What is Reddit's opinion of Cook's Illustrated Cookbook: 2,000 Recipes from 20 Years of America's Most Trusted Cooking Magazine?

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Yeah, I have the Cookbook that /u/wot106 is talking about (I think it might be out of print now and its prices can do some wild spiraling), and mine is full of underlines for where I've found something that for me was a "gotcha" - usually just something like the ingredients list 2 cups of sugar, but the first sugar instruction says "Add all but 2 T of the sugar, reserving the 2T for later" -

Every cookbook that contains 900+ recipes is going to contain some real stinkers and this one is no exception - I'm probably never going to try to make a custard pie out of that book again; I have no idea what they're doing differently than me but - but I've cooked out of this book hundreds of times a year since I got it; for me it's been an excellent "textbook" for how to cook 101. The average recipe quality from it is spectacular.

Other good Cooks cookbooks are the Mediterranean one and the Vegetarian one.

I love Cooks Illustrated Magazine. The recipes are good, and each article explains the process of developing the recipe through trial and error which helps you learn WHY things work or not.

I don't subscribe to the magazine; I prefer to collect the bound annuals. Managed to snag most years cheap on Amazon.

Their cookbook is also a good place to start. (I balked at the current price on Amazon, but used sellers are reasonable.)

Cook's Illustrated Cookbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/1933615893/

This is a good cookbook. Cook's Illustrated.

Their cooking show is good as well because they explain why their recipe works. They have tested many ways of doing it before arriving at doing it just that way. They also do equipment testing. You know if they recommend a kitchen gadget, it's probably the best one.

The best advice is to make a list of what you will be cooking every night for dinner for the week. Plan that out. Do the grocery shopping for it all. Then STICK TO IT. Easier said than done, sometimes. But it will save you money.

See if they have this book at your local library.

https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Illustrated-Cookbook-Americas-Magazine/dp/1933615893

Has a great section explaining all of the ingredients and how to cook each. Start easy and get more complex. Canned beans have a ton of salt in them. Carne burritos are easier to cook than chicken because you can eat it rare. To get the taste of take out spot just look up mexican recipes online. It's all in the seasoning.

Yep, I agree. I was actually wondering how he's take my question on the iPad app. Whatever - I bought two of his $40 book, and he knew it. :P

(You can get them waaaay cheaper online, but I wanted to support the store, etc.)

> I'm interested in learning how to cook

If you want to learn how to cook (including the Joy of Cooking) start with cookbooks from Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen [They have many.] They spend hundreds of hours testing recipes in every way possible so you have success. They also explain the hows and whys which will make you a better cook—for life.

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

The Food Lab by Kenji

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat

And hang out at Kenji's Youtube Channel as he shows what he cooks at home and shares his expertise.

https://www.youtube.com/c/JKenjiLopezAlt/videos

Cook's Illustrated Cookbook: 2, 000 Recipes from 20 Years of Testing

Cook's Illustrated Cookbook: 2,000 Recipes from 20 Years of America's Most Trusted Cooking Magazine - part of the Cook's Illustrated 4 book series.

I have a bookshelf full of cookbooks, but I use some many times more than others. I use my Cook's Illustrated Cookbook a solid 80% of the time I cook; it's a really solid, 900-page tome with a recipe for darn near everything. The recipes aren't perfect, but what's important is that I have a relationship with the cookbook by now; I know how to find what's important in it; I know what it means if it says a certain thing; I've written notes to self like "Make 1/3 as much streusel as this!" or "Add pecans" wherever my opinions differ from the authors'. It's basically my wizard spellbook.

I have a Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book that taught me how to make pies; I've made 12 or 14 of the pies out of that book and I still use it at least every month or so; maybe less often during coronatimes.

I have a classic King Arthur Flour baking cookbook, and I use it every month or so for brainstorming or for quick go-tos. To be honest the King Arthur web site has a spectacularly curated collection of recipes which have been updated over the course of decades, so I tend to just use that instead.

I have an America's Test Kitchen (parent company of Cook's Illustrated) vegetarian cookbook that I use quite often, let's say once every 2-3 months, too, that's really reliable as well and full of nice vegetarian dishes.

I own a shelf full of wonderful cookbooks, but those four are the ones I really use.

your method is a little different but the end result looks very similar to my own favorite carnitas recipe.

my recipe comes from the Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (page 420!), and since i started making it a few years ago it has become a favorite in my house. even my picky 3-year-old loves it!

i've never used ancho chiles or the peppers in adobo sauce, and i add some citrus flavor by juicing an orange and cooking the pork with the orange rinds mixed in, and a little different spices (i use onion powder, garlic powder, and like 5x more cumin lol), but otherwise this looks very very similar to the recipe i use.

i cook mine in a dutch oven for 2 hours then crisp it under the broiler for ~10 minutes. i also reduce my cooking liquid in a skillet before putting it on the pork under the broiler.

some fresh garnishes (onion, cilantro, lime juice) and sour cream complete the ensemble. its seriously amazing.

great post. made me hungry. 10/10 would upvote again.