Letting flavors "mingle" is overrated. Don't you agree?

No it is not over-rated. Have you ever made fresh blak eye peas or any type of fresh beans and then put the left overs in the refrig. and the next day when you eat them they tasted better then when you first cooked them, that is because they sat overnight and seasones. How about steaks they are always better marrinated.

eh..some things do seem to have a stronger flavor if you simmer them awhile (like homemade chicken soup)but it's not 100% necessary.a lot of it depends on spices rather than the main ingredients. some days you just can't take that much time.i usually save things i want to simmer til a day i know i don't have to hurry.

I have to let the flavors mingle. Chili is the one thing that I actively take part in cooking. From start to finish, my chili takes about a day to make, that includes soaking the beans overnight, and then cooking the hamburger and sausage the next morning. The jalapenos are boiled with the beans in order to mingle the flavors without too much burn, and the rest of the ingredients are added after the meat is done. Then the flame is turned low and the whole thing simmers for about four hours so the flavors can mingle. I make about 3 to 4 gallons of chili in each batch, and this lasts most of the month after freezing. I am all for mingling the flavors, as the taste is incomparable.

No I have to say that food that is left to sit for a while tastes so much better. When I make a casserole or something like that and we eat some of it one day and then have it again the next day it always seems to taste so much better and tastier on the second day.

Well you know the answer to the question. You said you are a procrastinator. What you described is not good cooking but comfort zone cooking. Why not just open a can of chili and call it good. Is it mecessary for good cooking to let flavors mingle? Of course it is. Concept.......food is porus and letting the flavors mingle...such as spices, sauces, and herbs is mandatory for good cooking. That is why chili is better the next day. *SMILE*

I am sorry Miamilady but I must admit when I make a chicken soup it needs to be on the heat for atleast 3 hours. I think that letting the flavours mingle and get chummy can actually add something to a meal. Please don't ask me what that something is but if I try to speed it up there is definately something missing. All the great cooks wouldn't tell us to leave things in the oven for hours if the food didn't need it. When I am feeling lazy my family get to eat chips and something out of the freezer plus salad, I will tell you though, I do love to cook and it's only when I am busy on the computer that the family get freezer food.

Sometimes food taste better the next day since food has had time to absorb the flavors and all but when I make chili I don't cook it all day. I only take about 30 minutes I bring it to a boil and boil for about 15 minutes. I will cook roast in a crock pot for a few hours since it saves on electric bill and the heat stays out of the kitchen..which is a blessing some times. But I don't think it is really to necessary to cook something all day.

Yeah, I am with you there, Sometimes when I am in the mood I really enjoy cooking especially if I know that it will be appreciated. But the last few years I haven't enjoyed it as much and sometimes dread it. Thank god for microwaves..lol. I guess that since it is just Me, my husband and little girl I don't cook as much since it seems we all can never agree on the same time to eat so we basically never eat the same foods and it is to much effort to cook for just myself.

Not necessary,no, and we are a hurried, harried bunch. But, if one has the time (as in leisure) and desire, it really does bring out the flavor in the food.

If a person does have the time to cook it always tastes a bit better when you're able to intermingle the flavors, but when I'm hungry or CJ is hungry and want something right away, it tastes just as good to us. Now, if you're cooking a roast or something you want to make sure that you 'sear' the meat on all sides in a fry pan (blacken it, that is) because that's the way the meat keeps it's juicy flavors inside.

There is a big difference between a steak that has been grilled to med-rare and a roast that has been in a crock pot the whole day. Not to say that either has a better taste than the other they are just different. When it comes to soup you probably use a stock broth which is your shortcut to getting that "I've been cooking all day" flavor. Been watching too much Rachel? Thanks Zelo

I guess it depends on what you are making and what equipment and time you have. Sometimes I use a crockpot to make some dishes. It just depends on my mood and what it is I am cooking. Usually I go for fairly fast cause I don't like cooking that much.

I don't always enjoy cooking but letting the flavors mingle is one of those necessary evils of cooking. There was a time when I had very little patience and could barely let anything simmer long enough to get the flavors to blend but over the years, I've learned to take my time whenever possible, and let things cook as they need to. Your time will come - maybe later on when the kids are grown and gone and you have a more leisurely pace and lots of time on your hands

I think it is good cooking but, you can get around it. I agree with you that sometimes I dread cooking. Infact, I have not cooked in ages. I just don't want to go there. I was eating out almost nightly for awhile, now I am dieting and trying to be good with my food choices so I go as unprocessed as possible. I still don't cook. I will put together a sandwich or I actually heated up some clam chowder the other day. I guess I am improving alittle. No, mingling flavors is a good thing.

you through all the things together in a crock pot in the morning when you get up and it is ready for supper at night, I love my crock pot for simmering stuff.

I think the art of cooking is in knowing what ingredients to throw in and when to do it. With some dishes, the flavours improve after mingling overnight...if it's tonight's dinner, you can't wait...lol. I enjoy cooking and I love rich tasty food so getting the flavours right is important. Flavours can mingle beautifully if you do things right and err on the side of caution rather than being heavy handed...one of my faults. Getting things right is necessary, definitely not overrated...dull and boring, over cooked, underdone, these are what we want to avoid.

You sound just like me! Granted, some things do taste better once they've had time to 'mingle', like chili, spaghetti, soups, stews, etc. but I won't wait to dive into them as soon as they're cooked. My husband is the opposite. His has to sit awhile before he eats it. So, I'm busy chowing down while his tummy is rumbling. My father had a strange habit that I always thought was very odd. He'd put things on his plate, meat, vegetables, etc. but they could NOT touch! He had to have separate little piles of each thing, all very neatly and carefully placed on the plate. Then, just before consuming, he'd push everything together in one big pile before eating it. At that point, I'm sure you already know that we were all looking at him like he had grown a second head or something and his answer was, "Well, it all goes to the same place, right?" But, it wasn't the pushing everything together that was so strange; it was insisting that nothing touched anything else before pushing everything together that made us think that maybe he suffered from obsessive/compulsive disorder! (Of course, back then, there was no such term so we just thought he was a little bit nuts. )

Hurmmm.... I think if you don't have time, then it wouldn't be appropriate to let the flavours mingle. What I think you can try is try to spend more time cooking and have satisfaction when people give compliments on it. I do. I feel great every time my cooking is complimented. It will refresh you and you will be energetic. But don't expect too much compliments. If you yourself taste it and it tastes great then it is an achievement in itself. ^^

You don´t "work" on that all the time. You just let it be. Maybe you should do your cooking for the next day. Then flavours will mingle without you noticing. I love leftovers because they usually have more flavour than the original dish Take care