As a professional culinary instructor, I can tell you that approximately 40 percent of the time dishes prepared from written recipes go wrong because my students did not actually read the recipe. Sure, I know they think they did, and they will tell me that they did, but under further scrutiny they’ll inevitably confess that they just glanced at it sideways or scanned it or simply perused it. A quick peek at a recipe and some scribbled list from it will never transfer all the pertinent information. This is especially true of anything being prepared for the first time
Below is the guidance I give to my beginning culinary students and for the home cook this might help prevent mistakes from happening to you:
- Sit down and simply read the recipe all the way through. Do not do anything else other than just read. This first step is crucial when reading a recipe.
- Read the recipe again. Now is the time to take notes, write out a shopping list etc. Highlight any special equipment or procedures that might need special attention (e.g. room temperature butter or soaking beans overnight.)
- Scan for, then note any commas in the ingredient list. What I mean by this is “1 cup cooked rice” is not the same thing as “1 cup rice, cooked.” The first reference tells the cook to measure cooked rice, whereas the latter measures dry rice that then requires that it be cooked. In the second scenario you will have over twice the rice in the recipe and that will change the outcome of the dish you are preparing.
- Verify equipment: This is the first step in “Mise en place” which starts with reading a recipe, and I always prioritize this because if there’s some issue with your equipment (e.g. like the pilot light is out on the oven) or the recipe requires unique equipment (e.g. like a pressure cooker or pasta machine,) then you may need to abandon the dish until you can fix or procure said equipment.
Tenzo’s Tip: Mise en place is a French culinary phrase which means “putting in place” or “everything in its place.” It is the first French term taught to all aspiring chefs. Additionally, keep in mind that professional chefs list ingredients in order of use, typically from largest amount to smallest. Use this as a clue as to how the ingredients should be measured and used (e.g. when baking, dry ingredients will always come one right after the other, so it is easier to scale them all into one bowl before adding them to a wet mix.)
- Gather ingredients: This is the second step in “Mise en place” and your eyes need to be laid on all ingredients listed in the recipe. After that, all ingredients should be gathered and staged while verifying the appropriate quantities. Items that must remain refrigerated or frozen during the prep phase are collected and staged on one shelf and whatever is missing goes on the grocery list and the list is fulfilled prior to the prep phase. While gathering ingredients be especially mindful of items that may need to be thawed or brought to room temperature as this might throw off the timeline of production.
- Prep the ingredients. This is the point that you will follow the implied instructions that have been denoted by any commas in the ingredients list. If you see an ingredient that reads “8 ounces diced yellow onion, 1/4-inch” this is the point where you’d take your onion, then peel of the outer skin and using your excellent knife skills, cut your onion. Often preparation steps are implied, rather than spelled out in the procedure as to do so makes for an overly complicated recipe. Additionally, there are many ways to get diced onions and the recipe author has no idea what way the cook will be using (e.g. cut with a knife, run through a machine or buy pre-cut onions from the store.)
- Follow the procedure while noting the order of the steps. This means that steps that take the longest need to be addressed at the start. If you know you must soak your beans for one hour, make sure that is done prior to dicing your onion even if that is not explicitly stated in the recipe. This will save you both time and headache down the road.
- Prioritize doneness indicators over cooking times. I cannot tell you how many times that a culinary student will set a timer on their phone and just pull out their food when it sounds regardless of doneness indicators. Usually the time listed in a recipe is an approximation. Chefs know intuitively that all ovens are not created equal but for some reason this seems to only come with experience. If your chicken recipe says 30 minutes but you know that chicken needs an internal temperature of 165 F to be eaten safely then that is much more important that what the timer says.
- Address presentation during down time. Often a recipe does not give you specific information on how to present your food for service. Many students do not give this any thought until their dish has finished cooking and at that point it is too late. While the best practice is to diagram your presentation after reading the recipe for the second time that may not always realistic so make sure to find a moment during the cooking process to think about what your dish will look like once completed. Does it need a fresh herb garnish? Will it look better in a bowl versus a plate? Should it have an accompanying sauce or condiment that is not listed in the recipe? Not forgetting this last step will make a big difference as we all eat with our eyes first.
Tenzo’s Tips: A chef doesn’t just follow a recipe; they anticipate potential problems. They’ll think ahead about steps that could be tricky, like making sure a sauce doesn’t break, ensuring a perfect sear, or maintaining the right texture in a delicate dish. By spotting these early, they can make adjustments in advance.
In the final analysis, reading a recipe is like crafting a roadmap to a dish, layering knowledge, creativity, and technique onto each step. Reading a recipe is a blend of precision, flexibility, and artistry that transforms a set of instructions into a culinary masterpiece.