Those who have watched at least one episode of Hell's Kitchen probably know that no matter your skill level, if Gordon Ramsay walks in on you operating a stove or maybe even chopping up some veggies, he will find a habit of yours that would actually be considered a disgrace in a Michelin-star restaurant.

But that's the thing. Most of us aren't making dishes so the front of the house can sell them for tens or even hundreds of dollars. We're just trying to get some calories in on a Tuesday evening. Which is why we are not only ignorant of the rules but also sometimes straight up choose to reject them altogether.

So when Reddit user Timecoyote asked the platform's community r/Cooking, "What's a Cooking sin you won't even try to defend, yet you do it anyway?" many people replied. In less than a few weeks, their post has already received over 4.8K upvotes and 3.9K comments, full of honest confessions. Continue scrolling to check them out.

#1

I haven’t replaced several of the spices in my spice rack for years (seriously, who uses that much dill?). I’m sure they’re less pungent now, but it’s far too expensive to replace them regularly.

Image credits: LaitdePoule999

#2

Unless I'm really trying to impress someone, I just use that minced garlic from the jar.

Image credits: timecoyote

#3

If the recipe calls for a certain type of onion, I will always use whatever onion I already have.

#4

I overcook pasta. Yes, al dente lovers, I know this is an Italian sin. But I prefer my pasta when it's super soft.

Image credits: caseycatlady

#5

I never make my own stock or broth. I just buy Better than Boullion, dashi or kombu packets, etc.

Image credits: IStillLikeBeers

#6

Thawing chicken breast on the counter.
Haven't gotten sick yet, neither has anyone in my house.

Image credits: pacifistpotatoes

#7

I don't use separate cutting boards for meat and veggies. I just do not see the point - I just cut the meat at the end of the cutting process, and it gets washed after that.

I don't use fresh tomatoes even if a recipe calls for it, just canned. I just cannot be bothered to deal with the mess that chopping up fresh tomatoes makes.

Image credits: zekromNLR

#8

I only stir the risotto occasionally. Not even frequently, and definitely not constantly.

Image credits: Missus_Aitch_99

#9

I melt chocolate in the microwave. It's just so much easier and faster than pulling out a double boiler.

Image credits: Jerkrollatex

#10

My sin: i cook my rice like pasta. i dont want a rice cooker and cant learn the science of ratios and time so i just cook and drain.

Image credits: todaystartsnow

#11

I rarely taste as I go. And if I'm feeling impatient, I will grossly overcrowd the pan, preventing any respectable browning from happening.

Image credits: KieselguhrKid13

#12

I buy pre-made pie crusts. I love cooking almost everything with well-sourced ingredients from scratch, but I cannot be forced to make a crust for a quiches or pies.

#13

I like pineapple on pizza. Not gonna change my mind!

#14

I break spaghetti in half before putting it in the pot of boiling water. Then I cut it up even more on my plate before eating it.

As for the why? It’s the way my mom did it. So now it’s the way I do it. My sisters break and then cut their spaghetti too. We’re all monsters.

Image credits: LynnOnTheWeb

#15

5 second rule.

#16

I’ve never in my life sifted flour.

Image credits: Pump_N_Dump

#17

I once used mayonnaise to make pasta dough because I ran out of eggs. Actually came out really well.

Image credits: elmartin93

#18

When I cook for just myself my standards are so disgustingly low that the same people impressed by my cooking would be equally horrified.

#19

I soak and wash mushrooms in lots of water. I never understood the "they'll soak up the water" crowd. So you have to saute them a little longer to dry them out. Better than eating manure fertilizer.

#20

I use extra virgin olive oil all the time when cooking and I don't care who knows it.

#21

I use the hell out of the tubes of garlic, basil, or ginger paste in the veggie cooler at my local grocery store when I'm in a hurry. (Gourmet Garden brand) When I'm taking my time I use the the real deal.

Image credits: Maldibus

#22

I don’t mix together all the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls when baking. I just throw everything together and mix it with an electric hand mixer.

Image credits: YRMOAGTIOK

#23

I buy preshredded cheese unless I need the cheese to melt smoothly for a cheese sauce or something. But for everyday burritos, eggs, tacos, etc.? Pass the bag of shreds. Cleaning the box grater isn't difficult but I'm lazy.

#24

I don't let my steak rest after cooking it. I like eating it right away while it's still hot.

#25

I never measure seasonings. 1/2 tsp? How about two or three shakes? Maybe more if I feel like it. If your recipe calls for a 1/4 tsp of something, go f**k yourself.

#26

I don't rinse rice. Ever.

#27

Mine may be worse…. I opt for powdered garlic pretty frequently!

#28

I cut my onions unevenly.

I like the taste of darkly-browned ones, golden-sauteed, and barely-sweated all together.

#29

Tonight, I made gnocchi, but I used instant mashed potatoes because while I love rolling out individual gnocchi, I hate prepping the potatoes. Took half the time, and tastes great for a weeknight meal!

#30

I cook eggs on medium and higher heat. Just rip em real quick. None of that slow cooked gooey slimy sloppy eggs like Gordon Ramsey does

#31

I always buy canned Hunt’s (sometimes DelMonte) spaghetti sauce and doctor it up with meat and veggies.. whatever I have. Never make sauce from scratch.

#32

I wash chicken. I have to, there’s so much slime and stink

#33

I use pre-ground black pepper. Yes, I know fresh ground is better. I just don’t want to stand there and grind out pepper while I’m trying to cook dinner. If you want fresh ground, you can do it at the table!

#34

Tasting with the same spoon I use to stir.

I’m cooking for my family. I kiss em all and we all share the same germs so... whatevs...

#35

I just use the marinara from Costco and add some spices and bay leaves to it. I just can’t compete with it.

#36

I use a cornstarch slurry instead of making a roux to thicken my food. It turns out smooth every time and takes minimal effort.

#37

I season my eggs while they’re still cooking.

#38

I don't use parsley, I'll tell you that right now. It's a bunch of b******t is what it is.

#39

I don’t sharpen my knives half as often as I should.

#40

I never check the date on any dried good/powder/etc. Hello lentils that have been sitting at the back of my shelf for ten years until I uncovered you this morning. In you go. Oh, good to see you garlic pepper that has been open for at least three house moves and probably doesn’t taste of anything. Let’s sprinkle you in.

#41

I don't use a knife to slice mushrooms, I just tear them into chunks with my hands. I don't peel them either.

#42

I put mayonnaise in my udon :/ It immediately gets all weird and clumpy but I did it back when I had no money to add other flavors in there, and honestly I still like the taste...

#43

I absolutely refuse to make those horizontal cuts when dicing an onion.

#44

I leave the thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs and bay leaves in the food.

I like the way they look.

If you're dumb enough to eat it, that's your problem.

#45

I purposely over cook my eggs because I like them crispy and hard yolk is delicious to me.

#46

Most of the time I don't preheat the oven. I just stick stuff in there cold and add ten minutes or so to the time.

Image credits: EvilDonald44

#47

I always chop bacon before pan frying.

#48

I cook acidic food in my cast iron.

#49

Did commit: While in college, I was responsible for cooking the turkey one Thanksgiving while my mom was working and other family were hunting. My mom left very clear instructions, number one being “wash the bird.” I did, with soap. More specifically, with Lysol because, as I head learned in a food science class, turkeys were germy. Fifteen years later I am still not allowed to participate in prepping the turkey.

#50

When a recipe calls for diced carrots and it's just me, instead of getting the cutting board & knife out....I just 'dice' them by biting them with my teeth and letting them drop into a bowl.

#51

I use Parmesan on all pasta dishes, including those containing fish. Where there is pasta, there belongs Parmesan cheese.

#52

If the recipe has me mix in like 5 ingredients, but has me adding them each individually and fully incorporating them before adding the next… I’m just dumping all 5 in at once.

#53

Kraft singles are the only type of cheese one should use for grilled cheese sandwiches (and of course, it should all be dunked in the required tomato soup on the side).

#54

I use garlic in my carbonara. I don't care what traditional Italian chefs say — because it makes the dish taste so much better.

#55

I’m not sure if it’s a sin but people look at me like I killed their mom. I rinse my cooked burger under hot water before I put it back in the pot/pan and finish cooking whatever it is. And then people get even more mad when I tell them I still have to do it with my lean burger; I just don’t like grease floating around unless it’s an actual hamburger patty lmao.

#56

I never brown my meat before making beef stew. I do use an instant pot and it does not seem to make any difference in taste (after initially trying both ways).

#57

I put my knives in the dishwasher. Yes, I'm pure evil in human form.

#58

The only Mac & cheese I like comes in a blue box.

#59

I put frozen meat right into the crock pot. I have been doing it for over 25 years and not one person sick.

#60

I never follow a recipe fully. I use recipes for ideas of ingredients. I never measure anything.

#61

Not really cooking but I sometimes grind enough coffee beans for several days. Never noticed a big difference.

#62

The one about adding milk or crème fraîche to scrambled eggs. It works great for me.

#63

Cream in my risotto. It doesn't *need* it. But sometimes you want double-creamy.

#64

I use powdered gravy mixes. McCormick makes it so damn easy, and tasty!

#65

I always use salted butter when something calls for butter.

#66

I use frozen diced onions, because chopping them absolutely kills my eyes.

#67

I leave my leftover food out on the counter overnight all the time, never gotten sick.

#68

I eat off my cutting board far more often than I should.

#69

I know about cutting on the bias, the optimal way to cut meats to be tender, seam butchering the different muscles down to be cut to *chef's kiss*

If I'm cooking a steak for myself these days I'll usually just get it to rare/medium rare and go at it with my hands and teeth like an animal.

#70

Sometimes I take the plastic entirely off the lasagna even though the box says just to make a slit.

#71

I use my knife as a bench scraper constantly. I know I know, but I'm not gonna stop doing it either.

#72

My fettuccine Alfredo is nothing similar to an authentic recipe but mine is better. Wine, mushroom, shallot, onion powder, garlic powder, butter, garlic butter, parmigiana, mozzarella, heavy cream, flour roux, parsley. It’s absolutely the most delicious sauce ever, lick your plate good.

The secret to an amazing sauce with incredible flavour is using a rose wine, not white. It’s the kind of flavour that you’d spend years trying to identify and never getting it right. Pink wine does the trick!

#73

Is not peeling carrots a sin? I don’t peel carrots.

#74

I eat raw cookie dough, brownie batter and cake batter. EVERY SINGLE DAMN TIME.

And yes, I got Salmonella once and still do it. Ain’t no shame in my raw egg eatin’ game.

#75

I use those little containers of garlic butter you get from the pizza place sometimes to make garlic bread in a pinch.

#76

Okay, I love making pancakes some weekends & had pulled most everything out when I realized I didn't have vinegar. I make buttermilk when I make pancakes, so I dug around & found balsamic vinegar. Well, I figured, 'why not?'

Now I only make buttermilk using balsamic vinegar & it goes over very well.

#77

I use such a c**p knife sharpener I'm mad at myself about it but I still haven't taken the plunge and gone over to a proper whetstone. My knives just don't hold up the way they should though and I've definitely ruined a pretty good Japanese chef's knife on this thing and yet I still keep using it.

#78

Almost afraid to type this...

We used more grated Parmesan in our house than shredded. Yes, I know shredded tastes good, but I grew up on grated, and it tastes good, too.

Sorry, not sorry.

#79

I don't usually bother blanching meat prior to stewing or skimming stock.

In Chinese cooking, this is basically "how cook 101"

#80

I prefer Miracle Whip over Mayo on sandwiches. (most of the time) I grew up with it. Blame my upbringing.

#81

I measure liquids in the dry cups.

#82

Speghaccos. You heard me. Spaghetti with meatballs in a taco shell.

#83

I started washing my cast iron pans. I understand it takes the seasoning off, but I’d rather have a clean and sanitary pan. Also I usually reseason on the pan with some oil after it drys.