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One of the biggest, yet in some ways most beautiful, things about humans is that we err. Yep, mistakes make us unique and beautiful and while we ought to avoid them, we shouldn’t feel bad if they happen.

And some of the most entertaining mistakes we can make are those very temporary mental lapses in reasoning the way we ought to—brain farts. They happen, they’re unavoidable, so why not have some fun with them?

A Redditor by the nickname of u/BeauteousMaximus recently paid a visit to the r/Cooking subreddit with an open question urging people to share their biggest “brain farts” in cooking, and sharing how they themselves tried to make a cup of pour-over coffee into an upside-down mug.

And folks were eager to share their unexplainable cooking mishaps, making the post gain some modest attention with nearly 4,600 upvotes and over 2,700 comments.

We’ve siphoned the best responses to the call to share and created a lovely curated list below, so check it out, vote on the cooking disasters you laughed at the most, and why not share your own stories in the comment section below!

More Info: Reddit

#1

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons made an absolutely gorgeous vegetable stock from scratch using scraps i'd been collecting & freezing for weeks & lots of beautiful fresh herbs. poured it into a colander and - yep, straight down the f******g drain. all of it. my brain forgot it was the liquid i was saving, not the colander bulls**t.

i immediately just sat down, bump, on the kitchen floor, & contemplated my life choices for a while.

catsmash , goblinbox_ Report

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    #2

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Lololol so one time, I was boiling eggs in the morning, and one of them cracked while in the pan, so I scooped that one out. Then I added another egg in and I was like “I’ll just leave that one in a little bit longer” AS IF I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO TELL THEM APART

    Ok_Specific6904 , liz west Report

    #3

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Was really upset when I couldn't find my leftover bacon to have for breakfast. Found it the next day in the knife drawer.

    okokimup , Pat & Keri Report

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    kathryn stretton
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I once roasted a lettuce and found the chicken in the salad drawer in the fridge. Goodness knows what my brain was doing.

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    #4

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Was making a stock in a pressure cooker at 2 am, accidentally dumped a couple cinnamon sticks into it for unfathomable reasons.

    It was godawful. Smelled like Santa had passed at a chicken restaurant.

    DrCalamity , Peiyi Report

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    Zophra
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In a rush I have mixed up cinnamon and cayenne spice jars. There was no going back - only throwing out.

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    #5

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Bruh I made eggs Benedict on Christmas and spent so much effort getting the hollandaise sauce right I totally forgot to poach eggs and served an English muffin with sauce

    shigglewiggle , malcolm-fs Report

    #6

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons My gf wanted a hot chocolate and asked me if I could get her one, while I get my coffee.

    I took the bag with chinese five spices mix and mixed it with milk. I do know that this bag contains five spices and not cocoa, because it's my only plastic bag in that shelf and it it's written on it, but my brain was like 'brown powder - close enough'.

    She didn't like it.

    HappyScripting , John Ong Report

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    #7

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Sooooo many times when I’m making a dish served over rice I forget to start the rice until I’m almost finished cooking. Then have to keep the food warm while I wait for rice to cook. Face palm every time.

    tanksmiley , gamene Report

    #8

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Went to drain some shrimp that I thawed at work. Had the strainer setup over the sink, garbage next to me to toss the bag in. Cut the bag open and dumped the shrimp right in the garbage

    Crunchy-Banter , IndyDina with Mr. Wonderful Report

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    Catarina
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Put paper towels in the washer and plates in the Trash...more than once

    Hot Babushka
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    when i was in kindergarten/first grade i accidentally threw out my lunchbox instead of the trash.... MULTIPLE TIMES. And then i had to get an adult to get it out for me because i was too short. good times.

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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Depending on what you keep in the trash can, it might be salvageable. I've definitely dropped food like potatoes into the trash while I was peeling them - just a quick rinse under the water solved that problem!

    Aleksandra
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Isn't it an easy save tho? Take them out the garbage and clean, should be all fine... Unless it was a deepest garbage container ever or something

    MJLstrd
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's never happened to me but it will probably happen again.

    Leya K
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have done the garbage food switch up more times than I care to admit.

    TJ Farrell
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have gone to put silverware in the trash and paper plates in the the sink a few times a long while ago. Accually got the silverware in the trash once or twice then realize when i got to put the accual trash in the sink.

    Stephanie Wittenberg
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You are not alone. I am standing in front of the sink draining spaghetti in a colander. Set the pot on my right side. Kitchen garbage is on my left side. Picked up the colander and dumped the noodles right into the garbage. Did not attempt recovery.

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    #9

    I once left a glass pan with lasagna on my electric stove, covering the back 2 burners. I then decided to make tea, put the kettle on the front burner, but turned on the wrong one. Walked away, but a few minutes later the lasagna pan exploded, covering my kitchen in tiny glass shrapnel.

    effervescentfauna Report

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    #10

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Used coconut flour instead of bread flour for a loaf of bread--that didn't go so well.

    I also deep fried a pot holder once. I don't even know what was going on in my brain on that one.

    LyrraKell , Julie Magro Report

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    Kelzbelz79
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never heard of coconut flour before but my mission now is to aquire some ,mistake for you- new thing to try for me.

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    #11

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I very frequently pull things out of the oven and forget that they're stupid hot because they are no longer in the hot place.

    kdfsjljklgjfg , Thomas van de Weerd Report

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    Samantha
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I always leave the potholder on or beside the dish as a reminder that it's hot. Usually works.

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    #12

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Greased the pan for rice krispy treats with bug spray rather than cooking spray. Fortunately, I realized before serving them to anyone (but not after filling the pan, so I had to run to the supermarket for more ingredients).

    eilonwyhasemu , Ben Paulos Report

    #13

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I used a colander to strain my linguine, but the holes were bigger than the pasta so it all went through and fell into my sink.

    Beginning_Low_4385 , lisaclarke Report

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    Jo Johannsen
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's why I have two colanders, regular and mesh - and both stainless steel.

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    #14

    My father grabbed the ground up Graham Crackers instead of the bread crumbs for clams casino. You DO NOT want to eat Graham Cracker Clams Casino.

    MagneticNoodles Report

    #15

    When I was a teen I accidentally put used vegetable oil in a packet chocolate cake mix. Cake tasted like baked potatoes and lamb with a hint of chocolate.

    TisCass Report

    #16

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was making pancakes and put the two tablespoons of sugar into the container that holds my flour rather than the pancake bowl

    Boo_baby1031 , Jonatan Svensson Glad Report

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    Laura Watts
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was making my daughter sone medicine in juice as she doesn't like the taste and poured the juice into a full medicine bottle husband laughs at me then does the same thing 3 weeks later - we need more sleep lol

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    #17

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Spent a bunch of time making filet mignon with an herb and Cabernet gravy out of the leftover fat in the pan and on the final bit of thickening the gravy, I added powdered sugar instead of flour.

    RudeCamel , Laurel L. Russwurm Report

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    #18

    I once slow cooked a large ham for 9 hours, came to get it out and it was still wrapped up in its plastic.

    BlueCreek_ Report

    #19

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was making French toast for too many people and forgot to dip a batch in the egg stuff…. Enjoy your pan fried toast.

    jbeth74 , Anna Report

    #20

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I accidentally started to pour vanilla extract in salad dressing instead of vinegar.

    I guess it's not the stupidest mistake since it was clear imitation vanilla extract in a bottle that looked extremely similar to the vinegar, and I realized pretty quickly and only put a tiny bit in, but after tasting it out of curiosity, I have to say that the flavor was certainly... memorable. It turns out that vanilla can taste amazingly horrible in savory stuff.

    BunnyEruption , Rose Report

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    #21

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons squirted skin lotion into the soup

    put coffee in the dishwasher detergent dish

    StickyCarpet , Shawn Campbell Report

    #22

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I once used my blender plunger to push something into the food processor.

    Those replacement plastic plungers are surprisingly expensive

    DefrockedWizard1 , Mike Mozart Report

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    Adrian
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Did something similar - used the Vitamix plunger without the lid and, yes, those suckers are expensive!

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    #23

    I accidentally put a plastic jar of peanut butter in the microwave for 20 minutes instead of 20 seconds. Came back to a molten puddle

    emem707 Report

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    tom
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    consider your self lucky, my boy put a plastic bottle of rice milk in the microwave for 10 minutes instead of ten seconds, expanded, exploded, the microwave fell to the floor...one hot mess

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    #24

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I once made a yogurt parfait and sprinkled garlic powder on top instead of cinnamon. Such a dumb mistake when I was in a rush lol

    madjerz23 , voyagevixen2 Report

    #25

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I've done the gravy thing, total duh moment.

    Soy Sauce and Worcesterhire bottles sometimes have a pour spout when you uncap them and sometimes they don't. I've made messes a few times by not checking before pouring. most recently I put half a bottle of soy sauce into my soup.

    Sometimes I lose count of how much flour I've already measured and have to re-measure it, which is odd because I bake often, sometimes I just totally blank.

    ClementineCoda , IndyDina with Mr. Wonderful Report

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    Rachel Ainsworth
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Soy sauce and worcester sauce can sucessfully substitute for each other in gravy although the flavor will be slightly different.

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    #26

    Was making homemade cheese sauce for mac/cheese and accidentally used powdered sugar instead of flour

    poppinpinkpuffin Report

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    Stephanie A Mutti
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ahh my MIL did same with potatoes au gratin but it was really good. 10/10 would make again

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    #27

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I used to have a bowl of oatmeal and nuts with a jasmin tea for breakfast. I chopped the nuts and poured them in the tea cup that was full of boiling water.

    ExtremeBaker , Micah Sittig Report

    #28

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Started blending my hummus with soaked but uncooked chickpeas. 3/10, would not repeat.

    fire_loon , kbxxus Report

    #29

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was deep in thought when I realized I added 60g of salt into the pan.

    Meri_Stormhood , vic15 Report

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    Rachel Ainsworth
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I once added salt instead of sugar in croissants. For some reason the dough didn't rise.

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    #30

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons A few different times while making sauces, my brain has entirely turned off and I've grabbed the baking soda instead of the cornstarch to thicken them.

    JHunz , yancy9 Report

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    Alex Boyd
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    my sister did the opposite recently, making corn bread. It tasted pretty normal but had the approximate density of a neutron star. I suggested that maybe her baking soda had lost its oomph, so she got it out to check. She came back with two very-similar-looking containers, and said, "I think I know what happened."

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    #31

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Tried making banana but bread… was a soupy mess. Turned out I forgot to put the flour in

    clemoon717 , Beckmann's Bakery Report

    #32

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I used white wine vinegar instead of white wine. In a lasagna. Just mindlessly following a recipe.

    Needless to say, the substitution didn’t work. But it was still edible, at least!

    nostradweebus , Richard Report

    #33

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Thought I was being so smart weighing my flour for homemade pasta. But I used the weight for an entire recipe instead of per cup. Had five times as much flour as needed. The pasta was not good.

    EatMorePieDrinkMore , Crystal Report

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    Zophra
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder how you could even form pasta if it was this dry from all the extra flour...

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    #34

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was making Kraft Mac and cheese for my kids and dumped the cheese packet in the boiling water. It exploded everywhere.

    Another time, I was making homemade carrot cake for a family dinner and left out the baking soda. It didn’t rise and was dense AF.

    Interesting-Basis856 Report

    #35

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I recently put parsley into a curry instead of coriander. The moral of the story is 'don't do your shopping/cooking while drunk'

    Ancient_Thanks_4365 , Wheeler Cowperthwaite Report

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    Kelzbelz79
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh I don't know, I've come up with some pretty tasty food when I've been half cut, seems to give me the confidence and devil may care attitude to experiment more.

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    #36

    Absentmindedly dusted chicken wings with baking soda instead of baking powder before cooking. The wings were inedible.

    Paupy Report

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    #37

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons ahhhh the great chili powder-cayenne mix up of 2019

    rhinestoned-tampon · , Alan Levine Report

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    #38

    30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Was making breakfast sandwiches at work and dumped a raw egg out of my egg cooker thinking it was cooked, right onto my English muffin with cheese.

    BeesoftheStoneAge , Charles Smith Report

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    #39

    3 Tbsp instead of 3tsp of vanilla in the cream sauce for my Irish apple cake

    green_eyed_cat Report

    #40

    When prepping veggies i throw the scraps in the sink from the cutting board. I cant tell you how many time ive thrown my peeled garlic in the sink.

    TheBabyLeg123 Report

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