The Latest on Food Hacks: Page 17

We all love mussels. Well did you know you may be eating them wrong?

First inspired by the Team Traeger recipe, I decided to make my own video recipe so as many people as possible can make their own version, too.

A good, sharp knife is a cook's best friend, which is why there's so much passionate debate about what kind you should get. Most enthusiastic home cooks opt for a stainless steel knife, but it turns out there's a different option that the pros favor, and that's carbon steel.

This is a really fun dish that brings together the wonderful flavors of bacon and onions. Bacon onion rings is a really tasty BBQ snack that's simple and easy to make. Just replace the batter of an onion ring with bacon! (Cooking temps were approximately 140ºC / 285ºF.)

Have you ever looked at a piece of fruit and thought to yourself, "you suck, fruit, sitting there all smug and happy, I wish I could just destroy you here and now?" If so, read on—your favorite Fat-man is going to show you how you can get your revenge on that happy smug fruit sitting in your fridge by breaking an apple in half with your bare hands.

No matter how much of a hardcore carnivore you are, the thought of eating a dog, a rat, or an insect might make your stomach churn.

This decadent dessert is inspired and created by marrying tiramisu and s'mores. It's a moan-worthy version of that classic English dessert, trifle, that combines the soft, creamy layers of tiramisu with the gooey, sticky goodness of s'mores. You can make it as easy as you wish, with store-bought whipped cream and pound cake, or you can make everything from scratch for a special company-ready dessert.

One of my favorite things to do when I visit my parents is cook. Aside from the fact that I adore cooking with my mom, there's something comforting about returning to the kitchen that I first started playing in 20 years ago. Nearly all of the tools and appliances are the same ones that I used as a kid, and the familiarity is palpable.

Cooking on a budget isn't always easy, but there's a silver lining: it can be really fun. Ever since I started supporting myself I've enjoyed going shopping, finding the most affordable items, and learning how to make the most of them. Sure, sometimes I wish I could afford to buy a filet mignon and some morel mushrooms every night, but there's a different kind of enjoyment that comes from being able to turn a few dollars into a gourmet meal. For me, that means starting with cheap meat, and...

Although wear and tear on kitchen knives is unavoidable, it's extremely frustrating when I can't cut through tough, fatty tendons in meat or even make a clean slice through an onion. If you don't have a steel rod or water stone to sharpen your knives, or even a cheap knife sharpener, you can get creative by using a coffee mug and even a newspaper.

I like to think of myself as a pretty calm and even-keeled person. I rarely get angry or annoyed, and I don't even get peeved very frequently.

If you've ever turned on an episode of Iron Chef or Top Chef, chances are you've seen a contestant in gloves and goggles, yielding a canister that looks far more fit for a chemistry lab than for a kitchen. Wonder what's in the canister? Liquid nitrogen, the go-to tool/ingredient of molecular gastronomy, and one of the trendiest items in many gourmet chefs' kitchens.

Whether you call them chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or Egyptian peas, these little morsels are one of my favorite snacks—when properly seasoned, that is. Being mild in flavor on their own, they're incredibly versatile and fun to experiment with. (They're also incredibly healthy.)

When you look at an Italian flag, what do you see? Green, white, and red? Well, I see a Caprese salad. And no, I do not need to have my vision checked. It simply means that I have the eyes of a chef.

"Tempering chocolate" is one of those intimidating-sounding kitchen tasks that keeps novice cooks away from some really fun stuff like making candy, chocolate-dipped biscotti, and fruit.

When summer rolls around, I think of two things: grilling and ice-cold beverages. To me, nothing beats loading up the grill with charcoal, letting the smell of smoke get stuck to your clothing, and imbibing the most refreshing drink you can find.

Your grater and microplane may look like single-purpose tools, but they're actually one of the most diverse appliances in your kitchen. Sure, everyone knows to use a grater on cheese and a microplane on citrus zest, but why stop there? Here are 10 things you may not have thought to grate:

Smoked foods are popular all over the world, but most of us don't have smokers at home. If you want smoked salmon, brisket or Gouda, you usually have to go out and buy it. Outdoor smokers aren't usually an option for city-dwellers, and the indoor versions can be pricey.

When you go to the grocery store, chances are you're confronted with the usual piles of apples, berries, bananas, and melons. All well and good, right?

Jerky is one of the tastiest snacks in existence. It's packed with richness, saltiness, and spiciness, and it's one of those things that you can't stop eating once you start. It's also fairly expensive, unless you're opting for the gas station variety which is… er… jerky in the same way that Folgers is coffee.