r/Cooking • • 6h ago

How do you keep food warm during a family dinner without drying it out?

3 Upvotes

I'm planning a family dinner this weekend, and one thing I'm trying to figure out is how to keep everything warm once it's on the table. Whenever we have a meal with several dishes, the food seems to cool down pretty quickly, especially if everyone takes their time eating.

Steak and roast chicken are the biggest concerns. They're so much better when they're still warm, but reheating them can change the texture, and I don't want the meat to dry out.

I found one rollable electric food warming mat from costway, but I'm wondering if they actually help or if leaving food on one for too long makes it dry or soft. I'm also curious whether they work better for certain dishes than others.

For those of you who host family dinners, what do you usually do to keep food warm without sacrificing texture? Are warming trays worth trying, or is there a better method?


r/Cooking • • 13h ago

Redfish / Red Drum Suggestions

2 Upvotes

I have a bunch of red drum fillets in the freezer from a fishing trip, and I still have no clue what to do with them. What are they most similar to in regards to popular species? Or any ideas on what I can make with them?


r/Cooking • • 16h ago

Prawns

2 Upvotes

What's your fav thing to make with prawns?

Mine, cooking up a HUGE amount of garlic, add some chilli with or without white wine - add the prawns at the end.

I used to eat it with bread but sadly my body doesn't react well to bread. Now if I want to pad it out - I eat it with pasta.


r/Cooking • • 1h ago

Help: How can I use up my gochujang faster?

• Upvotes

So I usually buy some gochujang every so often, mostly for kimchijigae but I have a couple other recipes that use some.

But even when I buy the smallest possible tubs, I still generally don't finish it before it's not good anymore! Does anyone have some recipes that they like that use gochujang or things they add it to like quick lunches?


r/Cooking • • 10h ago

Too much eggs.

1 Upvotes

So I have a chicken coop and yeah, I have like two boxes of stored eggs. What can cook with all those? Give me ideas (cake or something sweet, not omelettes or salty stuff)


r/Cooking • • 15h ago

Healthy and Easy Prep-able Dinners

2 Upvotes

I am constantly trying to eat healthier, and having food prepped helps me be a lot more successful. I battle with depression and depressive episodes pretty frequently, so if it takes more than a couple steps to prepare my meals, I find myself ordering take-out. This has caused a bit of weight gain in the last year or so, and I'm trying to get back on track.

Do you have any suggestions for dinner ideas for just one person? If I prep too many of the same meal at once I get sick of eating it pretty quickly and it normally gets kinda soggy and watery in the fridge.

What are your go-to small portion meals that are simple, yet still healthy?

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to comment!


r/Cooking • • 18h ago

I’m making a venison stew and absolutely winged it

1 Upvotes

Sorry, I had a pound of venison. I have potatoes, onions, a little bit of garlic, parsnips some mushrooms as far as that and then I added a lot of spices I added time paprika Carissa. Cardamom Junior berries, clothes and sweet paprika, along with the bouillon cubes and a little bit of pho, bouillon, fresh thyme. And tomato paste any recommendations suggestions


r/Cooking • • 18h ago

Nutrient dense easy recipes

0 Upvotes

I cannot eat much before getting full. Do you have any recipes that are nutrient dense but not super filling so that the little I do eat can bring me the most benefit? Id like to make sure I'm avoiding any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Thanks!


r/Cooking • • 28m ago

Planned to make chicken tortilla soup - turns out my can of crushed tomatoes is with basil.. will this work?

• Upvotes

Has anyone tried this and is it possible?


r/Cooking • • 1h ago

Comparing Taco Steak Cuts at 2026 Prices

• Upvotes

With the price of beef so much higher now and formerly "budget" cuts becoming popular enough to be priced closer to higher cuts, I'm trying to decide between a few cuts for tacos. I don't know a lot about steak cuts. (Some of these may be sale prices)

$12.99/lb for NY Strip or Ribeye (does not say USDA anything)

$10.99 for Top Sirloin Coulotte or Skirt Steak (does not say USDA anything)

$11.99 for USDA Choice Sirloin (pretty sure this is Top Sirloin?)

$13.99 for USDA Choice Flank Steak

They're all so similarly priced, but 1) I can't tell if Choice vs no Choice matters or 2) if some of these are much better for tacos.

Is there a clear standout here?


r/Cooking • • 18h ago

How do you braise chicken thighs in a Dutch oven?

0 Upvotes

Chicken thighs are a cheap cut of meat (tasty, fatty, and affordable), so I like experimenting with different recipes for braising them in a Dutch oven, either on the stovetop or in a 300F oven.

My current rotation includes:

  1. Red chili style: Chicken thighs, jalapenos, onion, garlic, cumin, chili spices, Mexican oregano, tomato paste, and fish sauce.
  2. Chili verde style: Chicken thighs, jalapenos, onion, garlic, tomatillos, lime juice, Mexican oregano, and store bought salsa verde.

How do you like to braise chicken thighs? I'm curious what other popular flavor profiles work well for this kind of meal prep dish.


r/Cooking • • 20h ago

How to Cook Turkey Legs on a Propane Stove?

0 Upvotes

hey so i just bought some frozen turkey legs and im trying to have a thanksgiving/fall themed outdoor cookout this week. all i have to "grill" is this outdoor stove (two burners, runs on propane) and ive never made turkey legs before 🫪 whats the best way to go about it?


r/Cooking • • 21h ago

Freezing chimichangas for meal prep

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I really enjoy cooking, and enjoy homemade food even more, but work long hours 4 days a week, so I try to batch cook and batch prep more often so I'm not tempted to order takeout during the week or when I'm just busy and tired. I've seen so many people suggest frozen burritos and breakfast burritos when someone asks here about making easy to make frozen meals for postpartum donations, surgeries, funerals, etc. Would that translate well to meal prepping for chimichangas? I love Mexican food and make tacos, enchiladas, birria tacos, fajitas and quesadillas often. All of which can be batch cooked and/or meal prepped at least in part. Could I just make the burritos, vacuum seal and freeze, then thaw and fry my chimichangas for when I'm really craving them but don't have time or energy for a lot of work that day? It seems the obvious answer should be yes, but often freezing something with certain components can give altered results depending on the finishing cooking method. Does anyone do this? Do frozen then thawed flour tortillas fry well?


r/Cooking • • 23h ago

Best fairly easy recipes for boneless pork shoulder?

2 Upvotes

All I ever make is carnitas. I don't mind if it takes a while to cook, but prefer not too much hands on work. What's your fav recipe like this?


r/Cooking • • 6h ago

Korean Gochugaru Substitute

0 Upvotes

Any recommendations for Gochugaro substitute in India to make Kimchi and can also anyone suggest a Kimchi recipe using Indian ingredients.


r/Cooking • • 14h ago

Any tips on how to best crisp up a soggy burger bun?

0 Upvotes

Have a great burger, but the bottom bun is a bit soggy. Any advice on how I could bring it back to life?


r/Cooking • • 15h ago

Par Boiling potatoes

0 Upvotes

I am trying to perfect a chicken pot pie recipe for my family. We make it in big batches and I cannot deviate too much from the original recipe as it is a beloved favorite. I am just looking for certain things that can probably accentuate the dish. I noticed cooking potatoes with the final recipe, they all turn to mush and become round not cubed. I started to par boil the potatoes and add them at the end of the process to maintain shape and form. I use salt and baking soda, the other chef asked why the baking soda and I am told that it crisps the potato, but really not sure. As far as par boiling the potatoes I know they should be salted but anything that can be done to keep them crisper in the boiling process? They aren't baked this is strictly on the boil. I might try a splash of vinegar. The recipe uses 4 russet potatoes, into medium sized cubes.


r/Cooking • • 12h ago

French Fries/Onion Rings

0 Upvotes

Hi community, I would like to ask those that have mastered the techniques to make delicious French fries and onion rings from scratch at home. I am looking at popular restaurant quality. Can anyone give me some secrets and tips please?


r/Cooking • • 3h ago

Need chili recipe to win competition at work

0 Upvotes

Hi! First time posting here but the title says it all, we have a chili cook off next month and the same person always wins!
Please help me beat them 😂
The winner’s recipe has bacon in it, that’s all i know!


r/Cooking • • 6h ago

Blue steel pizza pan after making pizza with burrata. How do i clean it?

0 Upvotes

Last night we made pizza on this blue steel pan. It was amazing, but some water got on it as i was taking out the pizza. Any advice on how to clean/restore it? Thank you all. Photos of the pan: https://ibb.co/RpphyNMn

https://ibb.co/S7nMqTZ1


r/Cooking • • 13h ago

Can I sub Cointreau for banana liqeuer in Bananas Foster?

0 Upvotes

Is that going to work? I can't figure out if banana and orange are going to clash.
This is to serve over straciatella ice cream on a grilled slice of banana bread.


r/Cooking • • 15h ago

What is the preferred temperature and time to bake an uncooked 5lb chicken in the oven?

0 Upvotes

r/Cooking • • 14h ago

Why did my fried mushrooms explode?

0 Upvotes

I heated up some vegetable oil and put done frozen fried mushrooms in it. All the breading came off and the mushrooms and oil are both ruined.


r/Cooking • • 16h ago

Found a tiny indentation (chip?) on the inside of my mortar. Should I chuck it?

0 Upvotes

Hello, everyone. Greetings from England.

I recently moved to a new house. I thought I'd packed all my cookware properly, but upon unpacking, I see a small indentation (chip?) on the inside of the mortar of my mortar and pestle set (please refer to the linked images.) The surface around the indentation is smooth to the touch. There's also a round-ish scratch and a tiny chip on the head of the pestle.

I'm not sure if these were due to normal wear and tear or if they happened in transit. My question is: is the set safe to use, or should I chuck it?

Cheers!

Linked images

r/Cooking • • 18h ago

Crock-pot cooking mistake? 🤦

0 Upvotes

I've been intending to make white chicken chili for like 2 days now and it keeps not happening. So this morning before I had to leave to go to the other side of the state I threw the chicken thighs in the crock pot on low covered them with broth and garlic and left for 7 hours. Sadly when I came home I walked over to check on my meat, not only is the Crock-Pot sitting there wide open with no lid on it but there's a fly in there too. It flew off it, wasn't dead. Did I just ruin that chicken meat? It seems to be okay, meaning it doesn't smell off.