# Is it important to know how to cook? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884 "2009-06-24T22:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/41 "2009-06-26T14:52:29Z")
Yes it’s important. You aren’t eating very healthy if you can only make the things you describe. It’s one of those skills everyone should have. Basic self-sufficiency is scarily lacking in the American public. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/42 "2009-06-26T14:57:51Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I like how all of the cooks are in here extolling the joys of cooking. > > Nope. Cooking is pretty boring, honestly. Sure, it might be fun to cook once in a while and present it to your loved one, but daily cooking is a chore and a half and I hate it. > > People are different. Some of us find this mind-numbing chore fun, some don’t. Personally, I rather like baking - not just sweets, but all kinds of foods. Cooking itself is not very fun. And I know how to cook, and do so, but it’s not for everyone. Well, sewing on buttons and replacing power outlets isn’t a barrel of laughs either, but I think you ought to do that for yourself too. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/43 "2009-06-26T15:01:35Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Well, sewing on buttons and replacing power outlets isn’t a barrel of laughs either, but I think you ought to do that for yourself too. I’m not saying you don’t have a point! I just think that it’s not really necessary. Not in the Western world. Sure, you may be lacking some quality of life, and it’s up to the OP whether or not she cares, but cooking is only fun if you think it’s fun. That’s roundabout but you get my point you have to like cooking in the first place. I don’t know where the like comes from, but I sure as hell don’t have it, and hey you know what? That’s OK by me. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/44 "2009-06-26T15:06:05Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I like how all of the cooks are in here extolling the joys of cooking. > > Nope. Cooking is pretty boring, honestly. Sure, it might be fun to cook once in a while and present it to your loved one, but daily cooking is a chore and a half and I hate it. I’ll agree that coming up with something for dinner every single night is not one of my favorite parts of life. _But_–I’m cooking for a family and I have to figure something out almost every night. A single woman in her 20’s who only has to cook for herself shouldn’t have to cook every single night–I should think two or three times a week of actual effort would be ample. ( I’m perfectly happy to eat the same thing for two days, though, and have a quesadilla or granola when I’m tired.) So maybe everyone won’t agree with that figure. But there’s no reason in the world that **NinjaChick** would have to start cooking real meals every single night. A couple/three times a week is plenty for someone in her life situation. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/45 "2009-06-26T15:19:47Z")
I wish I could cook. I used to help my wife (now ex) who hosted gourmet club meals twice a month. Now, even buttressed with my mom’s old cookbook, I can’t fry a pork chop. If I doesn’t nuke I can only eat it in a restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/46 "2009-06-26T15:25:01Z")
> [@TheMadHun](#): > > I wish I could cook. I used to help my wife (now ex) who hosted gourmet club meals twice a month. > Now, even buttressed with my mom’s old cookbook, I can’t fry a pork chop. If I doesn’t nuke I can only eat it in a restaurant. Not true. I was like you and I learned to cook. (Barring cooking rice on the stovetop, I have FAILED). But you’re trying too hard. Pork chop is IMO the wrong thing to start with, as is chicken - they are meh unless they come out really good. Go back to the basics. Start with eggs. Eggs is easy. dangermom, I agree with the family thing. But i don’t think Ninjachick wants to have kids. That is one big thing, I never had kids and so didn’t need to make sure little mouths were properly fed. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/47 "2009-06-26T15:25:02Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I’m not saying you don’t have a point! I just think that it’s not really necessary. Not in the Western world. Sure, you may be lacking some quality of life, and it’s up to the OP whether or not she cares, but cooking is only fun if you think it’s fun. That’s roundabout but you get my point you have to like cooking in the first place. I don’t know where the like comes from, but I sure as hell don’t have it, and hey you know what? That’s OK by me. Oh, I wouldn’t say I enjoy the actual cooking - I like eating, and I love _feeding people_, but the actual cooking part is kind of annoying. But so is changing a tire, and my dad made me do that on my own before he’d teach me how to drive. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/48 "2009-06-26T15:49:10Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Pork chop is IMO the wrong thing to start with, as is chicken - they are meh unless they come out really good. I would probably disagree here. Chicken (notably in the form of stir-fried chicken breast) seems to be, in my experience, the universal starting point for a lot of meat-eating cooks. Pork chops are also pretty easy to cook. Now, if **TheMadHun** is making breaded, fried pork chops, that can be a little tricky balancing act of cooking the meat without burning the breading. But regular pork chops are suitable for a beginner cook. A very simple recipe would be salt, pepper, throw on a lightly oiled, preheated pan over medium high heat. Wait four minutes. Flip. Wait four minutes. Remove. Serve. A more succulent recipe would be to rub the chops in salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and fresh chopped rosemary. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/49 "2009-06-26T15:51:12Z")
It’s important to know how to _eat_. It’s _nice_ to know how to cook. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/50 "2009-06-26T15:51:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I would probably disagree here. Chicken (notably in the form of stir-fried chicken breast) seems to be, in my experience, the universal starting point for a lot of meat-eating cooks. > > Pork chops are also pretty easy to cook. Now, if **TheMadHun** is making breaded, fried pork chops, that can be a little tricky balancing act of cooking the meat without burning the breading. But regular pork chops are suitable for a beginner cook. A very simple recipe would be salt, pepper, throw on a lightly oiled, preheated pan over medium high heat. Wait four minutes. Flip. Wait four minutes. Remove. Serve. A more succulent recipe would be to rub the chops in salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and fresh chopped rosemary. I don’t know - it’s not so much that it’s hard, but it is hard to get it perfect. Chicken especially white meat is so bland that sometimes it’s like - I cooked for this??? And your recipe, while admirable, doesn’t really tell the cook enough. There are a thousand little things, like the basic thing of recognizing when it’s done, that can only be learned by experience. Still, if they are having trouble cooking pork chops, it’s probably better to go back to the basics. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/51 "2009-06-26T16:01:04Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > dangermom, I agree with the family thing. But i don’t think Ninjachick wants to have kids. That is one big thing, I never had kids and so didn’t need to make sure little mouths were properly fed. Well, but that’s my point! No need to cook more than a few times a week, not every single night like I have to. (Actually, I don’t have to. Even I manage to only cook for reals about 4 times a week unless I’m on a cooking binge.) Still, though, cooking for yourself a couple-three times a week is not nearly so much of a chore as doing it every night. Eggs is good. I only recently learned eggs and am stunned to find how easy and yummy it is to whip up something with lots of veggies and eggs. I’m going to have to try a souffle sometime. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/52 "2009-06-26T16:10:16Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t know - it’s not so much that it’s hard, but it is hard to get it perfect. Chicken especially white meat is so bland that sometimes it’s like - I cooked for this??? Yeah, you would think that. I’m not a fan of white meat, but it seemed to be the only thing the college kids ate for some reason, so it must have its adherents. > [@](#): > > And your recipe, while admirable, doesn’t really tell the cook enough. There are a thousand little things, like the basic thing of recognizing when it’s done, that can only be learned by experience. Yes, you need experience to tell those things. But four minutes a side should cover most pork chops (and will overcook the very thin varieties). Anyhow, if unsure, cut through the meat. Does it look raw? Yes? Continue frying. No? Serve and eat. > [@](#): > > Still, if they are having trouble cooking pork chops, it’s probably better to go back to the basics. Yes, although eggs can be very tricky to get just right, as well. For the longest time, I had a much easier time making a stir fry than perfect sunny-side up eggs that weren’t burnt, had completely set whites, but a soft, runny yolk. No matter where you start, there’s always going to be those thousand little things that you’re going to have to learn through experience. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/53 "2009-06-26T16:20:19Z")
No, it’s not important to know how to cook . . . yet. But someday, after the revolution/nuclear holocaust/zombie apocalypse, when there are no working microwaves or pre-processed foods to be had, those of you who can’t cook will be tricking yourselves out to those of us who can every time you want a sautéed mushroom. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/54 "2009-06-26T16:39:06Z")
My SO loves white meat, pulykamell, and I love dark meat. Which works great when we get a chicken - a whole chicken. But breasts are so meh to me - he is a wonderful cook, though, and can even make chicken breasts in a way I like. As for the rest of it, VarlosZ, I can make flatbreads from flour and make yogurt and churn butter and I figure I’ll trade some of these skills. 😉 Plus, it’s not hard to learn camp cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/55 "2009-06-26T20:54:25Z")
As someone who loves to cook, to me it seems the long term sociological trends is that cooking will become like what playing a musical instrument or sewing has become, a high class hobby for those who are interested in it. It’s becoming increasingly realistic to outsource all your cooking needs to 3rd parties, just like how we mostly listen to other people’s music and dress in clothes made by other people. Almost all of the arguments made for cooking could be made for these other activities. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/56 "2009-06-26T21:02:30Z")
The only hitch is that it’s more expensive to buy pre-pared food. And while you can forgo music or buy used clothing in a pinch, you HAVE to eat on a regular basis and used food… let’s not go there, m’kay? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/57 "2009-06-26T23:38:27Z")
You can learn a few _very_ simple techniques to cook things, and they’ll come out quite edible, though maybe a little boring. If you don’t think you can cook at all, you shouldn’t be trying complex recipes, but very simple basic techniques. Generally, any single ingredient can be boiled, sauteed, steamed, or baked/roasted. The only things that can go wrong is it being undercooked or overcooked. You can get a decent idea of the time required by looking in a cookbook, or you can just keep trying it until it looks and tastes done. For veggies, you can just look at it. For meat, you can get a thermometer and see if the interior is hot enough. Add in a green salad, and you’re done! With no other skills than those, you can make simple, but very tasty, meals like: Hamburgers, baked potato, steamed green beans, salad. or Roast chicken, steamed broccoli, sauteed tomatoes and onions. Season with salt, pepper, butter, and garlic. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/58 "2009-06-26T23:42:27Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I’ll agree that coming up with something for dinner every single night is not one of my favorite parts of life. _But_–I’m cooking for a family and I have to figure something out almost every night. My wife likes to cook, but hates this part. So we plan a week’s worth of menus Saturday morning, create a shopping list, and buy everything we need. That way all ingredients are available, and she doesn’t have to figure out what to make based on what we have. She works from home, so she can start things when she wants a break. I’m looking forward to when I retire and can cook more. If I cooked now, we’d eat around 9 pm which is when I eat when I’m by myself. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/59 "2009-06-26T23:45:55Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I’m not saying you don’t have a point! I just think that it’s not really necessary. Not in the Western world. Sure, you may be lacking some quality of life, and it’s up to the OP whether or not she cares, but cooking is only fun if you think it’s fun. We were away most of this April, and ate very well, but were glad to get back to our own kitchen where we can eat the stuff we like the best. And get enough veggies at last. ---
**Author:** ![otorophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@otorophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otorophile)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884/60 "2009-06-27T06:59:04Z")
Not much to add, but: -Looking at your city with a foodie’s eye can be quite fun. If you explore local fish markets, farmer’s markets, etc., you’ll know your area better and reliable places to get great ingredients. -Cooking can be social. You can trade recipes, invite people over for dinner, etc. -When (if?) you learn how to cook, you’ll never want to go back to canned shit. It’s more expensive, less healthy, and just tastes worse than what you can make yourself. Up to a certain level, I think the quality of the ingredients is the most important aspect of cooking. I mean, mixing mozzarella, tomatoes, olive oil, basil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper doesn’t take much skill, but it always tastes great. Some good things to keep handy are tomatoes, onions, garlic, shallots, peppers, citrus fruits, mushrooms, rice, pastas, basil, oregano, olive oil, vinegar, cheeses. Play around and have fun with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-important-to-know-how-to-cook/500884.md?page=4)