Mistakes can happen to anyone in the kitchen, whether you’ve been cooking for decades, or you’re just getting started with your culinary skills. However, some of the biggest mistakes can be avoided by simply knowing about them before they have the chance to occur. Take a look at some of the most common cooking mistakes that you should make sure you avoid. 

You Don’t Clean Right Away 

After you cook a big meal And enjoy eating it, it can be tempting to put off the cleaning until later. However, you’re only inviting more work for yourself later, and potentially even attracting pests, which could lead to having to call an exterminator.  You’re better off cleaning as you go. It’s simple yet effective and is much easier than cleaning all at once. As you go along in the kitchen, clean each mess as it comes. Above all, always do your dishes right away.  The longer you let food sit on your dishes, the harder they become to clean. 

Not Tasting The Food First 

Some people are so confident with the recipe, that they forget to test the food before they serve it to others. However, it’s always important to taste first.  That doesn’t mean you have to stick your finger in it, and contaminate it for the rest of your dinner guests, however, doing a taste test with a spoon or fork to make sure the flavor is right is important.

You Overcook Your Meat 

A lot of people only know one way of cooking meat— well done.  Since they’re so used to eating meat well done, they have no idea of the joys that rare beef can offer. Overcooking your meat isn’t doing you any favors. Overcooked meat is drier, holds less of the flavor, and takes much longer to prepare.   

You Oversalt 

A lot of people feel that their dishes are lacking flavor, and assume that they must need salt. However, salt isn’t the only spice that exists. Consider trying different herbs and spices rather than overloading your food with salt. Not everything needs salt, and it’s not always great for your health. Use it sparingly, and consider discovering all of the other wonderful spices there are to try. 

You Use Too Much Salad Dressing 

We get it, salad dressing is delicious. However, it’s not always necessary to go overboard with it.  The more salad dressing that you put on your lettuce, the soggier it gets There’s nothing more delicious than a nice crunchy salad where you can taste all of the textures and flavors of the vegetables. 

These are just a few of the cooking mistakes to steer clear of. If you make one or more of them, don’t be hard on yourself. After all, we often learn from our mistakes! The most important thing to do is try your best, and have fun in the process.