Yeah actually understanding that getting a 7 log reduction in bacteria is a function of both temperature and time is critical. The USDA giving overly dumbed down guidance has made people worse cooks. You can safely do rare chicken with sous vide, if you wanted to.
My Thai cooking teacher swore that dark and sweet soy sauce were totally different. Finally got through the bottle of dark and couldn’t find it again, so bought a bottle of the sweet. Did a blind test and if there’s a difference, my tongue isn’t smart enough to detect it (Kwong Hung, the one with the dragonfly on the label).
Cumin. Adds that earthy undertone to dishes. You really don't need much, it's about rounding out the flavor profile of the dish rather than adding cumin as a forward note.
meanwhile I'm constantly going "wtf is cumin doing in this dish" when it has no culinary reason to be in there. I believe you in that you're adding just a bit to add the undertone, but too many people over do it.
I actually had a second thing of miso sit in my fridge for a year that I forgot about and took me another 6 months to use it up. Still tasted like good miso to me.
It's also not like miso's applications are limited to being just MSG either. Miso + butter or mayo is a fantastic spread or a base for a spread that you can't replicate at all with MSG. And miso + a flavorful oil makes for a great quick dressing for vegetables.
Marmite and/or anchovies. Example: I put a couple anchovies into my ratatouille and no one ever notices. I ask if if they can detect the secret ingredient and they never can.
If you do the brown butter thing, make sure to use more butter or weigh it. You'll lose like 25% when you brown it. It can also throw off some recipes because that 25% lost is moisture.
Grains of paradise. It's a West African spice that was used in medieval European cooking but fell out of fashion in at least England and the US around the end of the 18th century.
It goes with other warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.
Gochujang is pretty awesome. I bought some for a recipe, but they only had large tubs. Turns out it's great to add some spiciness to chili, spaghetti sauce, soup, and multiple Asian style dishes.
Soy sauce, lime juice, extra garlic, mushroom powder, and unnecessary sprinkles of vinegar (not necessarily all together, but these are "touch up" ingredients)
Oh yes, very sour and a little goes a long way. Think adding lemon juice, but without adding the extra liquid. I have a little jar of it and I add it to sauces, soups, curries, etc. when it just needs a little extra zing!
I learned about it from Padma Lakshmi, who said she uses it as a "secret ingredient" so I gave it a try and I love it.
I have some umami tricks:. Worcestershire, mam noc (Vietnamese fish sauce), miso, mushroom powder everything but MSG which i actually dont mind but can tell sometimes when you do add it.
I add these to things like stew, soups, pasta sauce etc the fish sauce and miso you can't taste in small quantities.
Masa or masa harina. I add it to breading mixes for frying stuff, put it in roux or gravy, chili, cornbread. I'm obsessed with the flavor and what it can add to normal dishes.
Cumin brings out some great depth to so many dishes.
I've been tossing a little sichuan pepper into different dishes to see what it does, and gotten compliments on most of them. I think the different mouth feel makes people pause and appreciate the flavors. Just don't overdo it.
I switched to brown butter for chocolate chip cookies and I'll never go back. I also always use cake flour for any recipe that uses chemical leavening instead of yeast.
Lorann Butter Vanilla baking emulsion in addition to regular butter in cookies
Replacing salt with the appropriate base in savory dishes (ie chicken base, ham base, lobster base, beef base). It really increases the meat flavor. I don't think I'm explaining this very well lol.
There’s a seasoning that I buy from spice house called “Ukrainian village bell pepper blend” and it improves literally every dish. I have not yet found a dish that doesn’t get better when I add this stuff
Gochujang. Last forever in the fridge, and a great way to add heat and umami to a dish. Great flavour bomb. I like adding it to tomato based stews. Also nice in salad dressings.
Vegeta. A seasoning blend made in Croatia, available on Amazon. It goes on almost everything. They have a No-MSG version, skip that and get the regular one with MSG.
really good soy sauce. Not Kikkoman's. The good stuff. Has amazing depth of flavor. Good for lots of stuff other than chinese. Put it in stews, soup, red sauce, etc.
Not a secret ingredient but technique, brining. My mom insists on overcooking meat to make it tender. Brining does what she attempts to do without butchering tf out of the meat.
Lemon. And cooking wine, red or white, in almost every dish. And I always remember Salt-Fat-Acid-Sweet(or Heat, depending on flavor profile). Which of those does the dish need more of?
I find lately a bay leaf or 2 in alot of dishes really adds something extra. Can’t explain it. Transforms most meat dishes, stews, chili and Mexican Rice for sure.
I like subbing Cognac for red wine , a splash or two in stews , braises , or Tomato sauces is awesome. I also will always combine Chicken/Beef stock or broth whenever a recipe asks for only one if I’m using store brands .
My family has a seasoning we just call either “secret salt” or “chicken salt.” It’s a Mediterranean salt that’s just perfect on everything. Pasta, pork, chicken, etc. It’s my secret ingredient. My mom once called them and bought a pound in bulk. Now I just buy small bottles. Almost 15 years on, I’m still using it.
Enough salt and not overcooking the meat
Second one isn't it an ingredient, but people always think I'm some sort of wizard, but I just own a thermometer
Owning a thermometer and understanding that 165 isn't any safer just worse.
155 ganggg
Yeah actually understanding that getting a 7 log reduction in bacteria is a function of both temperature and time is critical. The USDA giving overly dumbed down guidance has made people worse cooks. You can safely do rare chicken with sous vide, if you wanted to.
Meat thermometers are extremely helpful
Game changer
Got an insta read thermometer recently and it’s definitely been a good investment
Game changer for me is baking checking for doneness with it.
Even using the toothpick method its either under or over done, temperature is way more consistent now
I find meats are much easier just to eyeball or go by texture without thermometer than baking.
Lol the thermometer thing is so real, people act like you're Gordon Ramsay when you just don't turn your chicken into leather
Dark soy sauce. You only need a small splash to turn gravy dark, and because it looks nicer it also tastes better.
Browning sauce is very similar. It adds some umami and depth with just a splash or 2. Makes gravy good.
Don’t forget to add soy sauce to soups and stews, Ceylon cinnamon too, it adds depth to flavor
My Thai cooking teacher swore that dark and sweet soy sauce were totally different. Finally got through the bottle of dark and couldn’t find it again, so bought a bottle of the sweet. Did a blind test and if there’s a difference, my tongue isn’t smart enough to detect it (Kwong Hung, the one with the dragonfly on the label).
Necessary for Thai basil chicken/pork.
Chicken buillon or lemon juice. Often both.
Putting chicken bouillon in your water for cooking pasta is the newest trick I’ve learned!
You can use the dry stuff as a seasoning as well, on chicken skin, for double chicken flavour.
I do this for more chicken per chicken
Also great with rice!
Powdered or better than bouillon?
Better than Bouillon is my go-to. It’s so versatile.
This is what I wanna know as well
Also works when your steaming veggies
Cooking potatoes too
People have asked me where I get such flavorful cuts of chicken when really I’m just rubbing it in better than bouillon and letting it sit for a while
Vegeta vegetable seasoning if you are vegetarian.
Cumin. Adds that earthy undertone to dishes. You really don't need much, it's about rounding out the flavor profile of the dish rather than adding cumin as a forward note.
meanwhile I'm constantly going "wtf is cumin doing in this dish" when it has no culinary reason to be in there. I believe you in that you're adding just a bit to add the undertone, but too many people over do it.
Cumin in hummus is chefs kiss
And In guacamole
Extra points if you crush the cumin seeds right before you use them. It's like a chef's kiss with maybe a little tongue...
Miso paste. Tons of umami in 1 tsp
I go for the cheaper more shelf stable solution and keep a bag of MSG sitting around the house.
I have yet to find how long miso paste can sit in my fridge. Seems like years.
I actually had a second thing of miso sit in my fridge for a year that I forgot about and took me another 6 months to use it up. Still tasted like good miso to me.
It's also not like miso's applications are limited to being just MSG either. Miso + butter or mayo is a fantastic spread or a base for a spread that you can't replicate at all with MSG. And miso + a flavorful oil makes for a great quick dressing for vegetables.
SAME
My secret technique is to just be drunk
Seriously, when im unenthusiastic about cooking or don't know what make, I make a drink and sit on my ass until I'm smarter.
Same but I'm also slowly wasting away in pain and misery
That's good for flavor development
lmao I make a mean 2 martini roux for gumbo.
cuz why does everything taste good when ur buzzed
Threw all sorts of shit at some chicken breasts in a pan, even vanilla flavoring, when drunk. Shit was fire.
Summer bbq vibes
My secret technique is to get my guests drunk then they think that whatever I serve them is amazing.
MSG
Fuiyooooh
Make shit good
Fish sauce
Had to scroll a bit to find this lol. Fish sauce is great. I recommend having two. A high end fish sauce like red boat and 3 crabs or squid
Worcestershire sauce is just English fish sauce.
Salting properly and adding a bit of acid. So many dishes benefit from a squeeze of lemon or a little good vinegar.
Toasted sesame oil on roasted veggies. Just adds something wonderful
Grilled or sautéd asparagus with sesame oil and topped with toasted seeds and some lemon is amazing.
Agreed. A little goes a looooong way though. Great with garlic and umeboshi brine or black vinegar.
MSG.
Get a shaker of MSG. Add at least a sprinkle to everything savory. Everything savory will be a little bit better.
Cardamom in cookies or pies
My ❤️
I had lemon cardamom ice cream once. I didn't think I would like it. I loved it.
A chai mix, with cardamom, is very nice in snickerdoodle cookies, carrot cake, rice pudding, sticky buns, etc.
Marmite and/or anchovies. Example: I put a couple anchovies into my ratatouille and no one ever notices. I ask if if they can detect the secret ingredient and they never can.
Came here to say anchovy paste in a tube! Input a squidge in anytime an umami boost is needed.
Onion powder. It gives an almost sweet but still savory taste to a dish.
I love onion and garlic powder, elite combo, you can never over do it on those two.
Fish sauce in anything savory
White miso in some things that are supposed to be sweet
I'll put cajun seasoning in just about anything
Tony Chachere’s?
Paprika
Smoked paprika for me. Especially when I cook for vegans.
A whole stick of butter
I knew someone who cooked their pop tarts in butter.
It’s me.
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and MSG.
I love Lawry's so much! No other seasoned salt I've tried compares.
Balsamic vinegar. If there’s a tomato even vaguely near a dish, I’m throwing some balsamic vinegar in.
Yes! Homemade tomato sauce is so much better with balsamic!
Dijon mustard.
If you do the brown butter thing, make sure to use more butter or weigh it. You'll lose like 25% when you brown it. It can also throw off some recipes because that 25% lost is moisture.
Thanks for the tip!
Espresso powder in any dessert involving chocolate. A small amount just gives the chocolate more depth.
Worcestershire
Grains of paradise. It's a West African spice that was used in medieval European cooking but fell out of fashion in at least England and the US around the end of the 18th century.
It goes with other warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.
Gochujang is pretty awesome. I bought some for a recipe, but they only had large tubs. Turns out it's great to add some spiciness to chili, spaghetti sauce, soup, and multiple Asian style dishes.
Soy sauce, lime juice, extra garlic, mushroom powder, and unnecessary sprinkles of vinegar (not necessarily all together, but these are "touch up" ingredients)
Dried peppers. I've got more kinds than I can remember.
Chorizo.
Doing any type of stew? Throw some diced chorizo in there.
Kitchen bouquet. I add it to homemade spaghetti meat sauce, deepens flavors and adds a rich color.
Amchur (dried green mango powder). It's great for adding acidity without adding extra liquid to a recipe.
Is it sour? I hear green mangos are
Oh yes, very sour and a little goes a long way. Think adding lemon juice, but without adding the extra liquid. I have a little jar of it and I add it to sauces, soups, curries, etc. when it just needs a little extra zing!
I learned about it from Padma Lakshmi, who said she uses it as a "secret ingredient" so I gave it a try and I love it.
Nutmeg. With anything with cheese.
I love a dash of nutmeg in mashed potatoes. It's how my dad always made them.
Asian 5 spice, I love the flavor it gives food.
Love and care. You can literally see and taste the difference between a person making a meal with passion and just making a meal because you have to.
Nutritional yeast
Smoked paprika
But have you tried boosting your brown butter by adding powdered milk when you're browning it? Like if you think brown butter is good...
On a related note, mine is butter or ghee. Feels almost obligatory to say MSG, though.
Love. Love is my secret ingredient.
I love that answer
Anchovy paste -- adds good umami flavor and doesn't really tasty fishy if you use the proper amount. I like to add it to tomato sauce and soups.
This middle eastern spice blend called baharat. Instant flavor goodness.
Nutritional yeast!
Nooooch!
Nutmeg - just adds a little something that tastes good but people don’t always recognize
I have some umami tricks:. Worcestershire, mam noc (Vietnamese fish sauce), miso, mushroom powder everything but MSG which i actually dont mind but can tell sometimes when you do add it. I add these to things like stew, soups, pasta sauce etc the fish sauce and miso you can't taste in small quantities.
Cloves are underappropriated
I have two (sometimes combined): coconut aminos, a dash of ketchup
Subbing chicken bouillon for salt in savory dishes! Easy extra flavor. I also keep a mixture of salt and msg as a “finisher”
Slap Ya Mama.
Almond extract
cheap answer is celery salt, real answer depends on the profile but hoisin or kewpie mayo can do a lot to make sauces soups and gravies more complex
Love
MSG!! Make Shit Good!
MSG. The Cocaine of cooking.
Masa or masa harina. I add it to breading mixes for frying stuff, put it in roux or gravy, chili, cornbread. I'm obsessed with the flavor and what it can add to normal dishes.
Tony’s
Freshly grated nutmeg
I’m a cinnamon over nutmeg girly
I have five: Soy sauce. Lemon zest and juice. Fish sauce. Sriracha. Chicken crack (granules from the Asian market.)
Anchovy paste for umami. A bit of garam masala in dishes with an earthy flavor profile.
Vinegar
Cumin brings out some great depth to so many dishes.
I've been tossing a little sichuan pepper into different dishes to see what it does, and gotten compliments on most of them. I think the different mouth feel makes people pause and appreciate the flavors. Just don't overdo it.
I switched to brown butter for chocolate chip cookies and I'll never go back. I also always use cake flour for any recipe that uses chemical leavening instead of yeast.
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies are heavenly
Sriracha
Sriracha
Some sort of fish sauce, either the Italian version or the Asian version. Needless to say obviously I don't do this when cooking for vegetarians
Ground coriander, it’s my secret ingredient in chicken soups. It adds richness and body.
We just got some but my wife hates the smell of Licorice. Does that affect the food taste as well?
Curry powder for soups or stews you wouldn’t normally think to add it to, it fixes that “something’s missing” issue.
Grains of paradise for apple pies.
Fenugreek powder and seeds adds a meaty taste to things.
Red curry paste in soups. Just a small amount . Not enough to be the main flavour
Country Sweet is a regional sauce that makes almost ANY non-dairy sauce bangin
Yuzu Kosho in non-Japanese cuisine like salsa verde or chimichurri. Least favorite secret ingredient is chicken stock followed by soy sauce.
fish sauce in almost anything savory. just enough to bump up the flavor, not so much that you can actually taste the fish.
Cumin. Love the stuff. Its great for adding just a touch of spice to things
Raisins in meatballs
Salt. Both in the making of a dish and often with flake salt to finish.
Cook the mushrooms longer, I thought it detested mushrooms but nah i just hate poorly cleaned and undercooked mushrooms
Maggi seasoning (the original)
Ground mushrooms / mushroom powder
They both add so much umami, depth. And complexity that goes well with many savory dishes.
Also: bacon grease
Lorann Butter Vanilla baking emulsion in addition to regular butter in cookies
Replacing salt with the appropriate base in savory dishes (ie chicken base, ham base, lobster base, beef base). It really increases the meat flavor. I don't think I'm explaining this very well lol.
Beer. It doesn't work for everything, but it really elevates some dishes
Anything that brings out the umami. MSG, mushroom powder, fish sauce, anchovy paste etc
Haven't seen this mentioned yet... pickle juice! My favorite way to add acidity to salad dressing or soups.
Dried mushrooms. Grind it into a powder and add to dishes.
Smoked paprika and a dash of nutmeg 🤌🏻
Rosemary
There’s a seasoning that I buy from spice house called “Ukrainian village bell pepper blend” and it improves literally every dish. I have not yet found a dish that doesn’t get better when I add this stuff
Gochujang. Last forever in the fridge, and a great way to add heat and umami to a dish. Great flavour bomb. I like adding it to tomato based stews. Also nice in salad dressings.
dried mushrooms in anything soup-ish or involving broth/stock
Butter makes most things better
I'll add fish sauce to any sauce or stew that I'm cooking.
Nutmeg
A tablespoon of vinegar- what you like best - in soups and stews. Does not make them more sour but adds depth and richness.
Mushroom granules/powder
Green cardamon - banana bread, spiced cakes, baked goods in in general.
Jaggery - basically the rawest sugar you can get. Also used for baked goods.
Citric acid powder.
Almond extract enhances about 20% of all fave recipes. Go check it out. Subtle tho. A drop or two.
Wine
Mayo in my mashed potatoes and chicken stock in everything else.
Vegeta. A seasoning blend made in Croatia, available on Amazon. It goes on almost everything. They have a No-MSG version, skip that and get the regular one with MSG.
Mushroom powder for easy umami. Also, anchovy paste for chicken dishes.
Hot sauce. It is amazing how just a little hot sauce can totally improve the flavor of so many things without tasting “hot”.
vanilla and honey in my pancake and waffle batters.
tiny sprinkle of salt in my coffee.
ground sage in my chicken fry batter.
Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Fish sauce when cooking meats.
Some acid in everything! Lemon juice, vinegar, wine, buttermilk. Makes anything better.
A dollop of cottage cheese at the bottom of a bowl of pasta, whatever sauce don’t matter. It’s an unexpected creamy delight.
Lee Kum Kee Chicken Bouillon Powder. Serious game changer. Also, oyster sauce in fried rice.
Pickled jalepeno juice
really good soy sauce. Not Kikkoman's. The good stuff. Has amazing depth of flavor. Good for lots of stuff other than chinese. Put it in stews, soup, red sauce, etc.
we use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VGBWQJW?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1
Not a secret ingredient but technique, brining. My mom insists on overcooking meat to make it tender. Brining does what she attempts to do without butchering tf out of the meat.
Asafoetida powder fried in hot oil, it elevates garlicky dishes and veg dishes perfectly
My secret ingredient stuffing is just stove top.
Vinegar or citrus. When something tastes like it's missing something, and it's properly seasoned with salt, it usually needs some acid.
Lemon. And cooking wine, red or white, in almost every dish. And I always remember Salt-Fat-Acid-Sweet(or Heat, depending on flavor profile). Which of those does the dish need more of?
Lately....lemon zest. But I am also firmly team anchovy.
I find lately a bay leaf or 2 in alot of dishes really adds something extra. Can’t explain it. Transforms most meat dishes, stews, chili and Mexican Rice for sure.
Wine.
Cayenne pepper, like 2 quick fine shakes, makes almost any savory dish amazing without adding extra spice.
Surprised this isn't upvoted more and/or mentioned more often. 1 dash on anything savory gives it flavor without any noticeable heat.
Fish sauce
Asian chicken bullion powder
Kashmiri chili powder
I like subbing Cognac for red wine , a splash or two in stews , braises , or Tomato sauces is awesome. I also will always combine Chicken/Beef stock or broth whenever a recipe asks for only one if I’m using store brands .
I don’t believe in secret ingredients .I believe in quality ingredients and layering flavors.
Tarragon, in many things- scrambled eggs, boiled carrots, salads 🥗, etc
Add brown sugar to chili, about 1/4 cup to a pot.
MSG
Tiny pinch of MSG or a bouillon cube or powder. Not Better Than Bullion, the kinds that have MSG.
Penzey's Resist or Florida pepper blends depending on the dish.
A bit of all spice in baked goods for a spice mix.
My family has a seasoning we just call either “secret salt” or “chicken salt.” It’s a Mediterranean salt that’s just perfect on everything. Pasta, pork, chicken, etc. It’s my secret ingredient. My mom once called them and bought a pound in bulk. Now I just buy small bottles. Almost 15 years on, I’m still using it.
MSG. In anything savoury
Any acid. MSG.
Properly salted pasta water.
Using quality soy sauce over grocery store or kikkoman.
Enough salt
In a stew, a little acid at the end like lemon juice, sherry vinegar etc.
For meat, a little coriander.
For spice desserts, cardamom.
For anything with butter, salted butter.
Fish sauce
Nutritional yeast or marmite. Makes things more rich and savory.
Love
The Mexican chicken base with msg, it makes everything amazing. caldo con sabor a pollo