Top kitchen myths debunked

We’ve heard them all, every one. Salting water makes it boil faster, eating celery burns calories, and raw carrots are more nutritional than cooked ones. Are these just some of the myths we hear almost every day? So the experts here at Kellyvision Kitchens have got together and gone over the biggest food and cooking myths we could find, and have debunked them for you. So sit back, grab a stick of celery, and chew on these facts as we put these rumours to bed.

Chicken is always fully cooked when the pinkness is gone.

It’s what we’ve been told since we were children. Pink chicken, bad. White chicken, good. However, the only true test for the chicken to be safe to eat is when its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. This isn’t just in the thickest part but across the whole chicken. And don’t also just rely on the juices running clear. If in doubt, test that temp.

Microwaving food removes the nutrients

This is one of the most believed myths out there when it comes to food, peddled mainly by people who believe that cooking with anything other than an oven isn’t true cooking. But in fact, because microwave cooking takes such a short amount of time it gives the nutrients of the food less time to break down. In some cases microwaving your food may make it easier for nutrients to get into your system as they become easier to digest and absorb

Red liquid coming from meat means it’s undercooked

No, it doesn’t, it just means you’ve been to quick to get the knife and fork out. Leaving the meat to sit for a few minutes will keep those delicious juices where they should, right in the meat.

Salted water boils quicker

Add salt to flavour your pasta, not to help it cook quicker. Salt doesn’t speed up the boiling water, it makes it boil at a higher temperature, which may explain why the pasta cooks quicker. If you’re in a rush, boil the kettle and then pour on the pasta. Make sure you do add salt though, it’ll taste better

Cooking alcohol removes its alcohol content

It’s always been said that cooking will remove any alcohol from any dish. But it’s been seen that the removal of alcohol from dishes is directly correlated to how long you cook the dish and at what temperature you cook it. So don’t go giving kids that rum cake just yet

Adding oil to pasta stops it from sticking

It seems that most food myths revolve around pasta in one way or another. Because oil is oil, and we.ve all seen BP oil slicks, if you add it to your pasta water it’ll just sit on top, not doing anything. If you want to keep your pasta from sticking then you should stir it frequently.

Steaks should only be turned once

Meat purists, for some reason, will tell you that meat should only be flipped once, but by turning it again and again you actually help it cook more evenly and ensure you have a nice, tasty char on each side. So go on, get flipping.

Pasta should be rinsed after cooking

Pasta doesn’t need to go through cold water therapy once it’s been cooked. In fact, this will remove the starch from it, making the sauce unlikely to stick to it, resulting in a slick meal. Not only that, it’ll probably make the pasta too cold, robbing you of a delicious, warm, home-cooked meal.

So there we have it, just some of the numerous myths about cooking that are being floated around. So get in your beautiful kitchen and start making memories. Bon Appetit