I have the opposite problem. I learn how to make something I like, then I realize “Oh shit, I don’t need this much lasagna in my life. This is going to kill me. I must seal away the recipe forever.”
I was getting real good at cakes, had to stop for my health.
It helps that I’m absolutely not a picky eater. Rice. Beans. Whatever random spices speak to me. Done. Content.
It does not take very many tries to start cooking better than a restaurant. And the best part is you can make sure that only your favorite ingredients get in there.
After like maybe half a year of cooking for myself a couple times a week (instead of frozen food or like canned food) it’s seriously started to astound me how bad some restaurant food is.
I know take out is mostly for convenience, but if the problem is taste you’re in luck because the bar to clear for tastier food than take out is really really low.
I this has more to do with what kind of restaurants you go to
I can cook some reasonably decent chow, but most people are deluding themselves if they think their cooking is better than any restaurant that isn’t totally terrible.
Restaurant-style cooking is very equipment intensive. A proper Chinese style stir fry needs a gas jet burner and a big wok. A proper pizza needs an oven hotter than home ovens can do. Proper rotisserie meats like gyros or kebab need, well, a rotisserie. You can try to emulate these at home with varying degrees of success, but typically you do more work for what is objectively an inferior product. Many restaurant dishes also require the kind of prep work that doesn’t make sense unless you’re making them at scale.
With home cooking you have to play to your strengths and accept the fact that a lot of restaurant dishes are not worth making. There’s lots of great home cooked dishes you can make, and oftentimes making them yourself at home does make them feel better than at a restaurant, but let’s be honest the overwhelming majority of us are not cooking tastier food than a restaurant.
most people are deluding themselves if they think their cooking is better than any restaurant that isn’t totally terrible.
Absolutely true.
Home cooked food is also going to taste a bit poorer because restaurants design their recipes to be appealing, not good for you. Full fat butter and too much sodium in everything.
You can, however, absolutely make better food at home. And it can be delicious if you know what youre doing and have a good grocery. But you’ve gotta put time and effort in.
It does not take very many tries to start cooking better than a restaurant.
Goddam it must be some lousy restaurants in your area.
My wife cooks really good food, and I love her food. But a proper restaurant with a proper chef, they are better than good, they are professionals and also professionals at picking fresh produce and good cuts to use.But I agree, it’s pretty easy to learn to cook a decent meal.
And the best part is you can make sure that only your favorite ingredients get in there.
It also means the food will have less variation. To appreciate good cooking properly, you need variation.
I meal prep for the week on sunday and make food for the week. Every week what I make is as good or better than the restaurant version. This week is Kenji Lopez’s cochinita pibíl with which I make tacos. It is very good and took me like 3hrs to cook over the weekend.
For most things, I can make it as good or better than a restaurant because I can get better quality ingredients. The one thing I can’t seem to get to be similar is a burger to fast food burgers. I’ve used super high quality beef, I’ve used even lower quality beef, tried various seasoning combos, etc. I can make a damn good burger, but it’s nothing like the insanely addicting flavor of fast food burgers. IDK what they are doing, but it’s not just the quality of the ingredients you can see. The only place that seemingly just makes homemade burgers is In-n-Out. I can replicate that taste all day.
They put a drug in it to make you crave it fortnightly!
Probably a combination of sugar and msg in different parts.
I find fast food burgers to be pretty boring - the flavor is kind of flat, simple.
My homemade ones are great because I use a spice mix for burgers (a copy of one Williams Sonoma used to sell, that has things like Worcestersher powder, garlic, onion, thyme, mustard powder, etc).
I have heard, tho I don’t know if its true, that McDonald’s injects the beef patties with beef broth to make it taste meatier. I will say, working there, the pickles smell extra pickle-y and have a much stronger flavor than any store brand I’ve ever had (never made my own so can’t compare there). And they are also super bright green. Like almost neon. Their food also makes me feel full off a smaller portion of food than anywhere else, which I’ve questioned numerous times.
If anyone is doing weird shit with their food chemically, it’s McDonald’s.
Knowing which seasonings and spices compliment each other can carry you far.
Not just salt and pepper, but being flexible with the stuff you see on the spice rack (e.g. garlic power, paprika, basil) has saved my ass on many a night.
[off topic]
Best cookbook for a beginner is “The Joy Of Cooking.”
Breaks everything down, even boiling water.
Man I’m just tired tonight.
Cooked all the dinners the last several days, it’s been a long few days.
I just don’t want to do the prep
It’s a process. Eventually, you’ll figure out what you like and you’ll have a reliably stocked pantry to whip up a meal you’ll enjoy on short notice.
Right now, I’m going pretty basic: rice + beans + veg + cheese + olive oil + spice–most. everything made ahead of time, before I get hungry.
Eventually, you get to ‘Wow! This was made by ME?’
It’s straight up bliss that first time it happens!
How the hell can you afford to not cook your own meals??
Can’t relate, I’m an awesome cook.
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