The good news is that learning to cook American food shouldn’t be too time-consuming. While culinary school can take a few months to two years to complete, learning the basic techniques needed to cook American cuisine can be mastered much quicker. Of course, this depends on several factors. Keep reading to learn about how you can learn American cooking and some resources to help speed the process along.
What is American Cooking?
The United States is known as a melting pot made up of immigrants from across the globe, enslaved people, and indigenous populations. These communities have all contributed to the culture and food of the country, providing inspiration, ingredients, and cooking techniques from all over the world.Â
Defining American cooking can be difficult as it varies by region. The South is known for savory barbecue but also has a French influence (just think about the doughy beignets of New Orleans) and the descendants of enslaved people, like the Gullah Geechee. The cuisine of the West is a fusion of Native American, Latin American, and Mexican while the Midwest is proudly known for being the home of meat and potatoes, thanks to a large population of European immigrants.Â
While defining American food can be tricky, several main dishes are most commonly associated with the nation’s cuisine: cookout food (hot dogs and hamburgers), southern (barbecue, grits, fried green tomatoes), meat and potatoes, and international dishes that have been given an American twist (pizza, pasta, Chinese food).
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Benefits of Learning American Cooking?
Learning how to cook American dishes can be beneficial in many ways. Cooking can help you to slow down and set aside daily stressors by focusing on learning techniques and recipes. There are even studies, like this one cited in Southern Living, that show that small, creative projects like baking or cooking can help you feel more relaxed and happier in your everyday life.
Cooking is often encouraged as a hobby for older adults as a way to keep them nimble. Prepping and cooking require the use of your fine motor skills so you can improve your hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity through measuring, chopping, and stirring ingredients.
An American cooking class can also be a great way to make new friends. You and your fellow students will already have something in common and, oftentimes, will be given opportunities to work together while learning various recipes. American cuisine is a blend of many culinary styles and attracts people from all backgrounds, so you can meet people from communities different from your own.Â
If you currently work in the culinary arts, learning new recipes and techniques in an American cooking class can be a great way to level up your career. You can study the cultural fusion central to American cuisine and then infuse it into your restaurant’s menu. Elevating your dishes could even result in landing you on a list like Mash’s The Absolute Best American Restaurants in the U.S.
Average Time It Takes to Learn American Cooking
Just like with most hobbies, the more frequently you practice cooking techniques, the faster you learn them. Learning the fundamentals of American cooking can be done in a matter of a few hours, but it may take a few weeks of practice for you to really get them down. There are a few factors that can affect how quickly you learn. Read below to find out more.
Your Reason for Learning
Why did you choose to learn American cooking? Your reason for learning can have a direct impact on how quickly you learn. For instance, those who are looking to expand their culinary career may have a higher drive to learn quickly than someone who is casually exploring a new hobby. Do you have a special event or dinner party coming up that you are preparing for? Having a strong motivation and a goal for why you’re learning can help keep you going when you run into any challenges.Â
Prior Skills
American cuisine relies on the same fundamental skills as most cooking, so having the basics mastered can give you an upper hand. Knowing your way around a saute pan, how to slice and dice vegetables, and how to gauge when meat is properly cooked will all help you to feel more confident and better prepared for your American cooking class.Â
Patience and Passion
Cooking can often require both precise adherence to a recipe and the ability to innovate. Mistakes will happen in the kitchen, so it's important you can practice patience. Missing a fresh herb? Try substituting for the dried version you most likely have in your pantry. Being flexible and creative will go a long way in the kitchen. It’s easier to be patient and adaptable when you remember you’re why (the reason you wanted to learn).Â
What to Know Before Learning American CookingÂ
Learning American cooking is accessible to most people. It doesn’t require any prerequisites (although prior cooking skills are helpful) and it isn’t expensive to learn. It also isn’t as difficult as learning other cuisines since most ingredients can be found readily available in your local grocery store. The biggest thing to remember with American cooking is that recipes and cooking techniques can vary widely, depending on which region of the US you are in or what cultural influences are for the dishes you’re learning.Â
Can I Learn American Cooking for Free / on My Own?
Recipe blogs and online video tutorials do offer free American cooking instruction and can be great places to decide if a cooking class is the right choice for you. Ultimately though, in-person classes led by trained experts are the best option for in-depth learning that will immerse you in the tools, techniques, and ingredients of American cooking.
Key Takeaways
- American cooking is as diverse and vibrant as the country’s citizens. It calls upon the culinary traditions of indigenous people, immigrants from across the globe, and the soulful recipes created by enslaved people.Â
- Learning American cooking can improve your mental health, enhance your fine motor skills, help you make friends, and even advance your culinary career.
- Learning to cook American cuisine can be accomplished in just a few hours or a few weeks, depending on your previous skills and reason for learning. Culinary school would provide more in-depth training but requires a substantially larger time commitment, from a few months to two years.
- Several factors can affect how quickly you learn, like your reason for learning, prior skills, and whether you possess patience and passion.Â
- In need of private lessons or a private group class? CourseHorse can provide those! You can contact CourseHorse via the website to discuss all available options, including both in-person and virtual classes.