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Test Kitchen Tips & Tricks

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been testing recipes on our readers’ behalf since 1970, earning the title of “the most trusted kitchen in the South.” Our Test Kitchen team comprises expert professionals in recipe development—from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians—who all come together to make sure that Southern home cooks are equipped to succeed. Follow along for recipe secrets, shortcuts, traditions, cooking tips, and kitchen advice straight from the pros.
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Southern Living
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15 Old-School Southern Cooking Tips That We Still Trust Today
If you’ve ever watched a seasoned Southern cook in the kitchen, you’ll find that there are certain things they just know. Their biscuits are fluffier, their sweet tea is just perfect. They always seem to know what to serve, and how to make ingredients taste their best. Those lessons might have been passed down from earlier generations, or just learned over time, but there’s no reason why they can’t be shared. Whether you’re tying on an apron for the first time, or have been cooking for decades, these tried-and-true methods and tips will serve you well in the kitchen. #kitchentips #lemonzest #cookingtips #southerncooking #southernliving
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Pickle Brine Recipe
Pickle Brine
Easy Pickle
Brine Recipe
Southern Culture
Pickle Juice
Food Words
Kitchen Tips
Test Kitchen
Don't Throw Away Your Pickle Juice! Here's Our Perfect Brine
Pickles are a stalwart favorite atop sandwiches or simply enjoyed on their own, but did you know you can easily master pickle brine at home? You only need four ingredients and 20 minutes of hands-on time to make this delicious pickle brine recipe. Vinegar, sugar, and salt make a balanced brine to transform any fruit or veggie into a delicious pickle. #picklejuice #pickling #picklingliquid #southernculture #pickles
a woman standing in front of a counter with food on it and the words, this food chopper saved one shopper almost 2 hours of meal prep time for their family
Breakfast Party Foods
Easy Dinner Casseroles
Breakfast Party
Vegetable Chopper
Food Chopper
Quick Easy Dinner
Dinner Casseroles
Shredded Carrot
Spaghetti And Meatballs
This Food Chopper Saved One Shopper Almost 2 Hours Of Meal Prep Time For Their Family
Save yourself some time and effort with this Mueller vegetable chopper that reviewers say can shave hours off meal prep—and it’s 50 percent off at Amazon.
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This may contain: a bald man with glasses holding a jar of peanut butter in his hand and pointing at it
Hand Health
Jar Opener
Food Safety
Jar Lids
Kitchen Hacks
Appetizers Easy
Simple Way
Simple Ways To Open A Stuck Jar
There are few cooking obstacles more demoralizing than battling with a jar lid that just won’t budge. Of course it’s crucial for jars to be well-sealed (yay, food safety!), but when it’s at the expense of one’s dignity, hand health, and time, a stuck jar can feel insurmountable. We're here to help. #jars #jaropening #stuckjar #howtoopenjar #kitchentricks
green beans in a bowl on an orange and white patterned plate with polka dot border
Best Way To Cook Green Beans
Cook Fresh Green Beans
Cook Green Beans
Green Bean Fries
Pickled Green Beans
Cooking Fresh Green Beans
How To Cook Greens
How To Cook Fresh Green Beans Perfectly Every Time
Crowd-pleasing, inexpensive, and versatile, there are as many reasons to love fresh green beans as there are ways to enjoy them. Can you even imagine Thanksgiving without the green bean casserole, or a summer cookout where the three-bean salad was missing its freshest, greenest ingredient? As with most other green veggies, there are several good ways to cook green beans, including steaming, sautéing, oven-roasting, and microwaving. There are even pickled green beans and green bean fries. But the absolute best way to cook fresh green beans—the fastest, most versatile, and nearly foolproof method—is boiling your beans with salt... and lots of it. #greenbeans #howtocookgreenbeans #freshgreenbeans #bestgreenbeans #greenbeansrecipes #summervegetables
an oven with the words 10 things you should never put in the oven on it
Oven Kitchen
Culture Quotes
Etiquette And Manners
Southern Home
10 Things You Should Never Put In The Oven
While it’s easy to take it for granted in the hustle of preparing daily meals, the fact remains that the oven is an incredibly powerful appliance. There are numerous materials regularly used in other kitchen tasks that are not designed to withstand being placed into a heated oven, and exposing these materials to the oven’s temperatures can create serious safety hazards, as well as damage your oven. #kitchen #kitchentips #cookingtips #oven #ovensafe
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Cast Iron Care
Southern Kitchen
Southern Kitchens
Iron Skillets
To Cast
Cast Iron Skillet
Where do YOU stand on this Southern kitchen debate? 👀 Visit the link to bookmark our complete guide to cast iron care!
a kitchen with blue cabinets and white counter tops next to a doorway that leads to an outdoor swimming pool
Kitchen Feng Shui
White Coastal Kitchen
Blue And White Coastal
Kitchen Coastal
Back Kitchen
Coastal Kitchen Decor
South Carolina Homes
Butler’s Pantry
Coastal Modern
The ideal spot to mix up a pool cocktail, don’t you think? 🌴 Join us at the link for a full tour of this historic South Carolina home that received a thoughtful renovation.
a glass dish filled with baked beans next to watermelon slices and a spoon
Cleaning Recipes
The Picnic
Mardi Gras Gifts
Baked Beans
Can You Freeze Baked Beans?
Experts weigh in on what you need to know about freezing, thawing, and reheating baked beans so that you can enjoy them beyond the picnic. #picnic #bakedbeans #storage #foodstorage #makeaheadsides
a piece of butter sitting on top of a white paper covered in yellow waxing
Room Temperature Butter
Fridge Door
Land O Lakes
Success And Failure
The Only Way You Should Store Butter, According To Land O' Lakes
The butter experts at Land O' Lakes gave us all the pointers on the only way to store butter for the best flavor and shelf-life. If you've been storing your butter in the fridge door, you'll want to read this. #kitchenstorage #butter #kitchentips #testkitchen #southerncook
two scoops of ice cream sit on top of a chocolate cake in a pan
Uses For Bacon Grease
Bacon Grease Uses
Chewy Brownies
No Bake Brownies
Bacon Grease
Good To Great
Treats Recipes
Dried Strawberries
Southern Cooking
17 Secret Ways Southerners Use Up Bacon Grease—Seriously
Generations of Southerners have used bacon grease to take their cooking from good to great. From breakfast to dinner to dessert, we've rounded up our favorite uses for bacon grease so no drop of that liquid gold goes to waste. #bacongrease #howtousebacongrease #testkitchen #kitchentips #cookingtips
several tomatoes with the words southern living 3 easy ways to ripen'a tomato
How To Ripen Tomatoes
Needle In A Haystack
Plant Problems
Canning Tomatoes
3 Ways To Ripen A Tomato, According To An Expert
Trying to find the perfect tomato can sometimes be like locating a needle in a haystack. Whether a tomato is too firm or too green when purchased, don’t lose hope—you can easily ripen tomatoes at home. Follow these expert tips on ripening tomatoes quickly. #testkitchen #tomatoes #ripetomatoes #howtoripentomatoes #freshtomatoes
a loaf of bread sitting on top of a wooden cutting board next to a knife
Buttermilk Bread
Making Bread
No Knead
Pancake Batter
Happy Spring
Spring Recipes
Bread Rolls
Loaf Bread
Dutch Oven
The Best Way To Keep Your Bread Fresh, According To A Baker
A good loaf is not something to waste, which is why it's important to learn how to store bread properly. Whether you buy artisanal sourdough or pick up something from the bakery at the local supermarket, the same principles apply (you don't want to put in the fridge). We consulted a professional baker about the best way to store bread, as well what not to do, and how to use bread up if it does go stale on you. #bread #storage #foodstorage #bakertips #howtostorebread
Leftover chicken is safe to eat straight from the fridge, but here’s how to reheat it for the best results. #chicken #leftovers #reheatingchicken #howtoreheatchicken #kitchentips Left Over Chicken, Chicken Leftovers, Reheat Chicken, Leftover Chicken
Left Over Chicken
Chicken Leftovers
Reheat Chicken
Leftover Chicken
This Is The Best Way To Reheat Leftover Chicken Safely
Leftover chicken is safe to eat straight from the fridge, but here’s how to reheat it for the best results. #chicken #leftovers #reheatingchicken #howtoreheatchicken #kitchentips
zucchini sitting next to each other on top of a white counter with the title how to store zucchini so it last
How To Store Squash And Zucchini
How To Store Zucchini Long Term
How To Freeze Fresh Squash
Ways To Freeze Zucchini
Freezing Squash And Zucchini
How To Store Zucchini
How To Freeze Squash
How To Prepare Squash
Store Zucchini
This Is The Best Way To Store Zucchini
An expert shares the best way to store, freeze, and use your fresh summer squash, which includes zucchini. Whether you’ve purchased a bundle of summer squash from the grocery store or farmer’s market, or you’ve harvested your own garden, how to store zucchini once you get home is crucial. #producetips #kitchenstorage #howtostoresquash #squash #producestorage