How Mise en Place Can Make You a Better Cook
Mise en place is a French term popularly used in culinary to refer to preparing and organizing ingredients before cooking. Usually, different ingredients are required in cooking, and if you don’t prepare them before you begin cooking, your dish will likely become a disaster. Your cooking experience gets ruined, the taste of food gets compromised, and you will take longer in the kitchen than necessary.
In this post, you will learn the many benefits of mise en place. You need to prepare the ingredients before you start cooking and at the right time to enjoy the full benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Mise en Place?
Ingredients preparation before cooking helps improve the products’ taste, quality, and shelf life. The following are the benefits of the preparation of the ingredients.
- Reduces the cost of food preparation. You can buy ingredients in bulk and enjoy discounts. To ensure the ingredients stay in good condition for longer, you can clean and store them for your next food preparation.
- Saves time. By having all ingredients ready, you can cook your food even when you have limited time.
- It enables you to prepare healthy and tasty food. If you prepare your ingredients ahead of time, you’ll always be able to cook healthy and delicious food on time. Some recipes have to marinate or require a spice to be sautéed before adding to the dish
- Guarantees a smooth cooking process. Preparing food before cooking will help you complete the cooking procedure without any hassles.
How to Prepare Cooking Ingredients?
The following are some tips on preparing your ingredients before you start cooking.
Washing and storing the ingredients:
Wash the vegetables and other ingredients thoroughly, put them in containers, then store them.
Peeling of fruits and vegetables.
It’s best to peel your fruits or vegetables before you start cooking.
Chopping.
If you have a large amount of meat or vegetables, cut them into small cuts beforehand.
Mixing of spices.
Mix the dry ingredients like spices and flour beforehand.
Blending solid and liquid ingredients.
Mix the solid and liquid beforehand to prevent the formation of lumps, especially when preparing soups.
Rearranging your kitchen:
Rearranging your kitchen so that all the ingredients you need daily for cooking are easy to find. There’s no need to lose time by looking for the ingredients you need.
Do You Need to Prepare All the Cooking Ingredients at Once?
While some people believe you should prepare all the ingredients before you start cooking, in some instances, it’s not practical. Some ingredients can be prepared a day before using them, while others should be prepared either just before you begin cooking or during cooking.
For instance, preparing ingredients such as onions, ginger, and garlic way before you need them is not recommended since they get spoiled if not used immediately. Also, you don’t want to be cleaning or chopping an onion or a carrot in the middle of cooking.
Therefore, to enjoy the full benefits of preparing the ingredients before cooking, always ensure the ingredients are ready at the right time. You can plan which ingredients you should prepare immediately when you get home from the grocery store and which ones you can prepare a few minutes before cooking.
Conclusion
Preparing all ingredients upfront before cooking makes your entire cooking experience easier and more enjoyable. You get a clear picture beforehand of the whole cooking procedure and make delicious meals effortlessly. The rule of thumb is always to prepare the ingredients before cooking. And that is how learning the benefits of Mise en place will help you become an experienced cook over time in the kitchen and a better organizer.
Sources
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/learn-the-definition-of-mise-en-place-480628
- https://food.unl.edu/article/use-mise-en-place-make-meal-preparation-easier
