Burning or overcooking food. It’s something that happens to everyone. Whether you have the temperature up too high or you left your dish in the oven a little too long. Don’t be ashamed! Even the best cooks end up burning or overcooking something every now and again. While it might be hard to bring back something that is black and charred all over, there are a few tricks to rescuing overdone pasta, vegetables, and meat. Keep reading for more!
Overcooked Rice
Overcooking carbs like rice is really easy to do. To make rice less sticky, start by rinsing it in a strainer. Make sure that your drain it well! If you find that the rice is still sticky, fried rice or arancini will both taste great with overcooked rice.
Soggy & Soft Pasta or Potatoes
If you feel like your pasta and potatoes are the equivalent to mush, try pan-frying them! With a little olive oil and seasoning, your mush will turn into fried goodness. Frying is my favorite trick to transforming overcooked food. If you prefer to avoid frying, try baking your pasta into a casserole or adding your potatoes to an omelet or frittata.
Burnt Meat
If you burned the meat you plan to use for a stew; you will want to remove it from the pot as soon as possible. If you burned the meat, you will find a few dark spots at the bottom of your pot. If you continue cooking your stew in this pot, you will end with a sauce that has a bitter aftertaste. The best thing to do is to transfer the meat to the pot to save the taste.
If you pan-fry a piece of meat over a too hot flame, the meat will become scored on the outside but underdone on the inside. It’s best to sear the meat first, then move it to the stovetop where it can continue to cook without the fear of further burning.
Overcooked Vegetables
The best way to save your veggies that have been boiled for too long is by “shocking” them. After draining your vegetables, use a bowl of ice water and plunge them in. Let the vegetable sit for a minute or two; this will prevent them from cooking further.
If your vegetables are extra overcooked, trying broiling them with something that will brown like butter or cheese. If all else fails, throw the limp vegetable into a casserole, after it’s baked, no one will be able to tell the difference.