Garbage in, garbage out. That’s especially true in cooking, and it’s why Ingredient Science matters so much. The quality of your ingredients is paramount to a great meal, and there are subtle but important differences among salts, oils, vinegars, flours, sugars, and spices that can make or break a dish. Knowing why they behave the way they do will make you a better cook, on the grill and off.
In this section, we explain those differences in plain English. Learn why the size of the grain matters in the science of salt, what’s really in that bottle in the science of liquid smoke, and the truth about everything from garlic and chiles to chocolate and MSG. And if you ever stumble over a term, our cooking and barbecue glossary has you covered.
