Practical Meal Tips



No matter what you’re preparing for dinner, these tips and techniques help make the meal a success.

APPETIZERS
Keep your appetizers on the light side and avoid repeating ingredients included in the main course. For instance, if your entrée is a chicken breast stuffed with cheese, steer away from a cheese platter appetizer.

BEEF/LAMB
In general, the cheaper the meat, the longer you need to cook it. "Select" grade chuck roast is fine for braising and pot roast, but consider a better cut and higher grade of meat for steaks on the grill. With lamb, darker color indicates an older, tougher animal.

CHICKEN/POULTRY
Add flavor to chicken by rubbing with olive oil and your favorite LAWRY’S® seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours before cooking. Roast your holiday turkey breast-side down, so the juices run to the breast, not the back.

DUCK
Don't stuff wild or domestic ducks. The domestic ducks are very fatty and the stuffing absorbs all of the grease. Stuffing wild ducks will promote overcooking of the bird. Wild ducks are best cooked in parts. The legs can roast for a couple of hours in liquid. The breasts cook more quickly.

FISH/SEAFOOD
If your fish tastes or smells fishy, don't attempt to cover it up with a Marinade. Freshly caught fish doesn't smell or taste fishy at all. When in doubt, throw it out! Shrimp is more flavorful when cooked in its shell.

PASTA
When adding pasta to soups, stews and casseroles, cook only halfway. Pasta will continue to cook in the soup!

If you’re serving pasta with sauce, feel free to cook it in advance. When you’re ready to use the noodles, simply rinse with cold water and toss with a small amount of olive oil. Just before serving, heat in boiling water, microwave or skillet.