Seven Common Cooking Mistakes to Avoid

Real Simple online rounds up seven common cooking mistakes you can easily avoid if you practice a few simple tricks of the trade. For example:

Covering the entire surface of a pan traps heat and creates steam. And steam, says Simpson, is an enemy of browning, which locks in flavor and juices. To guard against overcrowding, use two pans or cook in batches. To prevent the first batch of food from getting cold while you cook the second, keep it on an ovenproof plate in an oven set at a low temperature (about 200° F).

Since getting good in your kitchen is generally a matter of trial and error consisting of just such mistakes, let’s hear your favourite and best cooking tips in the comments.