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brokephibroke

(1,883 posts)
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:30 PM Apr 2021

Cooking tasks that you don't appreciate

I’d have to say peeling garlic cloves is one. The paper is not fun but the skins always seem to cause a lot of trouble. Also hate when a recipe calls for a fixed amount of fresh ground pepper - not easy to grind and measure....

51 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Cooking tasks that you don't appreciate (Original Post) brokephibroke Apr 2021 OP
Cleaning up! LisaM Apr 2021 #1
100% agree. OnDoutside Apr 2021 #9
I. Use a large chef's knife to cover the clove XanaDUer2 Apr 2021 #2
That works the best for me, too. wendyb-NC Apr 2021 #7
I hate cutting turnips into chunks XanaDUer2 Apr 2021 #14
Since I loathe garlic and won't have it the house, I don't have that problem, Ocelot II Apr 2021 #3
Shelling peas is a lot of work brokephibroke Apr 2021 #5
Peeling squash. My recipe calls for chunks of squash. Not mashed or baked. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #4
10-4 on peeling. I made some great butternut squash soup once. yonder Apr 2021 #15
I've broken several peelers. Squash eats them up. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #25
Turning baby artichokes sir pball Apr 2021 #6
I used to hate peeling hard boiled eggs, until I found the solution was to immediately SWBTATTReg Apr 2021 #8
I slip a teaspoon upside down between the shell and the egg, works nicely too. OnDoutside Apr 2021 #11
Do you put the raw eggs in tap water and bring it to spooky3 Apr 2021 #13
I'm not the person you addressed, but... Buckeye_Democrat Apr 2021 #38
Thank you! nt spooky3 Apr 2021 #39
The 20 minutes cooking time starts when you put the uncooked eggs in the cooking pot, and SWBTATTReg Apr 2021 #40
Thanks! nt spooky3 Apr 2021 #41
Use "old" eggs Freddie Apr 2021 #23
Cooking them in salt water helps. Especially with the ice bath. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #27
Also roll them on the counter until you hear and feel the shell crack into small pieces. Patterson Apr 2021 #31
Yep! I've found that gently adding the eggs to... Buckeye_Democrat Apr 2021 #35
cleaning off work space before I can even start Kali Apr 2021 #10
LOL Silver Gaia Apr 2021 #19
I thought was my home only! WhiteTara Apr 2021 #24
Who measures for less than a tbsp? marble falls Apr 2021 #12
Separating fresh herbs from the stem Alpeduez21 Apr 2021 #16
Thyme especially. brokephibroke Apr 2021 #17
"deveining shrimp" Silver Gaia Apr 2021 #20
It's icky ny XanaDUer2 Apr 2021 #48
This person makes deveining look easy soothsayer Apr 2021 #29
Not knowing if it's over easy or scrambled eggs brokephibroke Apr 2021 #18
Peeling potatoes. Most times I cook them skins and all. Arkansas Granny Apr 2021 #21
Try this trick (if you can see it) soothsayer Apr 2021 #33
Neat tip. That would be great for potato salad. Arkansas Granny Apr 2021 #36
I forgot to try it yesterday making mine, but I'm planning some more soothsayer Apr 2021 #37
I Have Problems Skinning Onions.... global1 Apr 2021 #22
I heard chewing gum helps the eye strain from onions. LakeArenal Apr 2021 #28
Try this soothsayer Apr 2021 #32
Handling raw chicken Freddie Apr 2021 #26
I use vinyl exam gloves when handling raw meat Cairycat Apr 2021 #34
i freeze chicken + bacon til stiff, easier to cut. less goo. wash hands 3 times. pansypoo53219 Apr 2021 #44
Chopping oinions. My eyes water so bad I can't see straight. nt Binkie The Clown Apr 2021 #30
I HAVE A SOLUTION! only 1 that works. light a candle in front of your board + cut away. pansypoo53219 Apr 2021 #43
I WILL try that! Thanks. nt Binkie The Clown Apr 2021 #47
i have a bees wax candle hoard. pansypoo53219 Apr 2021 #50
Onions and garlic both handle best when cold. Sometimes I store some unpeeled onions in the fridg... Hekate Apr 2021 #42
Garlic is easy. Warpy Apr 2021 #45
Thanks! I'll try that someday! Buckeye_Democrat Apr 2021 #46
to all the people who hate cleanup NJCher Apr 2021 #49
I am kind of hooked on organic pre-peeled garlic in deli of grocery Laura PourMeADrink Apr 2021 #51

LisaM

(27,758 posts)
1. Cleaning up!
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:32 PM
Apr 2021

I don't mind peeling garlic or chopping onions. I don't love grating ginger, I guess. Or peeling squash.

Generally the cleanup is the worst.

XanaDUer2

(10,327 posts)
2. I. Use a large chef's knife to cover the clove
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:33 PM
Apr 2021

and bang down on the clove to loosen the skin from the clove. Makes it easier to remove

Ocelot II

(115,267 posts)
3. Since I loathe garlic and won't have it the house, I don't have that problem,
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:39 PM
Apr 2021

but I hate things like shelling peas and cutting the ends off green beans.

yonder

(9,631 posts)
15. 10-4 on peeling. I made some great butternut squash soup once.
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:08 PM
Apr 2021

Once.

I'm not much of a cook but dealing with those gourds was a pain in the ass - and dangerous too.

sir pball

(4,726 posts)
6. Turning baby artichokes
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:43 PM
Apr 2021

I'm not sure I can think of a worse way to spend half an afternoon.

As for garlic, once you have the cloves separated just put them in between two metal bowls, on in a big coffee can, and shake the daylights out of it. When you dump them out the paper is off.

SWBTATTReg

(21,856 posts)
8. I used to hate peeling hard boiled eggs, until I found the solution was to immediately
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:49 PM
Apr 2021

dump the boiled eggs in ice (after 20 minutes from start to end of boiling the eggs). It works like a charm, no more difficulty in peeling the eggs, the shells just literally fall off almost.

spooky3

(34,300 posts)
13. Do you put the raw eggs in tap water and bring it to
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:04 PM
Apr 2021

Last edited Sun Apr 4, 2021, 07:24 PM - Edit history (1)

A boil, and is that included in your 20 minutes? Or do you do something else?

I hate peeling boiled eggs, but love deviled eggs, so would love to learn a better technique.

Buckeye_Democrat

(14,846 posts)
38. I'm not the person you addressed, but...
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 07:18 PM
Apr 2021

... I've had better results gently adding the eggs after the water is already boiling, using a large spoon with a long handle to avoid burns.

I remove from the heat and cover the pan for at least 10 minutes.

Adding the eggs while there's a roiling boil can crack the shells, so I'll usually remove the pan from heat just before adding the eggs. Oh, and leaving the eggs out of the refrigerator for awhile helps to avoid cracked shells in the hot water too.

Finally, drain and submerge in ice-water.

SWBTATTReg

(21,856 posts)
40. The 20 minutes cooking time starts when you put the uncooked eggs in the cooking pot, and
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 07:33 PM
Apr 2021

of course bring to a boil eventually during the 20 minute period...

P.S. I know that other DU comments mentioned a shorter interval, but I'm used to the 20 minute clock, I put the eggs on, and then go do other dinner/etc. prep/tasks/etc. in getting dinner/whatever started/going. It's worked out really well for me, and the best thing about, is no more trying to pry off the egg shells!

Freddie

(9,231 posts)
23. Use "old" eggs
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:38 PM
Apr 2021

Use your newest bought eggs for other things and save the ones you bought 2+ weeks ago for hard boiled eggs. Plunging the newly boiled eggs immediately into a bowl of ice water helps too.

Buckeye_Democrat

(14,846 posts)
35. Yep! I've found that gently adding the eggs to...
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 07:03 PM
Apr 2021

... the water after it's already boiling, with a large-handled spoon to avoid burns, also helps.

Remove from the heat and cover for a minimum of 10 minutes. Then drain and submerge the eggs in ice-water.

Super-easy to peel, with no sticking of the inner eggs to the shells.

Edit: Removing from heat after the boil can help avoid cracked shells in the water too. The eggs can bang around the pan during a roiling boil.

Kali

(54,990 posts)
10. cleaning off work space before I can even start
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 04:56 PM
Apr 2021

empty horizontal surfaces are against the laws of physics around here.

WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
24. I thought was my home only!
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:38 PM
Apr 2021

I have come to the point in my life that I don't clean horizontal spaces because the second they are emptied, they are refilled with twice the amount of stuff that was there originally. It's a losing proposition and I surrendered.

Alpeduez21

(1,739 posts)
16. Separating fresh herbs from the stem
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:08 PM
Apr 2021

deveining shrimp

a nonsensical thing that irks me is cleaning egg beaters. I hate that. Especially frosting or a thick batter.

Arkansas Granny

(31,483 posts)
21. Peeling potatoes. Most times I cook them skins and all.
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:30 PM
Apr 2021

About the only time I peel them is for mashed potatoes or if the skins don't look so good.

LakeArenal

(28,713 posts)
28. I heard chewing gum helps the eye strain from onions.
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 05:45 PM
Apr 2021

I just cut off each end. Slice down the side, peels separate easily.

Cairycat

(1,697 posts)
34. I use vinyl exam gloves when handling raw meat
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 06:57 PM
Apr 2021

especially chicken. You still need to worry about cutting boards and other utensils, but it saves worrying about your hands. Also it gives a little bit of insulation - handling cold raw meat really freezes your hands. Oh, and they're good for cutting up hot peppers.

pansypoo53219

(20,906 posts)
43. I HAVE A SOLUTION! only 1 that works. light a candle in front of your board + cut away.
Mon Apr 5, 2021, 01:08 AM
Apr 2021

don't set your hair on fire. or clothes. i sit to make it easier. i also cut bigger pieces. so i need a new peeve. clean up sucks.

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
42. Onions and garlic both handle best when cold. Sometimes I store some unpeeled onions in the fridg...
Sun Apr 4, 2021, 09:50 PM
Apr 2021

...until needed, sometimes in warm weather I take one from the cupboard and toss it in the freezer for 20 minutes. No tears. Set the timer tho! Frozen onions turn to mush.

The garlic is a different matter. I wrap whole heads of garlic in zip-lok bags and store them in the freezer. When it’s time to use them I find them very easy to peel if I do it immediately. Then I can chop them.

Warpy

(110,900 posts)
45. Garlic is easy.
Mon Apr 5, 2021, 01:26 AM
Apr 2021

Stick garlic in a small screw top jar, lid on, and shake it like crazy. Most if not all of the peel will be off. You can also rub it back and forth in a folded plastic place mat. Or you can be old fashioned and smash it with the flat of your knife and pick the peel out of it, but that's my least favorite method. To get the garlic off your hands, wash your stainless steel knife using your hands to rub the blade. I don't know why that works, but it does.

I like black pepper, so I just grind away. Recipes are only suggestions, you know. Besides, that fixed amount is for the pre ground, flavorless stuff, anyway, and there's always too little of it to my taste.

NJCher

(35,421 posts)
49. to all the people who hate cleanup
Mon Apr 5, 2021, 02:08 PM
Apr 2021

First, terrific thread. Want to try many of the tips on garlic, onions, and hardboiled eggs.

Here's my cleanup tip.
There are actually two of them: 5" on/5" off, and The Mandatory 5-Minute Cleanup.

I always listen to NPR or a podcast while cooking. This makes the time interesting and fun.

Next, I have many timers and I set one for 5 minutes and 3 seconds. I cook for five minutes, and then I clean for 5 minutes. I switch off and on from cooking to cleaning because it keeps things interesting.

By the time I'm through cooking, the kitchen is in reasonably good condition.

Then after the meal, it is time for The Mandatory 5-Minute Cleanup. I invented TM5"CU for any project that requires getting stuff out. It could be a repair, an art project, whatever. The timer is clicked for 5" and one just cleans only the things that were used making the meal. If that takes less than 5", then attack some other cleaning task in the kitchen.

Granted, one has to plan for this because it takes CAYGO into account, although in a more structured way. I think it's more of a way to plan for the emotional reaction of cleaning (dread). I heard a program on procrastination the other day and it said that procrastination is actually a way of dealing with negative emotions. So if that's true, my method avoids the dread of the big cleanup after the meal.

 

Laura PourMeADrink

(42,770 posts)
51. I am kind of hooked on organic pre-peeled garlic in deli of grocery
Tue Apr 6, 2021, 11:35 PM
Apr 2021

Not as good but almost... And so easy. I'm with you... Hate peeling garlic! #1

Scraping carrots #2

Cleaning stovetop #3

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