Common cooking mistakes and how to fix them -

For many people, cooking can seem like a daunting thing. It's not like it's a required course in schools, and if the tips and tricks weren't passed down in your family, you might be deterred by all the many ways it's possible to completely ruin a dish. 

Whether it's the flavors that aren't what you were hoping, or the texture is completely off, you don't have to toss it in the trash just yet! Instead, check out these easy fixes.

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Too salty - A pinch is relative, and who really measures out salt? You’re not alone if you’ve made this mistake more than once. 

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Call in backup -

The cooking trick of using a potato to soak up extra salt is not really effective. Instead, simply add more of other ingredients. If it’s stew, add more broth and veggies.

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Over-mashed potatoes - Unfortunately gluey potatoes are impossible to “fix,” but you can turn them into a different dish. If they’re just too creamy, however, you can fix it.

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Add instant potato flakes - Heat the mash in a saucepan and add one tablespoon of potato flakes and stir them in completely. Allow them to thicken for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork.

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Too spicy -

There is nothing worse than smelling all these incredible flavors you’ve been working hard to put together only to take your first bite and set your tongue on fire.

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If the spice is from peppers, add dairy -

The fat-loving compound called casein in dairy products like cream or butter reportedly binds with spicy capsaicin oil and then washes it away.

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If you don’t eat dairy - Add a bit of sugar or a dollop of nut butter to calm the fire. 

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Burnt garlic - Many people start cooking by putting garlic in the pan, but by the time the rest of the food is cooked, the garlic has burned and tastes bitter.

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Slow down - Add the garlic later, and make sure the pan isn’t too hot. You can also switch from minced garlic to sliced, which can withstand a longer cooking process.

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Too sour - If there’s too much acidity, from wine, vinegar, tomatoes, or all three, a dish can turn the stomach instead of appetizing it.

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Add sweetness or baking soda -

Honey, cream, and caramelized onions are all great additions. You can also try adding a small pinch of baking soda to make the dish more alkaline.

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Overcooked pasta -

Getting it to the perfect level of al dente is an acquired skill, but overcooked pasta can be salvaged.

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Get it under cold water and over hot oil - Remove the pasta from the water and run cold water over it in a strainer. Drain it thoroughly and fry it in a pan coated with olive oil to give it that al dente bite.

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Undercooked pasta - If you’ve only realized you undercooked the pasta after you’ve drained the water and you’re about to try and convince yourself that it’s al dente, stop right there.

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Finish cooking it with the sauce - You can obviously boil it again, but if you’ve tossed the water you can also throw the pasta into a pan with whatever sauce you were planning on serving it with and set it to low.

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Too tart - Tartness is a subcategory of sourness, but it’s when you’ve added too much citrus. 

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Sweeten it up - Simply add a bit of sugar, honey, or maple syrup to neutralize it a little. 

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Lumpy gravy - No one wants a lumpy gravy to plop onto their dish, but if you find yourself in this predicament there are easy fixes.

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Use a blender - Strain any larger ingredients (i.e. mushrooms, onions) from the gravy and use an immersion blender in the remaining liquid. Then put the other ingredients back in and wash the blender so no one knows.

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Too sweet - Too much sugar can be overwhelming and completely ruin the experience of flavor.

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Add acidity or salt - Things like lemon juice and vinegar, or a pinch of salt, can round out those sweet flavors. 

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Your meat isn’t cooked in the middle - Don't check to see the middle by cutting into it! You'll release the juices and can make the meat dry when you try to cook it more.

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Keep those juices in - You can wrap it in tin foil or put it in a pan cut-side down to sear the exposed interior and continue cooking it until it's done.

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Too bitter - Cooking with certain spices or vegetables can result in a bitter flavor, like being a little too generous with turmeric.

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Adds fats and/or sugars - Just like you would with coffee, add a spoonful of sugar, cream, or even butter to smooth out the bitterness.

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Sticky pasta - Don’t subject yourself to a lump of pasta, and please don’t reach for the scissors to cut the conglomeration up.

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Boil and oil - Ensuring that your water is at a rolling boil before putting the pasta in, stirring it during the first few minutes can prevent the stickiness. If the pasta gets sticky in the colander, you can toss it in a thin coating of olive oil to break it up.

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Too bland - This can happen for a number of reasons, but it’s the easiest of cooking mistakes to solve. 

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Season every step of the way -

Don’t go crazy with it, but seasoning every layer will ensure that all the ingredients are performing at their best.

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Add salt -

A pinch of salt is almost always the key, as it brings out all the other flavors. You can also add a pinch of sugar to highlight sweetness, or a splash of vinegar to bring out sour notes.

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Go back to the recipe - Just add more of the herbs and spices you were meant to, but be careful with dried herbs and spices as a little usually goes a long way!

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Meat isn’t seared properly - A good sear requires a super hot surface, but if it’s not hot enough, you won’t get the same effect. But don’t give up! 

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You’re allowed to try again - Just put the meat in the refrigerator while you reheat the pan so that a water droplet immediately sizzles and evaporates on its surface, then try again.

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Additionally, don’t overcrowd the pan - If the pan is hot but you still didn’t get a good sear, it might be because you didn’t give it enough space. Try not to move it around as well.

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Dry and clumpy melted chocolate - Your chocolate has seized, turning into a lumpy mess. If this is because it overheated, there’s not much you can do, but if it’s because of water contact, you can salvage it.

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Fight water with water - Add one tablespoon of boiling water at a time into the seized chocolate until it smooths out. Beware: you won't be able to temper it or use it for coating.

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Overcooked roast - There are better ways to deal with this common mistake than just making extra gravy to try and mask the dryness.

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Ditch the roast idea - Instead, shred the meat, liven it up with barbecue sauce, and course correct to delicious pulled pork sandwiches.

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A grey-green ring around hard-boiled eggs - It looks unappealing, and though they’re still perfectly fine to eat, there are ways to avoid this for presentation’s sake.

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Less time, less crowding - For the perfect hard-boiled eggs, cook them in a single layer (no stacking), cover them in cold water, bring it to a boil, turn off the heat, and let them sit for 15 minutes. Then pop them into ice water to stop the cooking.

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Your sauteed food isn’t crisping - Looking for that nice brown color but everything is just getting mushy? Don’t settle for less!

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The key is a hot pan -

Your pan should be preheated if you’re looking for a little browning action. If you forget or the cold food cools the pan down too quickly, just take the food off the pan and heat it again.

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Soggy fries - If you’re trying to fry things at home, hoping for some crispy fries but getting only soggy potatoes, there are a couple things that might be going wrong.

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Hotter oil and more space - Firstly, take everything out of the fryer and put it on a plate lined with paper towels. Then, ensure the oil is hot enough, and make sure you’re only frying a small amount at a time.

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Dry and crispy cookies -

What is more heartbreaking than expecting warm and soft cookies but getting crunchy and dry ones every time?

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Cut cooking time - Check them before the recipe says to. You want to take them out when they’re soft and barely golden, and they’ll firm up later. Also, don’t let them cool on the cookie sheet!

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Eyeballing ingredients - Sure, everyone’s grandmother can attest to achieving the perfect dishes without ever using a measuring cup, but there are times when it’s absolutely necessary.

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Measure accurately - For baking specifically, measure everything out, and pay attention to the way you measure. For example, scooping flour into a measuring cup will give you more than if you lightly spooned flour into the cup.

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Mushy rice - Undercooked rice is easy to solve because you simply need to add more water and cook it longer, but mushy rice can be a bit trickier.

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Many things to avoid with rice - Don’t stir so much, don’t let it steam after it’s finished cooking, take it out of the pot to cool, and next time try toasting the grains in some oil before adding liquid.

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Get rid of excess water -

Some mushy rice can also be cooked on low with the lid off or baked in the oven to get rid of excess water. If it’s not salvageable, make rice pudding or fried rice.

See also: Delicious foods you love made entirely by accident.

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