21 Ways to Cook Faster (AKA the Closest I'll Ever Get to "Bittman's Kitchen Hacks")

I’ve never really thought of myself as a “kitchen hacks” type of person. If the fastest way to peel a potato is with a can opener, or you can use a laptop as a panini press, I’d probably be the last to know. That said, the cooking I do from day to day is actually filled with all sorts of shortcuts and strategies that have developed naturally over the years. None of these things are earth-shattering or even particularly intentional; they’re just the kinds of habits that form as you get smarter and better and more experienced as a cook.

I wrote about a handful of these “techniques” a few years ago in How to Cook Everything Fast, and they (along with some others that I’ve added along the way) are streamlined and compiled into the list below. Some of the tips are pure common sense, others are less obvious; but all of them can help make your time in the kitchen a little more efficient and enjoyable. In the spirit of speed, I’ll keep this short. Check out the list, see which strategies appeal, and if you have any other “hacks” that you swear by that I likely know nothing about, send them my way.

— Mark

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Whether you call these kitchen hacks, strategies, tips, tricks, techniques or anything else, weaving some common sense shortcuts into your day-to-day cooking will improve your quality of life in the kitchen.

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Talk To Me, Goose!

Questions, comments, brilliant suggestions? Just want to share the recipe for your grandma's potato salad, or your mom's meatloaf, or your uncle Drew's three-day 100-percent rye loaf (yes, please)? Don't hesitate to reach out anytime.

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