7 Cooking Hacks & Simple Solutions: Meat

Cooking hacks and simple solutions are amazing because they make our lives easier, save time, and minimize effort. Today I’d like to share with you some cooking hacks with meat, including an easy way of meat slicing, perfect solution to prevent flare-ups, an easy way to degrease pepperoni, and more. I hope, these simple ideas and tips will make your time in the kitchen a little bit more pleasant!

1. Thin meat slicing simplified

Many recipes call for thinly slicing a boneless cut of meat, such as a chicken or pork cutlet. Of course, fresh meat can be slippery and hard to grasp, which can make cutting thin slices a challenge. To make the job a little easier, place the meat in the freezer for about 20 minutes. The meat will firm up but not freeze, making it easier to slice or trim. Alternatively, if the meat has already been frozen solid, slice or trim it before it has thawed completely.

2. Degreasing pepperoni

Straight from the package, pepperoni often leaves unsightly puddles of grease when baked atop a pizza. Here’s one way to prevent this problem.

1. Line a microwave-safe plate with a double layer of paper towels, place the pepperoni on top, then cover with two more paper towels and another plate to keep the meaty disks flat.

2. Cook for 30 seconds in a microwave on high, carefully remove the hot plate from the microwave, and uncover.

3. Place the degreased pepperoni on the pizza and bake according to the recipe.

3. Use salt to prevent flare-ups

Fat sputtering up from a broiler pan can cause dangerous flare-ups. To prevent these flames, spread a generous amount of kosher salt on the bottom of the pan.

1. Cover the bottom of the broiler pan with aluminum foil and 2 cups of kosher salt.

2. Place the perforated rack on top. The salt layer catches any grease and prevents flare-ups.

4. Double-duty pot lids

Most stews start with browning the protein component, which is then removed from the pan so other ingredients can be browned, and is added back later to finish cooking with the cover in place. Try the following shortcut to avoid dirtying extra dishes. Instead of transferring the browned meat to a bowl, invert the lid of the pan in which you’re cooking over a bowl or another pot. The lid, which you would have to wash anyway, now serves as both a spoon rest and receptacle for the sautéed food.

5. A warmer rest

Resting meat before carving is key to getting the juiciest slices, but a chilly cutting board can make the temperature of the meat plummet. To keep heat loss under control, warm your cutting board under hot running tap water for a few minutes.

6. Steak elevator

Most recipes call for resting steaks after cooking to allow the internal juices to redistribute. Inevitably, some of these juices leak out, ruining the nice crust. Try using a bowl to elevate the meat up and out of its juices. Place a small bowl in the center of a plate, and prop the steak on top. Once the steak is done resting, pour the collected juices into a pan to make a sauce.

7. Rib-rack stand-in

A barbecue rib rack is a specialized tool that lets you barbecue twice as many slabs of baby back ribs at once. However, you probably already own a kitchen tool that could be used as a rib rack. If placed upside down on the grill grate, any fixed v-rack used for roasting easily serves as a rib rack, holding up to six slabs of baby back ribs.