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The Reluctant Gourmet Website Established 1997
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A bunch of cilantro

How to Cook with Cilantro — Flavor, Uses, Substitutions, and Why Some People Hate It

Tomato Sauce vs Tomato Paste — What’s Different and When Each One Belongs in the Dish

double smash burger with melted cheese, crispy edges

Smash Burger Recipe: The Secret to a Crispy Crust at Home

A stockpot on a gas stove, rich brown stock gently simmering and reducing into demi-glace

How to Make Demi-Glace at Home — The Full Method and the Honest Shortcut

Dicing an Onion

How to Cut an Onion (Without Tears or Mistakes)

Cooking with Red Chili Peppers

Cooking with Red Chili Peppers: Control Heat Like a Pro

A plate with pan fried flounder with potatoes

Pan-Fried Flounder with Potatoes and Parsley — How to Time Both So They Finish Together

Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil Recipe

How to Make Pasta with Garlic and Oil — And Not Wreck the Garlic

rested chateaubriand on cutting board

Chateaubriand Recipe — How to Roast Beef Tenderloin and Build the Sauce

Elegant filet mignon sliced and plated with glossy red wine Chateaubriand sauce drizzled over

Chateaubriand Recipe — How to Roast Beef Tenderloin and Build the Sauce

Charcoal grill with glowing coals

Charcoal Grilling Mastery: Control Fire, Heat, and Flavor

A cartoon depicting the Reluctant Gourmet eating hot chile at a restaurant

Extremely Hot Bowl of Chili Cartoon

Braised Chilean Sea Bass Recipe

How to Braise Sea Bass — Why It Works and What You Get That Pan-Frying Doesn’t Give You

Grilled Salmon Steak with Dill

Grilled Salmon Steaks with Lemon and Dill Recipe

Fresh Pressed Olive Oil

Rice Pilaf Recipe

The Only Rice Pilaf Recipe You’ll Ever Need

A small saucepan of smooth, creamy bechamel sauce

Easy Béchamel Sauce Recipe (Perfect White Sauce Every Time)

A spoon filled with a demi-glace substitute

Best Demi-Glace Substitute (Easy Homemade Alternative)

roasted stuffed pork loin sliced into thick medallions, glossy pan sauce drizzled over the slices

How to Make the Perfect Sauce for Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Mediterranean tzatziki sauce in a rustic ceramic bowl

Homemade Tzatziki Sauce — How to Get the Texture Right and What to Serve It With

Mayonnaise Panko Fish Fillet Recipe

Why Mayonnaise Is the Best Thing to Put on Baked Fish — The Science Behind It

Portable induction burner for cooking outdoors

Portable Induction Burners: What to Know Before You Buy

A pressure cooker on a kitchen counter

Pressure Cookers: Benefits, Uses & Why You Should Own One

Sautéed baby bok choy side dish on a white ceramic plate.

How to Cook Sauteed Baby Bok Choy with Garlic and Ginger

A slow cooker and dutch oven side by side

Slow Cooker to Dutch Oven Conversion — Time, Temperature, and What Changes

Stand Mixer

Do You Need a Stand Mixer? How to Choose the Right One

A sharp kitchen knife edge on dark wooden surface

Kitchen Knife Care: How to Keep Your Knives Sharp for Years

A chef's, serrated and paring knife on a wooden cutting board

Essential Kitchen Knives: Types Every Home Cook Should Know

A professional chefs knife resting on a well-worn wooden cutting board.

How to Choose the Best Chef’s Knife for Your Kitchen

A common countertop blender in a modern kitchen, clear glass pitcher with measurement markings.

Blender Buying Guide: What Matters When Choosing a Blender

Four different types of whisks - balloon, flat, French, and coil - sticking out of a neutral ceramic jar.

Whisk Types Compared: Best Uses and How to Choose

a stainless steel sauté pan on a gas stovetop

Saute Pan | Choosing and Buying the Right Saute Pan

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About

I’ve been cooking seriously since the mid-1980s — self-taught, a lot of trial and error, and genuinely interested in why things work in the kitchen. I started this site in 1997 because I couldn’t find cooking writing that explained the reasoning. Still at it.

G. Stephen Jones at a food hall Full story →

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