The Stir-Fry Mistake That's Causing Soggy Ingredients

A stir-fry might seem like a foolproof dish to make, but there are a lot of seemingly simple mistakes that can turn a bright and flavorful stir-fry into a drab, soggy mess. No matter what kind of stir-fry you're making, there's likely at least one veggie and a protein in the mix and preparing each ingredient properly can be one of the best ways to ensure a crisp and satisfying dish. But, if you struggle with too much moisture, you might want to reassess your technique.

One of the main culprits of soggy stir-fry is, oddly enough, seasoning. While there are few things worse than an under-seasoned dish, when you season can make a huge difference in a stir-fry — it's best to save the seasoning for the end of the cooking process. Salt can draw moisture out of foods, which is why the science behind dry brining works. But, when you salt the ingredients of a stir-fry too early while cooking, then all that moisture gets pulled from the vegetables and proteins causing the ingredients to steam or boil together rather than getting crispy and browned. Also, complete the cooking process in a pan or wok without a lid so no steam gets trapped and contributes to any extra moisture, either.

There are lots of tips and tricks for making a perfect stir-fry. Whether you're making a noodle, rice, or vegetable stir-fry, start with an oil that has a high smoke point and don't be afraid to turn up the heat. That high heat creates all of the caramelized flavors that make stir-fried food so yummy. You want your ingredients to sound like a round of applause cheering you on when you add them to the pan. Speaking of ingredients, making sure your knife cuts are uniform can ensure everything cooks evenly and each bite has a nice variety of flavors. Marinate any meat you may be using in your stir-fry and whip up a good sauce to add a punch of flavor, too.

Stir-fry can be a fast, nutritious, and diverse meal to keep in your dinner rotation. There are tons of stir-fry recipes out there for you to choose from, which means you could truly make a different stir-fry every night of the week if you wanted to. They keep well in the fridge, too, and can even marinate in the seasoning and flavors and taste better next-day after cooking. So, next time you're stumped for what to cook for dinner or you have some extra ingredients to get rid of in your fridge, try a tasty stir-fry.