Photo by Ambitious Studio* – Rick Barrett on Unsplash
Takeout favorites like burgers and pizzas are some of the best comforting foods around thanks to their heavy carb content, fond memories, and the fact that you can have them delivered right to your door.
Unfortunately, with the cost of food delivery at an all-time high, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy these tasty treats guilt-free. That’s why you could argue that there’s never been a better time to learn how to recreate your favorite authentic takeout dishes from home.
Just imagine if you could whip up one of your favorite burgers for half the cost and in a much healthier home-cooked version. Well, you can, and all you need to do is bear the following important points in mind.
Photo by Madie Hamilton on Unsplash
Ingredients really do matter
Most takeout chains have a few secret ingredients up their sleeves, and it’s these key additions that typically create the flavor profiles we love the most. When it comes to recreations, rushing to buy the ingredients that you ‘think’ should be right can end in pale imitations. Instead, do your research and find out as much about a chain’s ingredients as you can. For instance, you can’t recreate a Big Mac without the capers and gherkins that provide its iconic taste. Equally, remember that it’s the certified halal meat used in Tex’s chicken and burgers that make them so tender and juicy. These may seem like small details, but you’ll find it impossible to recreate genuine takeout tastes if you skip these crucial considerations when stocking your ingredients.
Don’t skip the elements
Often, key takeout foods like burgers and pizza are made by the additions we treat ourselves to when we have a whole menu to choose from. For instance, many people will invest in sides like coleslaw, gravy, and chicken wings when ordering out, while they wouldn’t even consider adding these to a homemade option. This may well be where you’re going wrong because it’s impossible to recreate a takeout vibe with a home-cooked dish when you’re removing everything that you love most about your takeout in the first place. Instead, make sure that you factor in these additional sides when you’re stocking your ingredients. It may mean a little extra work and expense, but the results will be worth it, and you can still rest easy that cooking from scratch will cost less than you would spend otherwise!
Presentation is key
Presentation matters with any dish you make, but it’s especially crucial for takeout recreations. After all, we’re psychologically trained to believe that takeouts come in boxes and, strange as it might be, a takeout recreation that’s served on plates with cutlery will fail to taste as good because of this. Instead, it’s worth stocking up on some mock takeout boxes and going all-out with a takeout-style presentation that keeps your brain receptive to the tastes you’ve recreated. Eat these with your hands in front of the tele, and you might just find that you really can achieve an authentic takeout experience from home.
