We love kitchen hacks, but only when they net results as good as the traditional method. Be it a surprising way to check steak for doneness without a thermometer or quickly blasting a whole chicken to crispy perfection in the air fryer, there are shortcuts well worth learning, while others simply don't stack up.
So, when does a potentially clever hack or safe-bet kitchen tool spill over into a crutch?
Suppose you're automatically reaching for the same tools, equipment or resources whenever you're in the kitchen or grocery store, without considering whether there's a better way to accomplish your desired outcome. In that case, you may have a kitchen crutch.
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As a culinary school grad and professional food writer, I've identified four of the biggest kitchen shortcuts that aren't worth their salt.
Using a nonstick pan for everything
Professional chefs consider nonstick cookware a specialty tool, not one meant for regular use. Octavian Lazar/Getty Images
I admit that as a home cook, I reach for the Caraway or Calphalon much more often than I do my stainless steel or cast iron pans. I must ask myself, though, am I doing this because a nonstick pan is the best tool for the job? As a culinary school graduate, I'm forced to admit that we were only permitted nonstick pans while learning to be chefs when we practiced egg cookery.
So when you're preparing scrambled eggs or an omelet or want to cook sunny-side up or over-easy without a puddle of oil, by all means, the nonstick is king. However, when caramelization is the goal, you may want to reconsider making the nonstick pan your default. Whether for a satisfying crust on a steak or a melted mass of caramelized onions, you may save a little time for clean up with a nonstick pan, but you're not achieving comparable results.
Read more: 5 Worst Foods to Cook Using Teflon, According to an Instructor of Health-Centered Cooking
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