30 Top Secret Cooking Tricks People Swore They'd Never Ever Reveal

Nathan Johnson Published 06/09/2023 in wow

We all have our secrets. Yours might be that one guy you killed on an old country road several years ago -- what was he doing in the middle of the road, anyway? And in the dead of night? It isn't your fault. You slammed the brakes. You couldn't do anything more. You're a good person.

Whereas these people have cutesy little cooking hacks that they use to bring joy to the people around them through the miracle of good food and good times, best served up with family. But not that guy's family, of course.

The family that now has only an empty chair at the dinner table, filled with... so much silence. An empty chair that cannot enjoy the simple pleasures like a secret recipe for high-end cheesecake or an easy trick to give your red sauce a little more gusto. These recipes really hit the nail on the (more figurative) head! Giving good, honest people like you the secret to good food and good times!

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1.
I add salt to hot chocolate. It somehow makes it more chocolate-y Everyone always says my hot chocolate is the best, but I just use prepackaged with milk and a dash of salt.
2.
My husband says he doesn't like much garlic. I ALWAYS use a hefty amount in my cooking. He loves it. I just don't tell him. And he often says "it smells so good in here!" Yeah, I just added the garlic to the pan...
3.
I use jello vanilla pudding powder in all my cookies. It keeps them super soft for days and gives them almost a cake interior. Shhhh...
4.
I begged my grandmother for her banana pudding recipe and now people beg me to make it. It's the recipe from the back of the Nilla wafer box.
5.
I add mashed anchovies or anchovies paste to my salad dressings, pasta sauces, and gravy. No one can identify the taste and everyone loves it!
6.
When making banana bread, I use overripe bananas, which I freeze and then thaw when it's time to bake. I read somewhere that freezing bananas make them sweeter. Try it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
7.
I'd never tell anybody how much fresh garlic I put in n anything.. Garlic is actually crack and I can't get enough. Also I don't tell people when I use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or mayo in some things. I feel like it grosses people out to think there's probiotics in the mashed potatoes or the pasta salad lol
8.
I use a little almond extract in all my baked goods (especially French toast) and a little espresso powder in anything chocolate.
9.
Always brown the butter. No one ever takes the time to brown the butter
10.
Whenever I bake something with chocolate, like brownies, I always add a little bit of coffee. It makes all the difference.
11.
When making homemade mac 'n' cheese, I season with a secret ingredient — mustard powder.
12.
Half sour cream, half greek yogurt for tzatziki - so much richer.
13.
I tell everyone, but citric acid in bread dough. Making it a bit acidic makes the yeast go nuts and even "heavy" breads rise more than you'd expect. You could use lemon juice or vinegar I suppose but citric acid (in granules) is easy to find (Indian section of supermarkets, or "gourmet" store), and will hang out happily in your cupboard forever.
14.
I worked at Jimmy John's and they had us use a little soy sauce in the tuna salad. I've been making it that way ever since.
15.
That reminds me of some woman who posted a couple years ago about running a successful wedding cake business and being afraid someone would catch her buying carts full of cake mix at the grocery store
16.
my salsa. its just big can of whole tomatoes, big sweet onion cut into fourths, one jalapeno with seeds cut up, cilantro and lime juice everything into a food processor for about 30ish secs add dash of salt at the end. everyone thinks is so good which it is but i keep telling them its so easy but they don't think it is lol
17.
I use smoked paprika a lot and people lose their minds over my cooking.
18.
Something I usually don't share--I make really great burgers, but my secret is I don't do much to them. I use a good quality ground chuck with 20% fat and I keep the meat very cold and handle it as little as possible and don't salt it except for the outside right before cooking, and I make a divot in the middle to keep the patty from swelling. Perfect, juice burgers every time, very little work.
19.
Instead of milk, I use full fat vanilla or plain yogurt in my bathing mixture for French toast. It turns out perfectly every time.
20.
If I boil dry beans to rehydrate and cook them, I'll throw in a marrow bone at the very beginning. The beans soak up the fat and have a luxurious, creamy texture.
21.
I add a dash of cinnamon sugar into any red meat dish or red sauce. Or tomato soup for that matter.
22.
Mayo instead of butter on the outside of grilled sandwiches.
23.
My wife came back from Norway in love with a MAGIC spice we searched for everywhere. It's MSG.
24.
Oh my goodness. Sushi rice. Microwave. I’m embarrassed to admit it. It always made such a mess in the pot, would stick or overflow, crunchy or mushy, I could never, ever get it right - even following packet instructions to the letter. I almost gave up on making sushi. Then on a whim, I tried it in the microwave. Sushi rice, water from the top of the rice to first knuckle of my index finger. Sensor cook - White rice - Start. My life was changed. Perfect texture, no starch all over my stove, no burnt pot. As a bonus, I even just use regular home brand white vinegar to season it. For every cup of uncooked rice, 1/2c vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Everybody loves my sushi.
25.
I add pickle juice to tuna or chicken salad. Gives it just the right amount of tartness.
26.
Try putting a decent amount of butter in a red sauce. It will taste twice as good and no one will be able to guess the secret.
27.
I buy Costco cashew clusters and use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag as part of my flour when making cookies. People always go crazy for them.
28.
I put extra egg yolks in my scrambled eggs. If I'm making eggs for two people, I use four whole eggs and add two yolks.
29.
I worked in a high-end restaurant that was well-known for its cheesecake. It was just cream cheese and marshmallow fluff blended together, then placed in store-bought graham cracker crusts.
30.
Squeeze a lemon in your pot of chicken soup. Adds a nice brightness.

1.
I add salt to hot chocolate. It somehow makes it more chocolate-y Everyone always says my hot chocolate is the best, but I just use prepackaged with milk and a dash of salt.
2.
My husband says he doesn't like much garlic. I ALWAYS use a hefty amount in my cooking. He loves it. I just don't tell him. And he often says "it smells so good in here!" Yeah, I just added the garlic to the pan...
3.
I use jello vanilla pudding powder in all my cookies. It keeps them super soft for days and gives them almost a cake interior. Shhhh...
4.
I begged my grandmother for her banana pudding recipe and now people beg me to make it. It's the recipe from the back of the Nilla wafer box.
5.
I add mashed anchovies or anchovies paste to my salad dressings, pasta sauces, and gravy. No one can identify the taste and everyone loves it!
6.
When making banana bread, I use overripe bananas, which I freeze and then thaw when it's time to bake. I read somewhere that freezing bananas make them sweeter. Try it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
7.
I'd never tell anybody how much fresh garlic I put in n anything.. Garlic is actually crack and I can't get enough. Also I don't tell people when I use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or mayo in some things. I feel like it grosses people out to think there's probiotics in the mashed potatoes or the pasta salad lol
8.
I use a little almond extract in all my baked goods (especially French toast) and a little espresso powder in anything chocolate.
9.
Always brown the butter. No one ever takes the time to brown the butter
10.
Whenever I bake something with chocolate, like brownies, I always add a little bit of coffee. It makes all the difference.
11.
When making homemade mac 'n' cheese, I season with a secret ingredient — mustard powder.
12.
Half sour cream, half greek yogurt for tzatziki - so much richer.
13.
I tell everyone, but citric acid in bread dough. Making it a bit acidic makes the yeast go nuts and even "heavy" breads rise more than you'd expect. You could use lemon juice or vinegar I suppose but citric acid (in granules) is easy to find (Indian section of supermarkets, or "gourmet" store), and will hang out happily in your cupboard forever.
14.
I worked at Jimmy John's and they had us use a little soy sauce in the tuna salad. I've been making it that way ever since.
15.
That reminds me of some woman who posted a couple years ago about running a successful wedding cake business and being afraid someone would catch her buying carts full of cake mix at the grocery store
16.
my salsa. its just big can of whole tomatoes, big sweet onion cut into fourths, one jalapeno with seeds cut up, cilantro and lime juice everything into a food processor for about 30ish secs add dash of salt at the end. everyone thinks is so good which it is but i keep telling them its so easy but they don't think it is lol
17.
I use smoked paprika a lot and people lose their minds over my cooking.
18.
Something I usually don't share--I make really great burgers, but my secret is I don't do much to them. I use a good quality ground chuck with 20% fat and I keep the meat very cold and handle it as little as possible and don't salt it except for the outside right before cooking, and I make a divot in the middle to keep the patty from swelling. Perfect, juice burgers every time, very little work.
19.
Instead of milk, I use full fat vanilla or plain yogurt in my bathing mixture for French toast. It turns out perfectly every time.
20.
If I boil dry beans to rehydrate and cook them, I'll throw in a marrow bone at the very beginning. The beans soak up the fat and have a luxurious, creamy texture.
21.
I add a dash of cinnamon sugar into any red meat dish or red sauce. Or tomato soup for that matter.
22.
Mayo instead of butter on the outside of grilled sandwiches.
23.
My wife came back from Norway in love with a MAGIC spice we searched for everywhere. It's MSG.
24.
Oh my goodness. Sushi rice. Microwave. I’m embarrassed to admit it. It always made such a mess in the pot, would stick or overflow, crunchy or mushy, I could never, ever get it right - even following packet instructions to the letter. I almost gave up on making sushi. Then on a whim, I tried it in the microwave. Sushi rice, water from the top of the rice to first knuckle of my index finger. Sensor cook - White rice - Start. My life was changed. Perfect texture, no starch all over my stove, no burnt pot. As a bonus, I even just use regular home brand white vinegar to season it. For every cup of uncooked rice, 1/2c vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Everybody loves my sushi.
25.
I add pickle juice to tuna or chicken salad. Gives it just the right amount of tartness.
26.
Try putting a decent amount of butter in a red sauce. It will taste twice as good and no one will be able to guess the secret.
27.
I buy Costco cashew clusters and use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag as part of my flour when making cookies. People always go crazy for them.
28.
I put extra egg yolks in my scrambled eggs. If I'm making eggs for two people, I use four whole eggs and add two yolks.
29.
I worked in a high-end restaurant that was well-known for its cheesecake. It was just cream cheese and marshmallow fluff blended together, then placed in store-bought graham cracker crusts.
30.
Squeeze a lemon in your pot of chicken soup. Adds a nice brightness.

I add salt to hot chocolate. It somehow makes it more chocolate-y Everyone always says my hot chocolate is the best, but I just use prepackaged with milk and a dash of salt.

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22 Roasts Straight Out Of The Fiery Oven

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NEXT GALLERY 22 Roasts Straight Out Of The Fiery Oven

1. I add salt to hot chocolate. It somehow makes it more chocolate-y Everyone always says my hot chocolate is the best, but I just use prepackaged with milk and a dash of salt.

2. My husband says he doesn't like much garlic. I ALWAYS use a hefty amount in my cooking. He loves it. I just don't tell him. And he often says "it smells so good in here!" Yeah, I just added the garlic to the pan...

3. I use jello vanilla pudding powder in all my cookies. It keeps them super soft for days and gives them almost a cake interior. Shhhh...

4. I begged my grandmother for her banana pudding recipe and now people beg me to make it. It's the recipe from the back of the Nilla wafer box.

5. I add mashed anchovies or anchovies paste to my salad dressings, pasta sauces, and gravy. No one can identify the taste and everyone loves it!

6. When making banana bread, I use overripe bananas, which I freeze and then thaw when it's time to bake. I read somewhere that freezing bananas make them sweeter. Try it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

8. I use a little almond extract in all my baked goods (especially French toast) and a little espresso powder in anything chocolate.

9. Always brown the butter. No one ever takes the time to brown the butter

10. Whenever I bake something with chocolate, like brownies, I always add a little bit of coffee. It makes all the difference.

11. When making homemade mac 'n' cheese, I season with a secret ingredient — mustard powder.

12. Half sour cream, half greek yogurt for tzatziki - so much richer.

14. I worked at Jimmy John's and they had us use a little soy sauce in the tuna salad. I've been making it that way ever since.

15. That reminds me of some woman who posted a couple years ago about running a successful wedding cake business and being afraid someone would catch her buying carts full of cake mix at the grocery store

17. I use smoked paprika a lot and people lose their minds over my cooking.

19. Instead of milk, I use full fat vanilla or plain yogurt in my bathing mixture for French toast. It turns out perfectly every time.

20. If I boil dry beans to rehydrate and cook them, I'll throw in a marrow bone at the very beginning. The beans soak up the fat and have a luxurious, creamy texture.

21. I add a dash of cinnamon sugar into any red meat dish or red sauce. Or tomato soup for that matter.

22. Mayo instead of butter on the outside of grilled sandwiches.

23. My wife came back from Norway in love with a MAGIC spice we searched for everywhere. It's MSG.

25. I add pickle juice to tuna or chicken salad. Gives it just the right amount of tartness.

26. Try putting a decent amount of butter in a red sauce. It will taste twice as good and no one will be able to guess the secret.

27. I buy Costco cashew clusters and use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag as part of my flour when making cookies. People always go crazy for them.

28. I put extra egg yolks in my scrambled eggs. If I'm making eggs for two people, I use four whole eggs and add two yolks.

29. I worked in a high-end restaurant that was well-known for its cheesecake. It was just cream cheese and marshmallow fluff blended together, then placed in store-bought graham cracker crusts.

30. Squeeze a lemon in your pot of chicken soup. Adds a nice brightness.

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eBaum's Picks

1.
I add salt to hot chocolate. It somehow makes it more chocolate-y Everyone always says my hot chocolate is the best, but I just use prepackaged with milk and a dash of salt.

2.
My husband says he doesn't like much garlic. I ALWAYS use a hefty amount in my cooking. He loves it. I just don't tell him. And he often says "it smells so good in here!" Yeah, I just added the garlic to the pan...

3.
I use jello vanilla pudding powder in all my cookies. It keeps them super soft for days and gives them almost a cake interior. Shhhh...

4.
I begged my grandmother for her banana pudding recipe and now people beg me to make it. It's the recipe from the back of the Nilla wafer box.

5.
I add mashed anchovies or anchovies paste to my salad dressings, pasta sauces, and gravy. No one can identify the taste and everyone loves it!

6.
When making banana bread, I use overripe bananas, which I freeze and then thaw when it's time to bake. I read somewhere that freezing bananas make them sweeter. Try it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

8.
I use a little almond extract in all my baked goods (especially French toast) and a little espresso powder in anything chocolate.

9.
Always brown the butter. No one ever takes the time to brown the butter

10.
Whenever I bake something with chocolate, like brownies, I always add a little bit of coffee. It makes all the difference.

11.
When making homemade mac 'n' cheese, I season with a secret ingredient — mustard powder.

12.
Half sour cream, half greek yogurt for tzatziki - so much richer.

14.
I worked at Jimmy John's and they had us use a little soy sauce in the tuna salad. I've been making it that way ever since.

15.
That reminds me of some woman who posted a couple years ago about running a successful wedding cake business and being afraid someone would catch her buying carts full of cake mix at the grocery store

17.
I use smoked paprika a lot and people lose their minds over my cooking.

19.
Instead of milk, I use full fat vanilla or plain yogurt in my bathing mixture for French toast. It turns out perfectly every time.

20.
If I boil dry beans to rehydrate and cook them, I'll throw in a marrow bone at the very beginning. The beans soak up the fat and have a luxurious, creamy texture.

21.
I add a dash of cinnamon sugar into any red meat dish or red sauce. Or tomato soup for that matter.

22.
Mayo instead of butter on the outside of grilled sandwiches.

23.
My wife came back from Norway in love with a MAGIC spice we searched for everywhere. It's MSG.

25.
I add pickle juice to tuna or chicken salad. Gives it just the right amount of tartness.

26.
Try putting a decent amount of butter in a red sauce. It will taste twice as good and no one will be able to guess the secret.

27.
I buy Costco cashew clusters and use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag as part of my flour when making cookies. People always go crazy for them.

28.
I put extra egg yolks in my scrambled eggs. If I'm making eggs for two people, I use four whole eggs and add two yolks.

29.
I worked in a high-end restaurant that was well-known for its cheesecake. It was just cream cheese and marshmallow fluff blended together, then placed in store-bought graham cracker crusts.

30.
Squeeze a lemon in your pot of chicken soup. Adds a nice brightness.