Pet peeve. Prep times

Making one of our favorites: Smoked duck, wild mushrooms and sweet corn pasta.

Recipe says 10 minutes prep time. I call Bullshit! Took me a full 45 minutes. I have proficient knife skills and are faster than most. Well aware how long the prep takes as I’ve made many times before , but why can’t recipes be honest?

Because then many people would never try them.

Remember the thread on caramelizing onions?

No, missed that one. Will have to look it up.

Here you go:

It links to this great Slate article:

Thanks Jay

A couple of obvious things about prep times. The recipe writer knows how the recipe goes, probably has a very organised kitchen and pantry. Also expert knife skills. Continually Checking back with the recipe slows things down.

They really need to use a cook new to the recipe for the posted prep times.

I will often make a summary of the recipe key points after having read it two or three times. That makes it easier and quicker to keep on track.

Order carry-out. We deliver anywhere, faster than that, with Fedex.

I now look at prep time on recipes and multiple by 3. Sometimes it’s less or I can do prep while starting the cooking but that’s more the exception.

The other side of prep times, is when you look up a recipe only to find out you should have started it three days prior

Not always true.

Yup. “ the next day …”

But surely we all know to read a new recipe right through at least twice before starting?

Can’t you just read the recipe and determine the prep time based on your own knife & prep skills?

You must be one of those wise asses.

I have to say I’m pretty bitterly disappointed by this thread. From the title I thought it was going to be people posting their peeves about prepping for the apocalypse.

I know, right? For example I am appalled that Flannery doesn’t sell any canned meat that will last for 50 years.

I assure you I’m equally peeved at the inefficient stacking characteristics of hand grenades.

Only with people with whom I’ve built that kind of rapport (nobody here), wasn’t meant to come across like that.
I’ve never thought about it until I read this thread and it makes sense to me. Here’s an example:

20 min prep time.
After reading the recipe, I know my prep time would be at least an hour based on my OCD style of dicing peppers, onions, tomatoes etc. the exact same size and placing every ingredient in individual cups/bowls before starting to cook.

I’m sure prep work is fine, but you need to learn to take a compliment.