30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them

Every one of us has cooked food at least a few times during our lives. And it doesn’t matter if your cooking was just making ramen from a store-bought pack or making a complicated meal from scratch. It’s still cooking in some capacity.

And a lot of us have committed some cooking sins. Some of us even did it knowingly. Recently, Reddit users in a thread on the community r/Cooking shared what cooking sins they commit knowingly and shamelessly. Let’s take a look.

More info: Reddit

This post may include affiliate links.

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I break my spaghetti in half like a mf champion and never regretted doing so

punica_granatum_ , Karolina Kołodziejczak Report

Final score:

181points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago (edited)

At home, not a sin, personal preference. In a professional kitchen, definitely a sin. Would ruin the integrity of the plating, appearance, what you're advertising on the menu and the dish in general.

43points

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I let my meat defrost on the counter, and if I pay enough attention I´'ll put it in the fridge when its defrosted, but sometimes I totally forget about it and it comes to room temp. My family is still alive.

Lentilfairy , Victoria Shes Report

Final score:

159points

POST

Annik Perrot 1 year ago

I always leave my meat on the counter for a while, so it's room temperature when I put it in the pan. If the meat is too cold it may ooze and boil. Yuck!

13points

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I scrape the bowl like I’m held at gunpoint. Those heathens on Food Network and their half a**ed wasteful scraping make my blood boil. I’m sorry we can’t all live in the Hamptons and be so rushed that we throw away half the brownie batter Ina, you selfish b+<£.

HouseMouseMidWest , Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu Report

Final score:

156points

POST

arthbach 1 year ago

My husband and children complained when I bought a new spatula. It cleaned the baking bowls TOO well, and they weren't getting any of the uncooked mixture. (I live in a place where this is safe for non-immunocompromised people to eat).

68points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I make, and eat, raw cookie dough. With eggs. Best treat. Never been sick

CoffeeKween19 , Pam Menegakis Report

Final score:

145points

POST

Firefly1617 1 year ago

The flour is more likely to make you sick than the eggs, I think, but still a pretty low likelihood

41points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I use salted butter and don't add salt in baking recipes. My desserts/baked goods always end up perfectly, slightly salted.

BrewskiBehb , Monserrat Soldú Report

Final score:

133points

POST

Annik Perrot 1 year ago

I always use salted butter, too. But then, I'm part Breton, and for Bretons, there is no other butter ;-))

6points

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I'll put ketchup on hotdogs and brats. I don't care what others think. I like it.

IHaveTouretts , mali maeder Report

Final score:

119points

POST

Donkey boi 1 year ago (edited)

For me, it depends on the sausage quality. High quality = no condiments. Low quality = Nose melting amounts Colemans English Mustard.

30points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them Using a teaspoon to scoop out some spices, then putting it back into the drawer because it was spotless.

cuteblackcat_AIM , Alex Moliski Report

Final score:

119points

POST

Donkey boi 1 year ago

... after a wipe with clean tea towel...

84points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I rinse my mushrooms. Ain't nobody got time for carefully wiping off the soil.

dopadelic , Pixabay Report

Final score:

112points

POST

Id row 1 year ago

I thoroughly rub off the soil under running water.

33points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I do a lot of ribs in my smoker, and I usually do 'em until they fall off the bone. Spare me all the mumbo jumbo about how the 3-2-1 method is c**p, or that "fall off the bone" ribs are overcooked, that's how my wife likes them, I don't mind them tender like that either, and that's just the way I'm doing them, if you don't like it, buy your own smoker.

ywgflyer , Julia Filirovska Report

Final score:

109points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

No sin here. Fall off the bone is what you should always aim for when it comes to ribs. You should never have to tear at a rib to get the meat off. That's undercooked and obnoxious.

66points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#10

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I cook with butter more than oils. It tastes better. Not as healthy, but it’s worth it to me!

MP2382 , Paolo Botio Report

Final score:

108points

POST

Austin L 1 year ago

You can take it a step further if you cook it down into ghee: excellent flavor, higher smoke point, and longer shelf life.

32points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#11

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I don’t dice onions the proper way (keeping the root end attached). I cut off both ends, slice one way, then the other. I know it’s supposedly easier, but I don’t like doing it that way.

-make-it-so- , mali maeder Report

Final score:

102points

POST

Zedrapazia 1 year ago

Ah, you're supposed to leave the butt of the onion on when slicing it, that explains a lot! I just cut off both ends, then did as it was supposed to be done with the butt and wondered why anyone considered this more practical.

14points

View more comments

#12

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I use my chef’s knife for everything. All my other knives are just there to look pretty.

pitfall1984 , Kevin Doran Report

Final score:

101points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

Not a sin, pretty common practice, especially with home cooks. I'm a career chef so I do have a serrated, boning, pairing, Japanese santoku for split cuts, slicer, etc. but my chef's knife is definitely what I use the most.

29points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#13

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them My chef mother taught me NEVER to cut lettuce, only to rip. Ripping the lettuce and then rinsing/washing was my job every night before dinner, and I loathed it. Now, I only cut my lettuce with a knife, I refuse to rip it lol

ServiceFinal952 , Jonathan Borba Report

Final score:

94points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

I'd have to go against mama on that one, too. Ripping lettuce by hand can damage and bruise the leaf and would look like s**t on any professional plate. Kale is the one exception I'd make as massaging and breaking it down by hand is beneficial. Other than that, no, use your knife and soak/wash it in ice water.

18points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#14

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them My cast iron is seasoned properly so it gets a quick hand wash with soap and rinsed and then dried completely. It will get touch up seasoning when needed. The hysteria is so unnecessary.

knaimoli619 , Klaus Nielsen Report

Final score:

94points

POST

Auntriarch 1 year ago (edited)

I'm a bad person. I use non stick pans. My wrists just won't take cast iron any more. Unfortunately nobody now wants my pans

37points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#15

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I sometime use store bought chicken stock or bouillon cubes.

I know! I'm sorry!! It's just... sometimes my stuff is still frozen!!

RecipesAndDiving , Akshay Chauhan Report

Final score:

86points

POST

SerumSeven 1 year ago

Better Than Bouillon is a lifesaver.

78points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#16

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them To actually answer the question rather than dragging OP, I don't care about making sure everything I'm chopping is the same size. Who the hell cares. I'm only cooking for my household, and it's not like I'm hacking food apart like an animal, so everything still cooks in roughly the same amount of time.

I also overcook pasta a little. I don't like it al dente.

d4n4scu11y__ , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

85points

POST

Chez2202 1 year ago

No doubt about it, you should never chop all your veggies to the same size. I like to make vegetable lasagna and if I sliced carrots to the same size as peppers or courgette I would have a filling of mush with crunchy slices of carrot.

12points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#17

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them Sometimes, I salt the water *before* it is boiling.

Whatiatefordinner , Yan Krukau Report

Final score:

73points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

It technically doesn't matter when you add the salt when it comes to seasoning water for boiling pasta, etc. The water temperature doesn't change the salt content or make it dissolve any sooner or later, as long as it's done before adding the food.

32points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#18

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them When I bake I don't weigh anything, and just scoop up the flour in the measuring cup. I know it packs down, but whatever. My cookies always come out great anyway.

Square-Ad-464 , Ron Lach Report

Final score:

72points

POST

Donkey boi 1 year ago

My mam does this and there seriously isn't a better baker in the county. She's an artist that's been doing it for so long she can see the weight, whether it 0.5g or 25kg.

12points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#19

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I don't do "mise en place"

It's more like a mess in place, but as long as the food turns out good, I'm okay with that lol

Gikie , Rudy Issa Report

Final score:

71points

POST

Rachel R 1 year ago

I'm somewhere in the middle. I'll often get all my chopping done before I start, but no way am I dirtying an individual dish for every ingredient and spice

9points

View more comments

#20

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them Using dry measuring cups for liquids.

Noninvasive_ , Los Muertos Crew Report

Final score:

68points

POST

Lil Miss Hobbit 1 year ago

Wait...there are people who use the proper ones? Haha, I just use the same measuring cups for the whole recipe.

54points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#21

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I don't curl my fingers when cutting things. I've been cooking for 50 years and have only cut myself a few times and usually not when slicing. I feel I get a better grip not curling.

00Lisa00 , Kristina Snowasp Report

Final score:

66points

POST

Chez2202 1 year ago

I’ve sliced through the occasional finger nail when chopping things but my fingers have remained intact. Washing glasses is a different matter. More than once I’ve had a glass break whilst washing it and my knuckle has some pretty amazing scars. They look like my initials!

18points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#22

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I remove shrimp tails before cooking. Apparently you’re not supposed to but the tails are disgusting

Gold_Attorney_925 , Elle Hughes Report

Final score:

62points

POST

Vinny DaPooh 1 year ago

Who wants to have to remove the tails from your cooked seasoned food? Shrimp boil? Yes. Any other meal? No.

12points

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#23

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them 🫣 You can cook rice on the stovetop just like you would in a rice cooker. No need to do it pasta style lol. You'd just need to adjust the water to rice ratio and let it go.

I don't taste as I cook. I just season with my eyes.

evelinisantini , VD Photography Report

Final score:

54points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

You can most certainly cook rice on the stove top but the water to rice ratio doesn't change and I'd never cook it "pasta style", that doesn't work.

24points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#24

I made homemade jambalaya a bunch of times until I really had it down, then decided that except for special occasions, it's generally not worth the effort to make from scratch. So these days I'm back to starting from a box of Zataran's and doctoring it up.

edubkendo Report

Final score:

54points

POST

Xenon 1 year ago

Zataran's is good stuff.

31points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#25

My secret ingredient is msg.

rubitbasteitsmokeit Report

Final score:

50points

POST

buttons 1 year ago

Uncle Roger?

34points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#26

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them Unless it’s going to stay in a dish uncooked, I rarely bother with fresh garlic these days. It’s good enough for weeknight cooking when I mostly just want to make something fast but decent. I chop and freeze onions and buy canned beans for the same reason.

I take a lot of shortcuts like that due to health issues, honestly. Reducing the number of steps until done is helpful in getting myself to actually cook.

Alaylaria , Cats Coming Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Mabelbabel 1 year ago

We eat a lot of garlic in our house-I make a batch of garlic puree for convenience (3 bulbs of garlic, peel the cloves, put in a mini blender, add a bit of oil-I use rice bran-blend until porridgy). It only takes a few minutes and keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It tastes smoother and less harsh this way.

14points

View More Replies...

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#27

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I overcook my eggs, eggs over-hard and scrambled over high heat until they are rubber. It’s probably mostly just because that’s how my mom prepared them and it’s nostalgia. I know how to properly cook an egg and that they are supposed to be at least somewhat runny. I will also never cook them that way.

The-Gah , Megha Mangal Report

Final score:

49points

POST

Sami-Jo Ross 1 year ago

I cannot stomach a runny egg. I *will* blow chunks.

64points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#28

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I use a garlic press. Sorry, not sorry.

Key_Piccolo_2187 , Eva Bronzini Report

Final score:

48points

POST

Fat Harry 1 year ago

I used to... then I realised it was such a pain to wash up that it's easier just to crush with the flat of the knife and finely chop it.

7points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#29

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I'll keep bread in the refrigerator. Especially for grilled cheese where it'll be reheated in butter anyway.

thephillee , solod_sha solod_sha Report

Final score:

48points

POST

Sera 1 year ago

I freeze mine. I'm going to make toast with it anyway so it doesn't much matter.

37points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#30

I crowd the pan 🤷🏾‍♀️

QueenKeen714 Report

Final score:

42points

POST

Leesa DeAndrea 1 year ago

I was watching someone pan fry fish in a video on YouTube. Before they started, they warned viewers not to crowd the pan. Then proceeded to jam all the fish pieces into the pan. Even cut one piece in half in order to fit it in!

4points

View more comments

Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium

Unlimited content

Ad-free browsing

Dark mode

#31

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I crowd the pan with mushrooms. I know they taste better if you cook them in batches and let them really brown, but who has time for that?

I also don’t rinse my rice. I usually cook jasmine though and I’ve heard it’s less starchy and you might not need to….but idk if that’s true.

Hummingbird021 , Mateusz Feliksik Report

Final score:

16points

POST

Mabelbabel 1 year ago

I only rinse long grain rice if I'm doing over-night rice for stir-fry. If its going to be eaten immediately after cooking, I don't bother with rinsing.

3points

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#32

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I put pots, pans, and ovenware in the dishwasher.

Also, I don't normally wash my cutting board if I just cut veggies on it. I just wipe it off with a towel.

unofficialsubscriber , RDNE Stock project Report

Final score:

16points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

Vegetables can still be dirty with soil, pesticides and other bacteria. Wash the damn cutting board, that's just lazy.

14points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#33

As someone who’s eaten a lot of rice my whole life, and despite my family even owning one for a bit, rice cookers are not necessary.

Also we used our cast iron pan basically like any other one with almost zero special treatment and it’s still going strong. Didn’t even know what seasoning was until college.

mierecat Report

Final score:

16points

POST

Mike Fitzpatrick 1 year ago

I've been making rice for over 40 years and never used a "rice cooker". I feel like they're just another gimmick.

4points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#34

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them Idk if a sin but i was a microplane for grated parm and a potato peeler for shaved. Screw a cheese grater!

UpOnLeosBed , Go to Akshay Chauhan's profile Akshay Chauhan Report

Final score:

15points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

Microplane is the name of the company, not the tool. They're all graters.

3points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#35

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I use both chicken and seafood in my gumbo, and sometimes only let the roux go to a dirty blonde before continuing to make it 😭

vapidly_millennial , jenvit keiwalinsarid Report

Final score:

13points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

Flour needs to be fully cooked In a roux regardless of the end of result or personal preference. Don't want to make anyone sick and it can happen. That is all on this one.

0points

View More Replies...

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#36

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them I put my knives in the dishwasher

foodishlove , Castorly Stock Castorly Stock Report

Final score:

12points

POST

SonicAlchemy 1 year ago

Nope, definitely a sin, professionally and at home. You don't put someone in a situation where they're unaware of a blade and can harm themselves and the bleach and other chemicals can damage the knife. Always wash by hand with soap and water, get it rinsed off and dry ASAP and put it away safely yourself.

13points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#37

I turn things up to high to make them cook faster

punk_possums Report

Final score:

12points

POST

WindySwede 1 year ago

That's how i burn things! 😓

4points

View more comments

#38

I use steak knives to cut cheese.

I hate those cheese slicers that are solid metal with a hole in them. And the metal thread ones, while nice, all the ones I’ve tried break after a few months. If I got a nice one that I could trust to last longer than a year, I might change my ways.

Moonjinx4 Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Sky Render 1 year ago

I use steak knives for all cutting, honestly. Mostly because every "good" knife has a right-handed bias built in that is a big problem for a sinistral like me! Left-handed bias blades should not be so hard to find, nor so expensive, damn it!

11points

View more comments

#39

I eat my Spaghetti Os cold out of the can instead of cooking them

M3ad0w5 Report

Final score:

10points

POST

Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago

What you do with your Spaghetti Os in the privacy of your own home is no-one's business but yours.

17points

View more comments

#40

Our week night salads are usually just torn lettuce tossed in my favorite store bought dressing (Garlic Expression). If I am putting time into making a main dish, I am often too lazy to make up a real salad but do want to get those leafy green into my family’s bodies.

I would never serve this to guests of course. I make fancier salads when having people over or if I am bringing one to someone’s house.

Admirable-Location24 Report

Final score:

8points

POST

Zedrapazia 1 year ago

This is no shame, my mother also feeds store bought dressing to the guests.

6points

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#41

I know it's unconventional, but I love the slightly sticky texture of rice cooked like pasta!

Lola-Whitis Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Zedrapazia 1 year ago

Do they mean cooking with excess water and draining it, or making the rice Al dente?

2points

View More Replies...

View more comments

What do you think ?

Ace 1 year ago

Do any of these people really think that what they're doing is generally regarded as a 'sin'? Many of them sound more like they're posted as 'hacks', almost none actually sound like bad things. Except the overcooked eggs. That's just barbaric;-)

Silver5trike 1 year ago

I legitimately can't eat runny eggs so I only eat over cooked ones lol.. that's why Korean omelettes are so good

Load More Replies...

The Original Bruno 1 year ago

I commit all fourteen top sins constantly. I do get ingredients out ahead of time so I don't have any unpleasant surprises (like the cheese is moldy, or we're out of butter) but my mise en place is still a messy place.

David A Paterson 1 year ago

I had no idea that I committed so many cooking sins. I do at least half of these. Bless me father for I have sinned. Interesting that no-one lists using the microwave instead of the oven as a cooking sin, so I'm safe there.

Load More Comments

30 ‘Cooking Crimes’ People Know Are Wrong, But Still Do Them

Games

Ugnė Bulotaitė

Ugnė Bulotaitė

Larsas Jaseliūnas

Larsas Jaseliūnas

Word Search

WordroW

Jigsaw

Crossword

Sudoku

Picdoku

Killer Sudoku

Kriss Kross

Word Flower