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We usually follow a new recipe the first time and if we like it, it gets tweaked the next time.
That's what I do. The first time I follow every jot and tittle of the recipe. When I'm done and I taste the finished product, I ask, "Can I make this better?" That's when I start tinkering.
A couple of years ago I tried a very popular chocolate cake recipe from the King Arthur Baking blog. I don't understand why it was so popular because it wasn't very good. So I reversed engineered the recipe, along the lines of a Texas sheet cake (aka the Southern chocolate buttermilk cake). I can truly say that my version of the recipe leaves the King Arthur recipe in the dust.
That's what I do. The first time I follow every jot and tittle of the recipe. When I'm done and I taste the finished product, I ask, "Can I make this better?" That's when I start tinkering.
A couple of years ago I tried a very popular chocolate cake recipe from the King Arthur Baking blog. I don't understand why it was so popular because it wasn't very good. So I reversed engineered the recipe, along the lines of a Texas sheet cake (aka the Southern chocolate buttermilk cake). I can truly say that my version of the recipe leaves the King Arthur recipe in the dust.
I didn’t find my answer on the poll. I always strictly follow a recipe, as given, the first time I make it. After that, I might tweek it a bit, if I think it’s worth making again.
I’ve been getting dinnerly.com deliveries for a few months and I’ve noticed that their preparation instructions are often needlessly complicated, and use more pans, or prepping than necessary. I frequently can streamline the instructions a lot.
I'm between options 1 and 2 on the poll. I have no problem altering recipes, especially substituting vegetables or proteins. Seasonings will be adjusted as I go, but I use the recipe as a guide. Baking is usually done per the recipe, especially when making something for the first time.
If the recipe is online, I always check the reviews first and will often make alterations from those.
I don't need to use recipes anymore to put dinner on the table. But I do occasionally encounter one that piques my interest. In that case, I generally follow it as written, as I want to taste what the author is trying to communicate with me. From then on, if I like it, I'll make adjustments or not.
Lately, I substituted 6 oz. of thick sliced slab bacon for 4 oz. of pancetta in Lucinda Scala Quinn's recipe for Amatriciana sauce, as I know I don't really like pancetta. With the bacon, it was absolutely wonderful. I tried it the second time with pancetta, just to see what it's like. I was right the first time. I like bacon better, and it made a great tomato sauce. Amatriciana goes very well with bucatini pasta and freshly grated Pecorino Romano, should you want to try it.
Bucatini is one of my favorite pasta shapes, but I rarely see it in the stores. I think I made a ground pork and (what I call) melted-veggie ragu to go with it. The veggies are not really melted, just panfried long enough to caramelize and soften them before adding to the meat.
It really depends upon what I am cooking. Some meals, where I am more confident with it, I'll go by judgment or improvise, but in cases regarding things I cook rarely, I will stick more to the recipe with only minor alterations.
Bucatini is one of my favorite pasta shapes, but I rarely see it in the stores. I think I made a ground pork and (what I call) melted-veggie ragu to go with it. The veggies are not really melted, just panfried long enough to caramelize and soften them before adding to the meat.
Gemelli is hard to find too. It’s a nice sturdy pasta that doesn’t get mushy in pasta salads.
After a person has been cooking for a good while they know what they (and their family) likes and adjusts recipes accordingly.
With the exception of baking (which should be carried out following the recipe like a potentially explosive chemistry formula) recipes are just recommendations -- "this is how I did it and it turned out good but there are different ways to do it which may be just as good".
Plus, my favorite part of the recipes online is reading the reviews and what they changed, I get some great ideas from that.
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I never follow the recipe precisely, I've seen so many recipes that add ingredients with such small quantities that they could never have an effect on the product, it seems they add them to make the recipe look more elaborate.
Recipes are usually crafted by someone who may have less cooking experience than you do - why listen to them?
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...That sounds delicious.
