From reheating rice to scrambled egg prep, a food expert reveals the 13 common kitchen myths to ignore

How romantic it is to think of recipes being passed down from generation to generation. Of grandmothers handing down their nuggets of cookery wisdom like family heirlooms so that kitchens can be filled with comfort and familiarity.

But, the truth is, when I flick through my mother’s hand-written recipe book – full of gems gleaned from great-aunts, and scraps torn from the magazines of her youth – most of the recipes call for pounds and ounces and are full of ingredients like margarine and curd cheese. Which just isn’t how we cook today.

What made sense in post-war Britain doesn’t necessarily hold true in this age of fan-assisted ovens, modern cheffing and ingredient abundance. And so many of the tips and tricks that we have inherited and take as gospel, no longer make sense.

Perhaps it’s time to separate the fact from the fiction…

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The 13 biggest cooking myths

‘Seasoning’ means adding salt and pepper

Somehow, we’ve come to believe that seasoning begins and ends with salt and pepper. Salt, yes, is essential. It has the power to make or break a dish. But pepper? Not so much. While it has its place, there are far exciting ways to bring food to life. Salt paired with lemon juice, for instance, can brighten and sharpen flavours beautifully. Or step outside the UK and you’ll find a world of vibrant seasonings: ground spices like cumin or paprika, sesame oil, chilli flakes, or spice mixes such as za’atar and chaat masala.

You must always preheat the oven

Do I always preheat my oven? Honestly, no. It very much depends on what I am cooking (and how much of a hurry I am in). The one exception is baking, when precision matters. And I will also preheat it for a roast beef, when I want it perfectly medium-rare. But for a slow-cook roast, traybake, a tin of caramlised veg or anything else, it’s straight in. Bear in mind that modern fan-assisted ovens heat up quickly and efficiently, so they usually only need 8-9 minutes to get to temperature.

Rice should never be reheated

Okay, let’s put this to bed once and for all: youcanreheat rice safely. The problem isn’t the reheating, it’s how the rice is stored. It needs to be cooled quickly after cooking and refrigerated, ideally within the hour. Leaving rice at room temperature for too long can allow certain bacteria (notably bacillus cereus) to multiply, and reheating won’t kill them. So, to recap: cool fast, chill promptly and reheat to piping hot – and you shouldn’t have any problems.

You should add salt to boiling water for pasta and vegetables

You’ve probably heard the saying that pasta water should be ‘as salty as the sea’. I think that’s probably a waste of salt, but it is worth adding a hefty pinch to the cooking water, ideally once it has come to the boil. The theory here is that it lightly seasons the pasta as it cooks, plus it’s handy if you’re planning to use some of the starchy pasta water to emulsify the sauce later. As for vegetables, I think adding a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt after cooking is probably a far effective way of seasoning.

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Don’t salt meat and fish before cooking

There was a school of thought that said salting meat ahead of cooking would draw out moisture and make it dry. Times have changed, and most chefs agree it actually improves flavour and texture by allowing the salt time to fully penetrate the meat, plus any moisture that is initially drawn will be reabsorbed. How long to salt for? Consider the thickness and fattiness of the meat. A joint of beef or a whole chicken benefits from salting a day in advance, but a lean steak might only need an hour. For fish fillets, I have always been advised that salted and out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking is ideal for flavour and to firm up the flesh.

A great cook requires lots of kitchen equipment

Quite the opposite. Despite the clutter in my drawers, I rely on just a few essentials: a wooden spoon, spatula, grater (Microplane, ideally), measuring spoons, a sieve and digital scales. As for knives, you do not need a full set.

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One good-quality 18cm or 20cm chef’s knife, a smaller serrated knife and a sharp bread knife will cover almost every job. And remember: less equipment means less washing up.

Always add milk for fluffy scrambled eggs

One of the first things you learn at culinary school is not to add anything to your scrambled eggs. Milk or cream just makes them watery. All you need is a small saucepan, a knob of butter, a low heat and a wooden spoon.

Sausages need pricking before cooking

This harks back to World War I, when sausages were nicknamed ‘bangers’ because they’d burst open when cooked at a high heat. Meat shortages had led butchers to make their sausages with a much higher water content than usual, but thankfully, it’s not a problem today. Especially if you’re buying good-quality ones (always aim for 85% meat content).

The hottest part of the chilli is the seeds

Actually it’s not; it’s the white pith that holds the seeds, as this is where the capsaicin is most concentrated. That said, I am forever confused by the chillies that you buy in supermarkets. Sometimes they’re as cool as a red pepper, sometimes they blow your head off. The only reliable way to know is to taste a tiny piece before cooking. Then you can decide whether you want to add the pith too!

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Frozen food is inferior to fresh

Flash freezing revolutionised how we eat. (Side note: Clarence Birdseye, of fish finger fame, pioneered the modern frozen food industry in the 1920s.) In terms of nutrition, flash-frozen foods are generally considered to be just as nutritious as fresh. Sometimes, even, it is claimed that they are better, as they are preserved at peak ripeness. What can be sacrificed, however, is texture. When water freezes, it expands and so the structure of food can change on thawing. Certain fruits and veg handle this better than others. Peas, for example, fare well, but frozen berries or delicate fish fillets can end up a little mushy after defrosting.

Always peel root vegetables

Not necessary. Unless the skin is really gnarly (celeriac) or very thick (certain types of squash), a good scrub is all they need. The skin is where much of the fibre resides, so that’s a good reason to leave it on too.

Homemade is always best

Homemade isusuallybest, but not always. Yes, it’s brilliant to make things from scratch if you have the time – pestos, soups and salad dressings are easy wins that will always taste better homemade. But we’re not all trad wives, and foods like puff pastry, tomato ketchup, sourdough bread and curry pastes are labour-intensive to prepare from scratch with some excellent shop-bought options out there.

Stock cubes are a handy store cupboard ingredient

Stock cubes can be useful, but not all are created equal. Always check the ingredients list because many are packed with salt, starch, palm oils and flavour enhancers. Wherever possible, opt for a fresh stock or bone broth, which are now much widely available. You do pay for them, but they taste infinitely better and are much better for you.

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70% chocolate is the best for baking

Save the expensive stuff for eating. For baking, dark chocolate with 50-60% cocoa solids is fine. It’s usually slightly sweeter, so often you can add a touch less sugar too.