Know Your Techniques

How to Easily Peel Peaches
cooking tips

How to Peel Peaches, in Pictures

Few things kill a peach pie faster than flabby, long-cooked skin.
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Few things kill a peach pie faster than flabby, long-cooked skin. Luckily, peeling peaches is far less daunting than it may appear on the outset. A few quick steps are all that separate an exceptional peach pie from a total flop.

Score the Skin
Use a sharp paring knife to score the skin, by making a very shallow cut (avoid marring the flesh as much as possible) into the pointed end of each peach, in an x-shape. This will aid the peeling process later on.

Photo: Andrew Armenante

Keep reading to learn how to easily peel peaches.

How to Easily Peel Tomatoes
cooking tips

How to Peel Tomatoes, in Pictures

Looking to preserve Summer's bounty of tomatoes for chilly seasons to come?
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Looking to preserve Summer's bounty of tomatoes for chilly seasons to come? Chances are, you've been advised to peel your tomatoes. While most fruits and vegetables are prepped with a few swipes of a vegetable peeler, tomatoes require a little extra TLC, due to their juicy delicate flesh. Luckily, the process is extremely simple, and requires no specialized equipment; keep reading to learn how.

Score the Skin Simmer the Tomatoes Cool the Tomatoes Down Peel the Tomatoes
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How to Cook Artichokes
Cooking Basics

Conquer Your Fear of the Artichoke

Love artichokes, but too scared to make them at home?
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Love artichokes, but too scared to make them at home? We're here to help you conquer your fear of the Spring vegetable, as it's so much easier to prepare than it looks. Learn how to steam, roast, and — of course — eat them, then get cooking with a whole host of artichoke recipes. Keep watching to get to the heart of the artichoke.

How to Make a French Omelet | Video
Cooking Basics

The French Omelet: A Classic Breakfast Made Easy

Take your love of cooking eggs to the next level by trying your hand at a classic French omelet.
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Take your love of cooking eggs to the next level by trying your hand at a classic French omelet. If you've never had one before, the difference between a French version and its American counterpart is simple: the French version is rolled, and thanks to a light hand and a shorter cooking time, it also has an oozy custard interior.

The basic recipe — which is little more than eggs cooked in butter with salt, pepper, and a garnish of chives — is so elemental that perfect execution is key. Learn how to make these fluffy, silky eggs when you watch our video, then print out the recipe and give it a try on your own.

How to Clean Leeks
Cooking Basics

How to Clean and Prepare Leeks

Leeks may look (and taste) lovely, but all it takes is one bite of tragically sandy potato leek soup to realize that there's a surprising amount of gritty soil lurking between their many layers.
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Leeks may look (and taste) lovely, but all it takes is one bite of tragically sandy potato leek soup to realize that there's a surprising amount of gritty soil lurking between their many layers. Over the years we've tried a few methods to deal with this unglamorous task — some more successful than others — and have since then settled on a quick and dirty method that'll help you speed through meal prep. Keep reading for our step-by-step tutorial.

Rinse the Leeks Trim Away Tough Green Parts Remove the Root Ends Slice the Leeks in Half Slice into Half-Moons Clean the Leeks Sliced Leeks
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How to Grind Cardamom
Cooking Basics

How to Grind Cardamom — and Why You Should Bother

Are you guilty of skipping the common recipe directive to freshly grind spices like nutmeg, coriander, and the subject at hand: cardamom?
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Are you guilty of skipping the common recipe directive to freshly grind spices like nutmeg, coriander, and the subject at hand: cardamom? Sure, it tacks on time to your recipe prep, but the results are more than worth the minimal time and effort. As soon as spices are ground (often months earlier, if buying preground spices), aroma and flavor begins to dissipate; wait a year to use your spice stash, and you'll be working with what's essentially lightly scented dust. Instead, make the extra effort; trust us, you'll be a freshly ground convert once you taste the difference.

Keep reading to learn how to grind cardamom.

How to Cook Ground Beef
cooking techniques

How to Properly Cook Ground Beef, in Pictures

Cooking ground beef on the stove top seems simple enough, but so much can go wrong.
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Cooking ground beef on the stove top seems simple enough, but so much can go wrong. Have you ever crowded the pan too much, and found yourself with rubbery, steamed ground beef? Does your beef seep out a ton of liquid, or do you struggle to chop the meat up into bite-size pieces, resulting in "meat rocks" (as one editor's boyfriend hilariously dubs it)? If cooking perfectly ground beef eludes you, have no fear. These pictures will show you how to properly brown ground beef — or any ground meat, for that matter — so that your tacos, tomato sauce, and sloppy joes turn out tasty every time.

Heat the Pan Sear the Meat Flip and Sear the Other Side Chop It Up Cook Until No Pink Remains Finish Cooking Use in Other Recipes
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How to Shuck Oysters | Video
POPSUGAR Food

From Shopping to Shucking: All About Oysters

Oysters can be daunting to eat and prepare, but at their freshest, their sweet-saline taste is worth the effort.
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Oysters can be daunting to eat and prepare, but at their freshest, their sweet-saline taste is worth the effort. Scott Garrett, executive chef at Blue Plate Oysterette in Santa Monica, CA, gives us the lowdown on selection, storing, shucking, and — the best part — eating. Watch this tutorial and never be daunted by oysters again.

How to Shred Chicken
Cooking Basics

The Easiest Way to Shred Chicken

While you can always shred chicken with your hands, this tends to give you chicken chunks rather than fluffy shreds.
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While you can always shred chicken with your hands, this tends to give you chicken chunks rather than fluffy shreds. Instead, shred the chicken with a fork. It's easier to tear the meat with a metal utensil, plus it's a cleaner, more sanitary process. Keep reading to learn how to shred chicken with a fork and how to use it in recipes.

Spring Omelet Recipes
Cooking Basics

Omelets: For Meat and Veggie Lovers

Once you've mastered the classic French omelet, take it to the next level with two customizable egg dishes: a fold-over, filled omelet and an oven-baked frittata.
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Once you've mastered the classic French omelet, take it to the next level with two customizable egg dishes: a fold-over, filled omelet and an oven-baked frittata.

Turn to the fold-over omelet for a meal that comes together in mere minutes. Food host Brandi Milloy shows you how to construct a festive Spring vegetable fold-over version with asparagus, bright-green basil pesto, and fresh goat cheese. If you're looking for a heartier bite, then try another spin-off of the classic: the oven-baked frittata, which is made by sautéing bacon and aromatics in a cast-iron skillet, then sprinkling the dish with cheddar and popping it into the oven to finish.

The best part about these techniques? They open the door to infinite fillings, from vegetables to meats to cheeses and even seafood. Watch our video to get started.