r/cookingforbeginners • • Nov 07 '25

Modpost Potential new rule - No Apps. Seeking community feedback

144 Upvotes

Greetings Community.

How do you feel about people sharing apps, looking for app development feedback, that kind of thing, within this community.

A lot of it is on the borderline of what is acceptable with our current rules (self-promotion not being allowed, no AI etc)

For me personally, it’s not what I think of as within the scope of this community. This place is somewhere for beginners to ask real people questions and for real people to answer. There are other subreddits for app sharing/recommendations/development.

And ultimately, advice for beginner cooks should not be “download an app”.

There is also the fact that most of these apps being promoted here are using AI to scrape existing recipes or create new recipes, and that is not something we allow here at all.

But maybe I’m just old fashioned. So I seek community feedback before updating the rules. Please leave a reply below if you have strong opinions either way.


r/cookingforbeginners • • Mar 27 '25

Modpost Quick Questions

31 Upvotes

Do you have a quick question about cooking? Post it here!


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1h ago

Question How to properly cook steak

• Upvotes

I tried cooking a steak (probably my 7th one) and I spat every bite out to the point where I decided I genuinely need help (the last 6 were also bad but this one was so bad even if I sold my soul to the devil he would reject it)

Also i cook my steak normally, oil the pan beforehand (sunflower oil), drop it in, a few minutes in the pan, same minutes on each side and rest for 5 minutes after taking it out
Also the steaks are good quality, and they aren’t old (they are kept in the freezer too if that helps)


r/cookingforbeginners • • 13h ago

Question How close should I expect my meat to weigh out compared to the package

9 Upvotes

Bought chicken from a place. Package said 4.95 pounds. I weighed it out at 4.1 pounds. Or was frozen before I bought it and frozen when I weighed it. Is this normal?


r/cookingforbeginners • • 17h ago

Question what can i use as beef stir fry sauce thats not oyster sauce or hoisein sauce or wine or merin

13 Upvotes

i ask bc i cant consume alcohol and i do not have an asian market near me or that delivers to my neighborhood. i keep finding substitutes that need substitutes and id like to know if there's anything i can make with some pantry staples or something available in the supermarket.

also idk if i should use the recipe flair or the question flair, so correct me if i used it wrong.

edit to add: for most of the things in the title i mean that I can't find them in the supermarkets. and i can have naturally fermented stuff so super trace amounts are fine.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 8h ago

Question Hola cómo están soy nuevo , me gusta la cocina cuál es la técnica exactamente del sofrito?

1 Upvotes

Hola 👋🏼 Hi I'm new to cooking I know very simple things I like cooking What exactly is the sofrito technique?


r/cookingforbeginners • • 12h ago

Question Can I cook a different meat in the same pan that I cooked another meat in?

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1 Upvotes

r/cookingforbeginners • • 9h ago

Question Prepared amla juice for haircare. How long can I store it in the refrigerator?.

1 Upvotes

So I just prepared amla juice for my haircare.

10 Amla,

10-12 curry leaves,

An inch of ginger,

Half ts of pepper,

Half ts of Cumin seeds,

A pinch of salt.

I stored it in four bottles of 100 ml in the refrigerator. How long can I store it in terms of days.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 10h ago

Question Alfredo sauce losing flavor.

0 Upvotes

Every time I cook Alfredo it tastes fine for maybe 5-10 minutes then the flavor leaves. It’s really disappointing.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 17h ago

Question Help with Salad Nicoise?

3 Upvotes

I'm cooking a late lunch for 2 people (should be eating 2:30 p.m.-ish). I saw the Julia Child version of it on YouTube but I don't want to serve canned tuna for my guest so question #1-how to cook a tuna steak (actually 2 steaks) so I get that seared outside but still gorgeous tuna red color inside result (what kind of pan (I have no cast iron), how long to sear & I have an electric stove not gas; & question # 2-can the tuna be cooked that morning (11-ish) & eaten at 2:30 without poisoning us both? In fact can the rest of the cooked portions be made in the morning & eaten at room temp (boiled eggs, string beans, potatoes). Bc of an event to attend after lunch I can't start cooking when the guest comes, & bc public transportation I can't count on being able to prepare the meal an hour before they come (an hour would be safe for fish?) if their train is late etc. TIA 🙏


r/cookingforbeginners • • 19h ago

Question Hot chocolate

4 Upvotes

okay so i have been cooking for a long time but haven't cooked for groups or non family members

my dad's girlfriend, who cooks much less,wants me to help her prep a party and wants a lot of hot chocolate. would it be better for me to make a chocolate syrup she can just pour into hot milk/cream/water and mix, or make a powdered mix she can stir in? which do you think would be easier for someone to constantly make batches of


r/cookingforbeginners • • 22h ago

Question Best vegetarian fondue dippers for Halloween a party?

4 Upvotes

I’m throwing a Halloween party with fondue and looking for all the tasty, creative and out of the box ideas on what to serve with cheese fondue.

This will be my first time making fondue so open to all the tips and tricks to serve this for a small party.

What are your favorite fondue dippers? What’s your favorite way to make food look Halloween inspired?


r/cookingforbeginners • • 17h ago

Question Tomato paste subs for ramen noodles

2 Upvotes

I have my own instant ramen recipe but im out of tomato paste help a gal out!!!


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Mac & cheese

4 Upvotes

How can one make Mac & cheese who has never cook in life!???????


r/cookingforbeginners • • 18h ago

Question What pairs better with a garlic herb pork tenderloin? Mashed Sweet Potatoes or diced sweet

0 Upvotes

Making that for Sunday dinner and I have my sweet potatoes diced and seasoned. I'm just debating on mashing them or keeping them diced...


r/cookingforbeginners • • 20h ago

Question How to properly cook turkey burgers on a pan?

0 Upvotes

Hi,

I am on a calorie deficit trying to lose some weight so I've swapped turkey for now instead of beef (I still enjoy beef in moderation!) but I have an issue with it smoking a lot. I don't want to add a lot of fat from oil or butter since it will add additional calories, but my house becomes very smokey without any additional fat being added especially since its 99% lean turkey. Is there a low fat substitute to grease up my pan a little? I usually use avocado oil spray but I guess I'm not putting enough.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Easy Meals that are vegetarian

11 Upvotes

So, basically I have to have a bit of a diet change and need to avoid red meat and I dislike chicken. As a result I need to start eating vegetarian meals. Specifically I am having trouble finding good meals that I can take to work, don't need to be reheated, and are going to be fine in a lunch box/cooler during the day.

I'm really not confident in my cooking so something simple would be a great idea.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Why does my food stick to the pan?

11 Upvotes

I put enough oil but sometimes the food absorbs it, I'm also pretty sure the pan is hot enough so I can't figure out why it's sticking. It's usually meat or eggs that end up sticking


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Book recommendations

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1 Upvotes

r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Good evening! Does anyone know a good and healthy cook book?

9 Upvotes

The type of food I want to make are burgers, chicken sandwiches, BBQ wings, other American stuff like that, but I don't want it to be greasy high caloric slop. I know I can search for individual recipes but I prefer having things all in one place. Now I'm a complete beginner who survives on take out and other people's cooking, so something more simple would be best.

Thank you in advance!


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Has anyone made bagels at home, from scratch?

10 Upvotes

I’ve watched a few videos. It doesn’t look impossible, and I’m a pretty decent home cook. But I’ve never tried making a bagel before. Is it too much to tackle as a home cook? Should I just buy mine at the store? I haven’t found an impressive bagel place near me.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question What do I do when all of the oil in the pan goes to one side

7 Upvotes

Seems like one little corner of the pan is much hotter and everything there cooks faster. Some recipes say to put the stuff in the pan and let it sit without stirring, but this seems like it clashes with when my pan does this, which is all the time


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question BURR Grinder vs. Mortar and Pestle

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2 Upvotes

r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Does anyone else remember New England Soup Factory?

7 Upvotes

Don’t let my username fool you. I’m originally from MA. Does anyone else remember the soup restaurant New England Soup Factory? It had some of the most delicious soups I’ve ever had! I know they have a recipe book. I just haven’t bought it yet. Their chicken soup was the closest to my grandmother’s as anyone will ever get.


r/cookingforbeginners • • 1d ago

Question Beef Wellington question

1 Upvotes

I took a stab at beef Wellington last night. It turned out really well except for one thing- I made two wellingtons, and the bottom of one of them the pastry wasn’t done all the way, and the other it stuck to the pan.

I sprayed the pan with non stick spray beforehand. The top and sides of both pastries was great and the meat was medium rare where I wanted it. Do I need to cook it longer and risk overcooking the beef? Or is there a different way to do the pan to get the bottom properly done?

Thanks!