13 Of Andrew Zimmern's Best Cooking Tips
Andrew Zimmern may be a celebrity chef, but he certainly isn't your typical Hollywood TV personality. Although he grew up in the hustle and bustle of New York City, Zimmern traded the Big Apple for the relative quiet of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. His Minnesotan home is surrounded by trees and is just a short drive from the northern woods, where he enjoys foraging, hunting, and fishing for food.
As one of the most outdoorsy celebrity chefs out there, Zimmern produces and hosts "Wild Game Kitchen," a television program that airs on the Outdoor Channel. According to the official Outdoor Channel website, Zimmern "demystifies cooking wild food over an open fire, creating delicious and easy meals, while sharing tips for sourcing, butchering and preparing game meat and fish."
While this prospect may sound daunting, Zimmern does everything he can to make outdoor cooking as simple as possible for the folks back home. From his suggestion to always grill fish with its skin still on to his tips for choosing the best crab, Zimmern is here to help you prepare wild foods that are both safe and delicious.
1. Grill your fish skin-on
Of all the celebrity chefs on TV, there might not be anyone who parallels Andrew Zimmern's exact grilling experience. Over the years, Zimmern has collaborated with chefs across the globe to grill diverse meats, ranging from iguana legs to squab to even smoked armadillos. Therefore, when it comes to a food item as simple as fish, Zimmern can seem like something of a grill master. However, his advice for preparing fish is simple — grill it with the skin on.
As stated in Andrew Zimmern's seven easy tips for grilling blog post, leaving the skin on your fish is one of the best things you can do. Apparently, this strategy will prevent the flesh from flaking and falling apart once it hits the grill. As Zimmern wrote in his blog, "Taking the skin off a fish makes it stick. A well-oiled, clean hot grill and a well-seasoned and oiled piece of fish will never stick."
Because of this, the next time that you are getting ready to whip up a batch of grilled sardines, be sure to keep the skin on. Simply grab the whole fish, dunk it in olive oil, and throw it straight on the barbecue. This will keep the meat from becoming too dry, leaving you with a meal that's soft rather than crispy.
2. Dredge your fried chicken in a paper bag
Andrew Zimmern is perhaps best known for making the unique eats featured on his old show, "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern." However, that doesn't mean that the celebrity chef doesn't know how to make a mean American classic. One of the most basic foods that Zimmern likes to cook is fried chicken, although the outdoorsman has an unusual tip for dredging the meat using a brown paper bag. As the celebrity chef explained in a video for TikTok, "There is no better vessel for dredging large pieces and large volumes of chicken than a [paper grocery store] shopping bag."
To take a page out of Zimmern's book, throw some flour and a generous dose of seasoning inside a large shopping bag. Then, grab your marinated chicken and place it piece by piece into the bag. Ultimately, you should fold the bag, turn it upside down, and gently shake its contents until the flour creates a nice thick layer on the chicken.
Although this strategy won't alter the flavor of your fried chicken, it will prevent your kitchen from becoming a total mess. Zimmern's strategy means that you'll never have to dig your hands into the squishy combination of raw bird and wet flour. Since the brown paper bag is easily discardable, it will also save you the trouble of scrubbing any sort of mixing bowl afterward.
3. Marinade your grilled chicken in yogurt
Fried chicken is not the only classic meal that Andrew Zimmern serves up in style. The "Wild Game Kitchen" star also prepares an awesome version of grilled chicken using a unique ingredient — a yogurt marinade. In his seven easy tips for grilling blog post, Zimmern stated that he likes to marinate his chicken by placing it "into a bag with some yogurt, a little garlic, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil."
Interestingly, there is a science that explains why Zimmern's yogurt marinade works so well. Writing for Serious Eats, molecular biologist Nik Sharma clarified that yogurt marinades use lactic acids to tenderize meat, as opposed to the citric acids found in lemon-based marinades or the acetic acid in vinegar-based ones. Per the scientist, animal meat reacts best to lactic acids, as this type of tenderizer is most natural to these organisms. Because of this, yogurt-based marinades tend to increase your chicken's water retention, giving you a succulent result.
To put Zimmern's advice to the test, consider making a grilled chicken with escarole and beans recipe. The night before you get cooking, place your raw chicken in Zimmern's yogurt marinade and let it sit for almost a full day. The result should be mild, creamy, and super juicy.
4. Throw your leftover fruit on the grill
It's not always easy to know what to do with leftovers, but Andrew Zimmern is full of creative solutions. The grill master suggests grabbing any overripe fruit and throwing it on the barbecue. In his same blog post about grilling tips, Zimmern opined that this strategy helps rescue fruits that are no longer good to eat raw. The way he sees it, "Stone fruit like plums, peaches, and nectarines, often have mealy-texture issues. Sometimes they're not ideally ripe for eating out of hand." In these situations, Zimmern says to roll your fruit in lemon juice and sugar before cooking them over a hot fire and plating them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
While this method is probably best suited to make unique fruity desserts, Zimmern says that it also works well for savory meals. As he wrote on his blog, "Last week, I grilled shrimp and wedges of almost ripe mango!" To put the celebrity chef's advice to the test, try making grilled pork tenderloin and serving it with a side of grilled granny smith apples. Here, the tartness of the fruit will help cut the fattiness of the meat to create a meal that feels a little bit more well-balanced.
5. Wrap your trout in prosciutto
If you are looking to give your fresh catch some surf and turf energy, look no further than Andrew Zimmern's advice. The culinary expert recommends wrapping some trout in prosciutto before throwing it on the grill. This will give your fish an extra boost of flavor. On an episode of "Good Morning America," Zimmern explained why this combination works so well: "The ham, as it melts and gets crispy, will actually base the fish with that salty antique flavor of pork that we love with prosciutto." The fat from the prosciutto should also prevent moisture from seeping out of the trout, ensuring that your fish retains its luscious and flaky texture.
To make trout the Zimmern way, start by wrapping large sheets of prosciutto around the belly of the fish. If your pork pieces aren't large enough to circle all the way around the fish, fear not. Zimmern says to stretch the prosciutto as far as it can reach and then place the trout on the grill so that the side that lacks ham faces downward. The gorgeous pink meat will stick to the fish as it grills, securing its place on the trout.
6. Eat your steak at room temperature
There may be nothing quite as tempting as a bit of juicy steak fresh off the grill, but Andrew Zimmern warns not to dig in while the meat is still hot. According to the chef and television host, you should actually wait until your steak cools down to set it on the dinner table. Speaking on an episode of "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern" (via Insider), Zimmern said, "The big mistake people make is eating their grilled beef hot." Apparently, his rationale is that you can taste the meat better at a colder temperature.
"When the meat rests and starts to get cool, all of that fat goes back into the muscles and becomes much more tender," he shared. Of course, if you do serve your steak cold, then you should try plating it differently. Ditch the traditional meat and potatoes set-up and trade it in for something that accentuates your steak's flavor. Zimmern recommends cutting your meat into thin slices, drizzling olive oil on top, and then sprinkling some salt over the whole creation. He also suggests pairing this with some cold sides, like arugula and lemon.
7. Chop and freeze your veggies in advance
For some people, being a whiz in the kitchen means that you can whip up a couple of good meals. For others, however, it means that you have mastered beautiful cooking techniques. Luckily, Andrew Zimmern encourages his fans to do both. The celebrity chef even has a few tips to help home cooks chop veggies like professionals. Speaking to Morning Honey, Zimmern said that the best thing you can do to handle a knife like a chef is to practice constantly. Zimmern says a great way to improve your knife skills by "about 1,000%" is to "cut up a couple of carrots and onions every other day."
Repeatedly chopping carrots and onions might help cooks hone their knife skills, but it could be challenging to integrate these same two ingredients into meals day after day. To compensate for the increased volume of chopped veggies in your kitchen, Zimmern recommends bagging them and putting them in the freezer. Months later, when you are getting ready to make a stress-free weeknight meal, you can defrost your onions and carrots, and they will be prepared to go.
8. Buy a smaller fridge to help with meal planning
Food waste is a huge issue, and Andrew Zimmern knows it. In 2021, the TV personality partnered with the German grocery store chain, Aldi, to try to bring awareness to this problem. In Zimmern's opinion, we can reduce food waste and increase our efficiency in the kitchen by being more intentional about our meal planning. And ultimately, these efforts lead us to purchase fresher, whole ingredients.
In an interview with Southern Living, Zimmern opened up about his personal decision to downsize his food storage. Apparently, the celebrity chef noticed that he was buying way too much food at the market, only to throw away expired ingredients at the end of every week. As a result, he decided to plan his meals only three days in advance. To control how much food he was buying, Zimmern divulged, "Meal planning is really important, but even more important is to shrink your fridge. I bought a small European refrigerator, and it was the best thing I ever did."
If you follow Zimmern's advice and go for a smaller fridge, you'll probably go to the market more frequently to pick up your food. Not only will this reduce your food waste, but it will also minimize your contact with ingredients that are on the verge of going bad. Instead, you'll probably find yourself using fresh ingredients, leaving you with more flavorful meals.
9. Pickle some cherries to serve with lamb
It's no secret that lamb is a springtime favorite. This robust, gamey meat is often served at Passover and Easter dinners alike. However, not everybody knows how to prepare it. The good news is that Andrew Zimmern has an easy tip to help you upgrade your lamb dinner: Serve it with a side of pickled cherries. As the celebrity chef wrote on his personal blog, "Lamb is perfect set against the tartness of cherries." And, truly, this combination is fantastic, as the acidity of the cherries cuts through the fattiness of the lamb, making your meat more palatable. The pickled fruit also adds a sweet and salty flavor to the dish, upping its complexity.
To put Zimmern's advice to the test, boil some cherries in a combination of water, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Depending on your tastes, you can add the earthier flavor of cinnamon to the mix. Alternatively, you can spice things up by throwing in a few jalapeños. While this recipe does pair perfectly with lamb, Zimmern admits that it can also work with pork, poultry, or salumi. Try out one of these combinations by making an easy roasted pork tenderloin recipe with a generous side of pickled cherries.
10. Color your food with squid ink
To elevate spaghetti dishes or even paellas, Andrew Zimmern has a simple tip: Just add ink. Cephalopods, like cuttlefish, squid, and octopus, release a gorgeous black ink that can hold deep, umami flavors. In Zimmern's view, these kinds of ingredients can boost the flavor of your favorite Italian fare. As the celebrity chef explained to People, these elements can be "a fantastic, lightly citric, and oceanic seasoning for pastas and sauces." An added bonus is that they will completely change the color of your menu. "We love it because it's such a deep, murky black," Zimmern said.
Interestingly, Zimmern feels that cuttlefish ink is an awesome ingredient to use in a family cooking session. In the TV personality's experience, children enjoy cooking with it and even eating it — thanks to its interesting color. Per People, Zimmern said that ink will "make your kids perk up and take notice at dinner." Parents can also enjoy this ingredient by adding it to their cocktails.
11. Make your own chili paste with a mortar and pestle
Sometimes, cooking well is all about using the right tools, and when it comes to making chili paste, Andrew Zimmern recommends reaching for your mortar and pestle. According to the chef, more modern devices are expensive and not entirely worth the price. In an interview with Today, Zimmern expressed he felt more "old school" when it comes to keeping up with the latest kitchen gadgets. In fact, he believes "99% are a waste of money."
In Zimmern's view, one of the biggest issues with modern kitchen tools is that they can interfere with the flavor of your ingredients. Apparently, food processors can add unwanted heat to your recipe, giving you less control over how your creation will turn out. However, a good old-fashioned mortar and pestle won't have the same effect. "No heat means that food won't change texture or flavor, so you can combine small amounts of things that would otherwise get lost in a machine of any kind," the chef told Today.
Because of this, Zimmern says that he makes his chili pastes with a mortar and pestle. Interestingly, this strategy will result in pastes that are much hotter than those made by modern gadgets. As explained by Otao Kitchen, food processors slice through ingredients while the mortar and pestle mash them. This squishing motion will release more oils from your chilies and, therefore, a stronger spicier flavor.
12. Cook heavier crabs
If you are planning a crab dinner, make sure that you don't reach for the lightest crustacean in the supermarket. According to Andrew Zimmern, one of the best things you can do when picking out a fresh crab is to check its weight. In a video on his YouTube channel, Zimmern advised that "whether it's a blue crab from the Chesapeake Bay, or a [Dungeness], or any crabs, you want to feel that they are heavy."
As the celebrity chef went on to explain, crabs tend to molt during the warm water seasons. During this process, the crabs shed their old shells and often end up carrying less meat than usual. Because of this, Zimmern told his viewers to always feel the weight of a crab before buying it as a strategy to verify "that the meat inside [the crab] is present."
Ultimately, this won't just ensure that you are buying a good product, but it will also help you plan portions for a meal. Zimmern recommends preparing one big Dungeness crab per head at the dinner table. To elevate your meal, consider serving the crabs with a warm side of griddled corn and bacon.
13. Don't overstuff your dumplings
There might not be anything quite like biting into a fresh dumpling and enjoying the flavors of the filling. As a result, many home chefs have decided to jam-pack their dumplings with stuffing. After all, isn't that the best part? However, Andrew Zimmern warns that overstuffing your dumplings can be a huge mistake. According to an article on the Rachael Ray Show website, the TV host says you should strive to "Underfill everything. That's the secret to wrapped foods."
Interestingly, this strategy can help ensure that your dumplings cook all the way through, as larger clumps of meat take longer to heat up. It can also prevent your dumplings from falling apart in the cooking pot because pot stickers with a lower density have a lower chance of exploding when they hit the boiling water.
To keep your filling nice and light, Zimmern suggests using a combination of ground meat and finely-chopped cabbage. Be sure, though, to prepare this vegetable element properly. As Zimmern explained, "add steamed, cooled, squeeze-dried and very well minced cabbage to the stuffing mixture." Apparently, this will give your dumplings a silkier texture.