Mise en Place: Does anyone use this principle?

[kitchenelf]

I've always used this method, although I don't pre-measure my seasoning. I don't really like dirtying all those dishes. But I do get out everything I need, and get all the prep work done that I can. I use cheap paper plates to hold my chopped or grated items, and meats go on a foil-covered baking sheet, which allows me to throw most of the mess away!

Like Katie, I was taught to clean up as I go along. That's sure a lot easier than facing all that mess at once!

If certain liquids go in at the same time I just use one bowl for those. Same with herbs/spices. If it says to add 1 cup chopped onion and 2 cloves chopped garlic, that all goes in one bowl together.

QSis - even if I'm making up a recipe I pretty much know what I'm going to put in it for the MAJOR items. I HAVE to have those out, chopped, and ready to go That's not saying I won't grab stuff as I go either. I just couldn't even comprehend NOT giving it my best shot at mise en place.

 

[AllenOK]

As an addendum, in addition to preparing mise en place, I line up the containers on the counter next to the stove in the order they are going to be used. That's a big help, especially with Asian dishes and wok cooking where things happen fast so there's no time to go back to the recipe for what's next.

OMG! I'm not the only one that does this!

I have mise en place ingrained into me. Years of working in restaurants. I also apply it to other things in the kitchen, like keeping tools, pans, etc., handy. I've also extended this concept to other areas of my life, using computers, mowing the yards, working on a car, etc. It's become my mantra.

 

[Dove]

“everything in place”
LOL..when i first read that I thought "if i put everything in it it's place I wouldn't have room for anything else" To many years of collecting "stuff"

 

[kitchenelf]

Is this mise en place enough for "stuff" - I have to have it handy!

 

[cjs]

Always have and probably always will - as I get older, I find I take it one step further. I seem to exhaust myself if I start a dish to be completed at dinner time, so in the early morning I assemble and measure/cut/whatever all the ingredients. The things that need to be refrigerated, I put on a 1/4 b. sheet and store in fridge - the other ingredients are left on the island ready to be used. Dishes are always a snap now.