What is your food prep nemesis?

[synodog]

Back in the days when getting pre-shredded cheese was a luxury, having to grate cheese whether for pizza or tacos. Oh what a pain. When we finally got a food processor it was so nice.

[hoovarmin]

True that!

[Troutman]

I like doing it all . I mean would you rather cut the grass, or dust the whole house, or do the laundry, or scrub the toilets, or re-roof the house, or paint the garage, or change your oil, or scrub the moldy shower, or clean a poopy diaper, or do any other form of drudgery you can think of?

Yea I didn’t think so 😂

[hoovarmin]

I think I would feel that way if back pain weren't an issue. I do take great satisfaction in gritting it out to serve a great meal to my family though.

[WayneT]

I mostly enjoy prep work but have lower back issues also. I feel your pain, Dave. There ain’t a Salonpas strong enough…

[hoovarmin]

Mine is in my upper mid back. That's where my back sorta folded when the car hit me from behind. Looking down and cutting aggravates it to the point that I've had to start chunking up the prep, beginning many hours before a cook and taking intermittent breaks.

[Biobus]

Cuttings onions… gets me every time!

[hoovarmin]

Ironically, that's the one that doesn't bother me so much. Go figure!

[BostonBestEats]

Post deleted

[hoovarmin]

Amen

[TripleB]

Scraping fat off of chicken thigh skin. Always seem to tear one or two skins.

[hoovarmin]

You just scratched an itch I forgot I had. Yes to this a thousand times.

[Skip]

I don't like to cook with others close by because too many people stand around and visit and don't clean as they go. I don't mind cleaning up but I don't want a huge mess to clean when all is done!

[Draznnl]

And some people don’t understand the phrase, “please clean the knives as soon as you finish using them.” Not that any such people ever visit and decide to “help out” in my kitchen.

[hoovarmin]

Oh my, that gets me too. By the time dinner is ready when I'm cooking there isn't a dish in the sink or any mess on the counter. I am like The Anal Retentive Chef from the old SNL skit with Phil Hartman back in the 90's.

[Spinaker]

I like the food prep part of it. Oddly, I love peeling garlic. I smash it with the side of my knife and then remove the husk. It makes it really easy.

Now for the part I don't like........People. I think it is because I lived alone for so long. I hate when other people are in the kitchen or out by the grill/smoker. I like to be alone and in my own space. Especially if I am in the kitchen prepping BBQ stuff. I always try to prep and cook stuff at my house if I can help it. That way I have control over who is around and when. And I don't feel bad about telling people to get out of the kitchen.

Trimming briskets and having someone watch is fine, but I don't want to explain to them why I am doing what I am doing. My favorite is when they tell me they watched a YT video or read about brisket prep on the Traeger website....then pretend like that has any credibility what so ever. Or that I would change what I am doing because of what they watched. Go to your own kitchen and do that. I don't wanna hear it.

[SheilaAnn]

When BF gives “advice”….. I just say “yes chef” and then go back to doing what I’m doing. If he insists, I hand him (enter utensil name here) and tell him to have at it. That usually shuts him up! All the rest of my pals know better. 😝

[hoovarmin]

SheilaAnn I can be kind of snarky. Sometimes in that situation I look at the advisor and tell them, "The great thing for you is that it's okay to be wrong."

[barelfly]

👀 over your shoulder….is what you are saying then

[Huskee]

I hate slicing onions. Not because of the fumes & the eye watering, I just can never do it right. But perhaps the biggest for me with any cooking/prep is cleanup afterward. I despise cleaning up after cooking.

[Spinaker]

I don’t like it either, but I HATE a messy kitchen or things in the sink, so one out weighs the other. 🤣

[DavidNorcross]

Onions are my favorite.

[Spinaker]

Might not be anything better DavidNorcross

Fried in tallow? You kidding me? Unreal.

[Locotech]

I'll have to say my wife. I decide to "create" a meal. She decides it's a good time to empty the dishwasher, or wash the floor, or bake some banana bread. We have a small kitchen and now it's like a combat zone, trying to avoid each other...ARGHHHH.

[SheilaAnn]

It’s like kitchen sonar. BF hears I’m in the kitchen (he hasn’t been in there all day) and all the sudden gotta wash the tea cup, refil the water jug, etc. the list goes on.

[RichardCullip]

Chopping onions. I always cry when prepping onions.

[hoovarmin]

That usually means either your knife is not sharp enough our you are pressing down and not using a slicing motion. A sharp knife will eliminate a multitude of tears over a lifetime.

[Carolyn]

I am real sensitive to onions. I used to wear my swim goggles while chopping them.