Our food prep guides get down into the nitty-gritty of make-ahead storage, kitchen prep tasks, meal planning, and just how to get dinner onto the table in time.

Explore Food Prep Guides

All Storage & Organizational Tools
Overhead view of cherries in a basket
How to Store Cherries So They Stay Fresh Longer
Overhead view of a wok station
How to Set Up a Wok Cooking Station
20190416-pork-shoulder-vicky-wasik-8
Dry-Brining Is the Best Way to Brine Meat, Poultry, and More
20150320-artichoke-prep-vicky-wasik-5.jpg
How to Clean, Trim, and Prepare Artichokes
Three towel-lined trays filled with freshly washed kale and lettuce.
How to Clean and Store Fresh Produce
20191010-green-bean-knife-skills-vicky-wasik-31
How to Buy, Prep, and Cut Green Beans
20180521-ginger-vicky-wasik-7
How to Prepare and Store Ginger
Overhead of a restaurant-inspired kitchen prep station for vegetables.
How to Set Up a Prep Station Like a Pro Cook
20160404-how-to-wrap-sandwich-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
How to Wrap Your Sandwiches for Better Eating on the Go
20150909-anchovy-fillets-vicky-wasik-29.jpg
How to Prepare Salt-Packed Anchovies
20150504-how-to-prepare-spring-green-produce03.jpg
The Food Lab: How to Prepare Green Spring Produce
A Better Way to Skin Charred Peppers for Chilis, Soups, and Stews
20150917-apple-browning-vicky-wasik-8.jpg
The Best Way to Prevent Cut Apples From Browning
Overhead view of cutting chicken cutlets
How to Cut Chicken Breasts Into Cutlets
Measuring spoons, measuring cups and a kitchen scale.
The Best and Most Accurate Way to Measure Wet and Dry Ingredients for Baking
How to Trim a Whole Beef Tenderloin for Roasting
20200102-duck-vicky-wasik-Crowns-18
How to Dry-Age Duck at Home
2020-6-4-veg-scrap-stock13-sho-spaeth
Save Your Vegetable Scraps, Make Stock
Four Pacific razor clams in their shells on a marble slab.
Pacific Razor Clams: How to Catch, Clean, and Cook Them
Thick slices of perfectly cooked roast turkey breast arranged on a white plate, along with stuffing and a radicchio salad.
The Right Way to Brine Turkey
The Food Lab's Definitive Guide to Buying, Prepping, Cooking, and Carving Your Holiday Turkey
Guajillo chilies
What to Do With Dried Chiles: Recipes, Cooking Techniques, and Shopping Tips
20180612-blanched-almonds-vicky-wasik-7
How to Blanch Almonds
20181109-breakdown-chicken-vicky-wasik-8-piece
A Japanese Poultry Knife Butchers Chicken With Ease
20140930-past-mushroom-sausage-cast-iron-baked-01.jpg
How to Clean Shiitake, Portobello, and Oyster Mushrooms | Knife Skills
20140502-291811-how-to-trim-st-louis-ribs.jpg
How to Trim Pork Spareribs Into a St. Louis-Style Cut
A mussel being opened by hand.
How to Clean and Debeard Mussels
A clip top jar full of homemade instant noodles. A pair of chopsticks lifts a bite from the jar.
Make Your Own Just-Add-Hot-Water Instant Noodles (and Make Your Coworkers Jealous) | The Food Lab
20181109-breakdown-chicken-vicky-wasik-8-piece
How to Butcher a Chicken
For the Crispiest Chicken (and Turkey) Skin, Grab the Baking Powder
20141117-ham-guide-food-lab-spiral-4.jpg
The Food Lab's Definitive Guide to Buying and Cooking Hams
The rich, water-repellent surface of a well-seasoned board.
How to Season and Maintain a Wooden Cutting Board
Peeling an apple with a Y-peeler
Why a Y-Peeler Is the Best Vegetable Peeler
20140421-knife-skills-three-cuts-to-know-05.jpg
The 4 Knife Cuts Every Cook Should Know
20110131-portabella-mushroom-primary.jpg
How to Prepare Portobello Mushrooms | Knife Skills
Two hands placing a Ziplock bag with meat into it into a tub filled with water. This image displays how to use the "displacement method" for removing air from a bag without a vacuum sealer.
How to Seal Foods Airtight Without a Vacuum Sealer
20140427-sous-vide-steak-guide-food-lab-12.jpg
Knife Skills: How to Cut a Whole Beef Strip Loin Into Steaks
20141218-butchers-knot-how-to-12.jpg
How to Tie a Butcher's Knot
20151208-beef-stew-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
Stew Science: Should You Marinate the Beef First?
Unfold your steaks
How to Trim Skirt Steaks | Knife Skills
20160826-frozen-pie-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
How to Freeze and Thaw a Fresh-Fruit Pie
20101104-stir-fry-steak-primary.jpg
How to Cut Beef For Stir Fries | Knife Skills
20100331-Frenching-Lamb-carousel.jpg
How to Clean and French a Lamb Rack | Knife Skills
20160926-freeze-flat-6a.jpg
The Better, Faster Way to Freeze and Defrost Your Foods
20170425-whole-lobster-vicky-wasik.jpg
How to Eat a Whole Lobster
20120713-burger-topping-variations-primary.jpg
The Burger Lab: The Principles of Topping Burgers
20151111-measuring-rant-nila-jones-02.jpg
Ounces and Grams: Why Mass Is Not the Best Way to List Ingredients
20141113-baking-steel-turkey-recipe-7
How to Stock Your Thanksgiving Pantry
20170125-chocolate-scones-vicky-wasik-12.jpg
Freeze Scone Dough to Bake Up a Breakfast Treat Any Time
20100204-wrapcheese-thumbnail.jpg
How to Wrap and Store Cheese
Overhead of dried mushrooms soaking in stock in a glass measuring cup.
Soak Dried Mushrooms in Wine or Stock for More Flavor (and Efficiency)
Closeup of parsley and basil sprigs on a cutting board.
What to Do With Leftover Herb Stems
Cryo-Shucked Clams Recipe
Spice Hunting: Drying Chiles at Home
butchered pig carcass
How to Break Down a Pig
Whole ripe tomatoes on a plate with their top sides down.
Want Juicier Tomatoes? Store Them Upside Down
20140714-pesto-testing-vicky-wasik-34-thumb-1500xauto-407556.jpg
Making Pesto or Curry Paste? The Freezer Is Your Friend | The Food Lab
20100930Applechips1.jpg
How to Make Dried Apple Chips