One of the most fundamental techniques in preparing any recipe is to follow Mise en Place which can have a significant impact on the outcome of the meal.
One of the most important lessons I learned early in my cooking journey was the idea of Mise en Place. Of course, I didn’t know the term at the time, but more of the general concept behind it. But once I started regularly following this I saw a vast improvement in my cooking.
Mise en Place is pronounced Meez ahn plahs. It is a French term that translates to “put in place”. It means to have all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, etc. before you start cooking. It’s not only ingredients, but it also considers having all of your pans, bowls, tools, and any other necessary equipment. Basically, have everything out and measured and ready so you can prepare your recipe seamlessly.
Originally Published On: February 23, 2018
Last Updated On: August 12, 2020
Mise en Place before Cooking
So why should we practice the Mise en Place technique?
Missing Ingredients
When you get all of the ingredients out and ready before you start cooking, you can quickly and easily spot anything you are missing. It gives you time to find a substitute or run to the store or a neighbor’s to get what you need. You may also have less of an ingredient than you originally thought. And it again gives you time to figure it out.
Ingredient Prep
Often a recipe will have special preparation directions in the ingredients list which can be overlooked easily. But if you are getting all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time, you can catch these small directions which might hold you up later. For example, if some of the ingredients need to be at room temperature or melted or toasted, you can do that before you start cooking. Some recipes have to be handled quickly or constantly stirred. This means you won’t have time to take care of these while cooking.
While Cooking
Prepare the Recipe
When you have all of your ingredients prepped and measured, you can set them up in an assembly line of sorts to make the meal prep quicker and easier. This is your mise en place while cooking. Line up the ingredients in the order they will be used. This will also ensure that you don’t miss a step. As you are doing this, you can also get an idea of how long each step is going to take. That way you know when you need to start different aspects of the recipe to have it done together.
Why it Helps
Complicated Recipes Become Easier
Sometimes, when you look at a recipe, it can seem a bit overwhelming. But if you can break it down into sections, and get yourself prepared, the recipe becomes more manageable. By having your ingredients and tools ready to go, you are cutting down on a lot of the work that has to be done during the meal prep. There’s a reason that a recipe is written with instructions broken down by numbers. You can take it one step at a time.
Mise en Place helps cooks and chefs at every level. If you ever watch a cooking show, they always get their ingredients ready, measured, cut, peeled, chopped, and prepared in whatever way possible before they even start cooking. The oven is preheated, and the oil is warmed before using. In other words, everything is ready before they start cooking. For some reason, it seems that those starting out on their cooking journey seem to overlook this simple concept, but it can make a huge difference in the outcome of the recipe.
Of course, Mise en Place won’t teach you how to cook or prevent you from burning the cookies, but it will help keep you organized as you are working on a new recipe. So let me know, do you get all of your ingredients and utensils ready before you start cooking or do you just dive into a recipe and hope for the best?
Doing the prep is extremely important ahead of time and actually saves time. I gather all the ingredients first. Out comes the correct pans, bowls, measuring spoons, cups and everything I need to make the delicious masterpiece.
Meal prep is everything!!! Its super frustrating when you’re missing an ingredient.
This is exactly how I cook…but I’ve never thought of it in those terms before. Love it.
This is exactly how I cook 🙂 it just makes sense to make sure I have all my ingredients in place and ready to go. It also makes cooking with children a lot more enjoyable 😊
This was an excellent read. I’m such a scatter brained person and it bleeds into my cooking too. I’m gonna try to keep these tips in mind.
I felt like I had heard this term before, but did not know what it meant. Thanks for the explanation here. There is so much you can do better if you have everything ready beforehand. And you won’t be rushing around during which is important when you need to watch things while you cook.
Great tips! Meal preps is everything! It’s so much important to gather all the ingredients before cooking the dishes.
This cuts down so much on actual cooking time! :] Lately, I’ve been meal prepping with a friend so that we can make more food more quickly! 😛
Yes! This totally makes everything so easier. We do Hello Fresh meals weekly and it has you prep everything before you start, makes total sense.
Awesome tips! Meal prep is so important!
That is exactly what I do before cooking! I make sure I cut and prepare all the ingredients and that helps me focus on the actual cooking…
Oh I had no idea this was a thing but I always do this! I wanted to make muffins the other day and realized I had no nutmeg, which I def needed! Was very helpful to know this before I was halfway through mixing!
This is definitely the way things should be done…I don’t always get the opportunity to practice Mise En Place in the kitchen but it makes for a much smoother and enjoyable cooking experience so definitely something to aim for.
I wish I have found out the useful post before. Since I have faced an ample of frustrating situations while cooking only not for gathering indrigents before. Thanks for sharing
You have great recipes, This one again is something I have never tried. Thanks for sharing!
Never heard this term before, but it makes sense. It’s best to be prepared up front to save time later.
Meal prep is one of the things I do to save time and get more things done. i will definitely add this to my list
this is my first time knowing of this concept. Thanks for sharing
This makes sense! So much easier to prep ahead of time to help the cooking go smoothly.
This is how I cook too. I bought some bento food trays which I use to place measured ingredients. It is more convenient for me that way that to use so many different bowls. Getting all ingredients and cookware ready before turning on the stove actually helps cut down the time I spend in the kitchen.
Yes! The prep was is the hardest and the most important. I am always missing something in the last hour. I love this new french word. I am going to start using it in my kitchen!
I’ve heard that term on cooking shows but never knew the meaning until today! Thanks for teaching me something new.
Preparing all of the ingredients first makes the cooking process so much easier. I especially love to weigh and,easure before beginning to cook.
Hhhhmmmm….alright then! If you say so about complicated recipes becoming easier to cook out! Thanks for sharing.
Meal prep comes so in handy!
This simplified concept of preparing and cooking meals would prove useful in my chaotic kitchen. Thanks