Overcoming Challenges in Cooking

I've been cooking since I could do long division, and still there is an abundance of knowledge I lack concerning the world of culinary. And just like any eager chef, there are signature dishes I have tried over and over (and OVER) again to master, with no true success. Take the ever-so-popular dish, fried chicken, for example. As much as I love a piece of juicy, tender, well-seasoned bird with that perfectly crisp skin, recreating the dish to my dinner guests and my liking has, in the past, proved challenging.

My advice to my fellow cooks concerning challenges you may face in the kitchen is this: don't be dismayed! No matter how great a chef you may be, I can guarantee that you've made mistakes, and are constantly trying to improve dishes that you thought were just mediocre. Be open-minded. If you cannot seem to master that skill, try and find a way around it. I can pan fry chicken, but it never comes out pretty. The color is uneven, or it didn't cook long enough, etc. This repeated attempt at something I thought should be so simple was initially discouraging... UNTIL I was introduced to the deep fryer.

I admit that I have gotten away from cooking so many fried foods, so there isn't much else I use it for other than chicken (some quick French fries, or empanadas, but that's about it). But BAAAABBBBYYY!, the deep fried chicken! Once I have seasoned and breaded the chicken, all I have to do is drop the pieces into the fryer basket, lower it into the hot grease, and wait. My son's paternal grandmother gave me this tip I still use today. She said, "listen to the chicken cooking. When you first drop it in, the frying noise will be fast. As the chicken approaches doneness, the frying noise will slow down considerably. The chicken is done when you barely hear the frying noise, and the pieces are floating on top of the grease. It's that simple. VOILA! Beautiful, evenly colored, crispy-on-the-outside, tender and juicy on the inside, delicious chicken for your dining pleasure!

Beautiful chicken, fried with ease in the deep fryer.

So, you see, my fellow cooks, where there is a will, there is a way! I will continue to try and perfect my pan frying, but until I get it down to a science, my handy deep fryer will be there to save the day!

What's a challenge you have encountered in the kitchen? How were you able to overcome it? Please share!