Spent 2 years burning my garlic before I figured out the real trick

I always threw garlic in a hot pan right after the oil started shimmering. Burnt it almost every time, then I'd scrape the pan and start over. Last month a sous chef at a pop-up in Brooklyn told me to add the garlic to cold oil and heat it slow. Took maybe 15 seconds longer but the flavor came out so much smoother. Does anyone else have a basic prep step they stubbornly did wrong for way too long?

2 comments

2 Comments

nora5412d ago

My friend Jenna used to burn onions every single time for like six months straight. She thought she was supposed to get the pan screaming hot and then toss them in, so they'd just turn black and bitter. Her boyfriend finally showed her to keep the heat on medium and let them sweat out slowly without rushing it. Now she makes caramelized onions that are actually sweet and soft instead of tasting like charcoal. It's wild how one small change can fix a whole cooking habit.

lilys8112d ago

Right?? And the funny thing is she probably thought she was a bad cook when really it was just one trick she was missing the whole time. It's like the universe was gatekeeping good onions from her for no reason.