Real CookingCooking, explained

A cook's course in nine parts

How to Cook

A nine-part course in the techniques that hold a kitchen together, from stock to sauces.

Start at Part 1 Browse recipes

The nine parts

Each part builds on the last, but every chapter also stands on its own.

A pot of golden homemade chicken stock with aromatics Part 1 Stocks & Soups Stock and mirepoix — the plain, patient foundations everything else is built on. Braised chicken in a glossy pan sauce Part 2 Braising Great soup starts with a properly sweated aromatic base. Here's how to build one. Bright green boiled broccoli florets Part 3 Boiling & Steaming Low, slow, and forgiving: turning tough, cheap cuts into something silky. Roasted chicken thighs with crisp, golden skin Part 4 Roasting & Baking The plainest way to cook a vegetable — boiled, steamed, and done well. A golden pan-seared chicken breast, seared and rested Part 5 Pan-Frying Dry heat, browning, and gratins: roasting is the opposite of braising. Golden sautéed potatoes with herbs in a skillet Part 6 Sautéing Fast, direct, hands-on cooking in a hot pan, from cutlets to fish. A jar of emulsified vinaigrette with a whisk Part 7 Salads & Vinaigrettes Small pieces, high heat, and constant motion in the skillet. A silky, emulsified beurre monté being whisked Part 8 Sauces Cold sauces, crisp greens, and a vinaigrette you'll use forever.

Featured recipes

Dishes with a picture to cook toward. Type to filter.

Sliced pan-seared steak topped with fresh green chimichurri Chimichurri Steak Pan-Frying Sliced pan-seared duck breast with crisp skin, served with a glossy plum sauce Duck with Plum Sauce Pan-Frying A pan-seared swordfish steak napped with a vivid roasted red pepper butter sauce Pan-Seared Swordfish with Red Pepper Sauce Pan-Frying Sausage gravy over biscuits in a skillet Sausage Gravy Sauces Pan-seared steak served with a creamy peppercorn sauce au poivre Steak au Poivre Pan-Frying Pan-seared steak napped with a dark red wine sauce bordelaise Steak Bordelaise Pan-Frying A pot of golden homemade chicken stock with aromatics Chicken Stock Stocks & Soups A deep, rich beef stock simmering with roasted bones Beef Stock Stocks & Soups A clear, gently simmering pork stock with aromatics Pork Stock Stocks & Soups French onion soup topped with melted, bubbling cheese over a crouton French Onion Soup Stocks & Soups A hearty bowl of ham and beans Ham and Beans Stocks & Soups A creamy potato soup topped with melting cheddar and chives Creamy Potato Soup with Cheddar and Chives Stocks & Soups A bowl of pork ramen with noodles, broth, and toppings Pork Ramen Stocks & Soups A bowl of chicken ramen with noodles and soft egg Chicken Ramen Stocks & Soups A dark, rich gumbo served over rice Gumbo Stocks & Soups Braised chicken in a glossy pan sauce Braised Chicken Braising Fork-tender braised beef in a rich sauce Braised Beef Braising Braised pork, tender and glazed in its own juices Braised Pork Braising Beef burgundy braised with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions in a Dutch oven Beef Burgundy Braising Shredded beef ragu spooned over pappardelle Beef Ragu Braising Chicken pot pie with a golden crust and a creamy chicken-and-vegetable filling Chicken Pot Pie Braising Shepherd's pie with a fork-ridged, browned mashed potato topping Shepherd's Pie Braising Braised chicken thighs surrounded by dozens of soft, golden garlic cloves 40 Clove Chicken Braising Crispy, golden carnitas with tender shredded pork Carnitas Braising Saucy BBQ pulled pork piled high BBQ Pulled Pork Braising A rustic cassoulet with sausage and beans Cassoulet Braising Bright green boiled broccoli florets Boiled Broccoli Boiling & Steaming Tender boiled asparagus spears Boiled Asparagus Boiling & Steaming Glossy butter-glazed carrots Glazed Carrots Boiling & Steaming Boiled potatoes tossed with parsley and butter Boiled Potatoes with Parsley Butter Boiling & Steaming Silky, buttery pommes purée Pommes Purée Boiling & Steaming A bowl of fluffy steamed white rice Perfect Steamed White Rice Boiling & Steaming Glossy Japanese short-grain steamed rice Japanese Steamed Rice Boiling & Steaming Creamy risotto finished with cheese Risotto Boiling & Steaming Fluffy rice pilaf with toasted grains Rice Pilaf Boiling & Steaming Roasted chicken thighs with crisp, golden skin Roasted Chicken Thighs Roasting & Baking Roasted chicken wings tossed in glossy buffalo hot sauce Pan-Roasted Hot Wings Roasting & Baking Sticky, caramelized teriyaki-glazed chicken wings Pan-Roasted Teriyaki Wings Roasting & Baking Sliced roasted pork tenderloin, juicy inside Roasted Pork Tenderloin Roasting & Baking Crispy golden roasted potatoes with herbs Roasted Potatoes Roasting & Baking Roasted ratatouille, glossy with olive oil and herbs Roasted Ratatouille Roasting & Baking Bubbling, golden cauliflower gratin Cauliflower Gratin Roasting & Baking Layered potatoes au gratin with a golden cheese crust Potatoes au Gratin Roasting & Baking Baked potatoes with crisp skin and fluffy interior Baked Potatoes Roasting & Baking Twice-baked potatoes, crisp on top and fluffy inside Twice-Baked Potatoes Roasting & Baking Creamy baked macaroni and cheese Mac and Cheese Roasting & Baking A finished Croque Monsieur with golden, bubbling cheese on top Croque Monsieur Roasting & Baking Baked lasagna, golden and bubbling in the dish Lasagna Roasting & Baking Spaghetti and meatballs in tomato sauce Spaghetti and Meatballs Roasting & Baking A golden pan-seared chicken breast, seared and rested Pan-Seared Chicken Breast Pan-Frying Sliced golden panko-crusted chicken katsu with cabbage Chicken Katsu Pan-Frying Chicken Parmesan topped with marinara, mozzarella, and basil Chicken Parmesan Pan-Frying A seared, golden pan-seared pork chop with pan juices Pan-Seared Pork Chop Pan-Frying A Southern fried pork chop smothered in white pepper gravy Southern Fried Pork Chop with Gravy Pan-Frying A pan-seared steak, seared and rested Pan-Seared Steak Pan-Frying Sliced pan-seared duck breast, rosy inside with crisp skin Pan-Seared Duck Breast Pan-Frying A pan-seared salmon fillet with crispy skin Pan-Seared Salmon Pan-Frying A pan-seared swordfish steak with a lemon wedge Pan-Seared Swordfish Pan-Frying A golden pan-seared cod fillet, flaky inside Pan-Seared Cod Pan-Frying A golden, crispy Swiss rösti potato cake Rösti Pan-Frying Golden sautéed potatoes with herbs in a skillet Sautéed Potatoes Sautéing A sliced sautéed chicken breast with a light pan sauce Sautéed Chicken Breast Sautéing Stir-fried ginger scallion chicken Ginger Scallion Chicken Sautéing Chili garlic chicken tossed in a glossy red sauce Chili Garlic Chicken Sautéing Beef stroganoff with mushrooms in a creamy sauce over egg noodles Beef Stroganoff Sautéing A jar of emulsified vinaigrette with a whisk Vinaigrette Salads & Vinaigrettes A simple bistro salad dressed in vinaigrette Simple Bistro Salad Salads & Vinaigrettes A salad of greens, apple slices, blue cheese, and walnuts Blue Cheese and Apple Salad Salads & Vinaigrettes Warm potato salad tossed with fresh dill, chives, and crispy shallots Potato Salad Salads & Vinaigrettes Sliced steak topped with fresh green chimichurri Chimichurri Salads & Vinaigrettes A silky, emulsified beurre monté being whisked Beurre Monté Sauces A bowl of vivid orange-red buffalo hot wing sauce Hot Wing Sauce Sauces A glossy port and red wine vinegar reduction sauce Port Reduction Sauce Sauces A creamy black-pepper sauce au poivre Sauce au Poivre Sauces A creamy whole-grain mustard sauce Mustard Sauce Sauces A dark, glossy red wine sauce bordelaise in a pan Sauce Bordelaise Sauces A glossy Marsala and mushroom sauce in a skillet Sauce Marsala Sauces A dark, glossy Japanese tare sauce in a bowl Tare Sauces A glossy dark teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds Teriyaki Sauce Sauces A glossy reddish-brown plum dipping sauce Plum Sauce Sauces A thick, glossy barbecue sauce with a brush Barbecue Sauce Sauces A smooth, finished béchamel sauce Béchamel Sauces A velouté sauce built on stock instead of milk Velouté Sauces A ladle of creamy, pepper-flecked country gravy Country Gravy Sauces A smooth, glossy cheddar cheese sauce Cheese Sauce Sauces

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