Mine probably isn’t that secret these days, but almost every sauce I add nutritional yeast to. Curry, chilli, bolognese, it just makes them all better.
MSG
Acid. Lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, and/or wine. Salt and acid make the existing flavors fucking pop.
For anything cheesy, add a touch of nutmeg. Not enough to identify it, but enough to know that something changed.
Taste as you go.
Couldn’t tell you. Every time I make something really good that’s worth repeating, the recipe is immediately wiped from my mind forever. It’s like some monkey’s paw curse that I can only make the thing the most delicious way once.
Also, butter.
the recipe is immediately wiped from my mind forever
You guys are getting recipes? Jk.
Smell, taste, and timing are the keys to great food. Take a whiff and add what’s missing.
Methodical testing is for sharing results after you have a solid grasp of what tastes good.
MSG. It’s amazing.
I really need to grab a pack next time I hit the local Asian supermarket.
what’s MSG?
Metal Sear Golid
Mobile Suit Gundam
My sugary gonads
Make Shit Good
MSG is the king of flavor!
Monosodium glutamate
Citric acid. It’s like adding lemon juice, except without any added moisture, so it works where too much moisture could pose a problem, like when you are making a pizza, nachos, or frying something in oil. It also never goes bad and is incredibly cheap, I use it all the time and am not even halfway through the $15 bag I bought like 8 years ago.
You can also add citric (and malic and tartaric) acid in the right proportions to turn a sweet juice like orange or pineapple into the equivalent of lime or lemon, and then use that juice like you’d use lime or lemon in cocktails or other recipes
MSG in everything except eggs. Doesn’t go well with eggs for some reason.
In my experience it goes well with eggs too!
Last mile seasoning! Shortly before your dish is ready to serve check for salt acid and heat, and adjust accordingly. This is critical!!!
Roasted garlic and/or roasted bone marrow. Soups, meat rubs, compound butters, whatever. The depth of flavours those two things add by themselves is amazing.
Adding half a bag of butterscotch chips sprinkled on the top of box brownie mix. I get tons of compliments like it’s the best thing in the world (and it is arguably much better than without the butterscotch).
Heat, salt, fat, acid. Technique matters more than secret ingredients.
Using low and slow or high and fast where appropriate depending on the goal. Plenty of fat and salt on everything, and a little acid to brighten up the dish.
Tomato sauce and everything hot tomato, especially if you use canned tomatoes, needs a bit of sugar. It makes it 100% better. It does not make it sweet, but all the flavors of the tomato just pop while otherwise it is only sour and bland.
Have you tried balsamic vinegar? The thick, syrupy version? Adds that bit more than just sugar.
Of course, it can be fucking expensive so definitely a luxury.
Well as a Hispanic, I’m obligated to say adobo, sazon and or sofrito…
But cumin is fire in a lot of things too… Like wanna add flavor but no salt? Sprinkle in a lil cumin. Mac n cheese with cumin is a vibe.
Love.
- Soy sauce
- flax seed oil in tomato sauce
- lime juice
- yeast extract
Vegans know how to cook haha
Kinda have to when you can’t cheat by adding butter, cheese or bacon to everything.
cheese, damn cheese.
Omnivores make noodles with literally nothing and just put cheese on it
I suppose at least vegan cheese is getting much better
Its okay but expensive or ugly.
You can hack it for various purposes from normal ingredients
Ugly? Dairy cheese ain’t exactly handsome.
Like full of aroma. But vegan cheese is always less ick than cow milk with antibiotics, pus and more.
There literally is a max amount of pus allowed in milk, for a reason.
