line up everything for a big food processing day. Grate all my blocks of cheese, slice carrots, chop onions, make a zhoug sauce and finish with hummus. It's like the Seinfeld sausage episode in my kitchen.

This…is a brilliant idea. Why have I never done thought of doing all the food processor stuff at one time! You have rescued my dusty food processor from the basement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rice stick noodles, like for pad Thai. My pad Thai flavors are okay but then the noodles get mushy. It seems like the noodles should be the easiest part!

You're probably boiling them just right but when you go to fry, they end up getting overcooked. I had that same problem. The key is to soak them for about an hour in warm water and then boil for about minute. Same for the rice noodle vermicelli they use in pho. I have also had good luck soaking then straight to frying with my veggies and tofu. They usually end up just right that way.

Thanks I'll try this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pie crust.

Use a food processor and Better Homes and Gardens recipe. That was the solution for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of times I have made raised donuts. I had a single time where they came out just amazing--just like krispy kreme. The next time was a few years later and I couldn't remember exactly how I handled them during the rising after they have been cut out. I've made a few attempts but basically end up mangling them one way or another, or they dry out or something. If anyone has a perfect technique please tell me!

I don't think anyone would say donuts seems easy to prepare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find lasagna to be a PITA

Yes! Agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot not overcook pork chops consistently.

Hear me out. I think this method of quick pork chops is wrong. Pork chops are to be cooked slowly and for a while, simmer for over an hour, even more. Then, they are soft and great. But, let's face it, the white part of pork chops has no fat, that is why you need gravy, which comes from that liquid you simmered them in.
My grandma used to make it like that and I still do, always perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can do much more complicated things, but totally sucked at rice.

Rice cooker was a serious improvement for me.

I thought I was the only one!!!
I can literally make anything - except rice.
My kids threaten to get me this fancy $300 rice cooker from Williams and Sonoma that apparently incorporates feedback from the prior batch to the next batch. IDK... just the $50 one from Amazon was an upgrade for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of times I have made raised donuts. I had a single time where they came out just amazing--just like krispy kreme. The next time was a few years later and I couldn't remember exactly how I handled them during the rising after they have been cut out. I've made a few attempts but basically end up mangling them one way or another, or they dry out or something. If anyone has a perfect technique please tell me!

I don't think anyone would say donuts seems easy to prepare.

+100 lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wrapping a burrito. I swear I end up wearing my food every time.

I am from southern Arizona and the problem is that the tortillas they sell out here are not adequate for burritos. No stretch to them.

You need to heat them a little.

Yes, but the east coast tortillas are still awful. No stretch to them even when heated.