Not buying the hype about mise en place for every dish

I run a small crew on a roof all day and when I get home I just want to cook, not spend 45 minutes chopping stuff into little bowls. Everyone online acts like mise en place is the only way to be a real cook, but I found a shortcut that actually works for weeknight meals. Instead of prepping everything before I start heating oil, I just wash and cut veggies as the pan gets hot, and I season meat right before it hits the skillet. Last Tuesday I made a stir fry with chicken, broccoli, and bell peppers in under 20 minutes without a single bowl on the counter. The trick is to pick recipes where you can stagger the prep, like adding onions first then slicing carrots while they sweat. Has anyone else tried cooking like this or am I just lazy? I swear the food tastes the same and I have way less cleanup.

2 comments

2 Comments

rowanbennett18d ago

People get way too intense about mise en place like it's a religious thing. It's just chopping stuff up before you cook, not some sacred ritual passed down from the cooking gods. Your method sounds totally fine for a quick dinner, especially if you're already tired from work. That whole "prepare every single ingredient into a tiny bowl" thing is for restaurant kitchens or people trying to show off on social media. At the end of the day, if the food tastes good and you didn't burn down your kitchen, you're doing it right.

gavinh2617d ago

Honestly, I used to be one of those people who thought mise en place was the only way to not mess up. But your approach makes a lot more sense for real life after a long day, and now I see it's more about knowing your recipe than having everything in separate bowls. Ngl, you might have just saved me ten minutes of cleanup tonight.