About Cook's Illustrated

Launched in 1980, Cook’s Illustrated is a cooking magazine from the same folks behind America’s Test Kitchen. Dedicated to finding the best methods for preparing foolproof home-cooked meals, the publication has three dozen full-time test cooks whose 9 to 5 job (well maybe 7 to 6 on baking days) is testing and retesting recipes 20, 30, sometimes 50 times. The editors also offer ratings and reviews of cookware, kitchen equipment, supermarket ingredients, and kitchen staples. @cooksillustrated

A cast-iron skillet filled with glazed biscuit cinnamon rolls on a wire rack.

Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

When you want the taste of cinnamon rolls but don’t have the time (or yeast!), enter these shortcut lovelies laced with spice and lavished with cream cheese icing.

A large Dutch oven full of shrimp, mussels, red peppers, peas, lemon slices, parsley, bay leaves, and onion with a serving spoon.

Paella

Paella, the classic Spanish dish, is given the full treatment here. You don’t need a paella pan to make this paella recipe, either. A Dutch oven will do.

Two steak tacos on a wooden board with lime wedges, onion, and cilantro scattered around.

Steak Tacos

Finally a steak taco recipe that let’s you determine whether you want it with a little or a lotta heat. Just how much is entirely up to you.

A layered German chocolate cake with coconut pecan frosting on a platter with a few slices cut from it.

German Chocolate Cake

Dark chocolate cake stacked high and smothered with gooey caramel and coconut and pecans? Don’t mind if we do.

A plate with five baguette slices, a knife, and white bowl filled with fresh cod brandade, garnished with parsley.

Fresh Cod Brandade

Fresh cod is poached in an herby milk-cream mixture and gently folded into mashed potatoes. It makes a perfect spread for garlic toasts.

A sliced beef braised in Barolo, garnished with thyme sprigs, on a bed of mashed potatoes.

Beef Braised in Barolo

Cold outside? Baby, come inside where there’s beef slowly braising in a heady mix of Italian red wine, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, and rosemary.

Ylelow plate with four lemon bars sprinkled with powdered sugar, one with a bite take out of it

Lemon Bars

Tart and sweet, silken and crumbly, these easy lemon bars have a sweet cookie crust, a tart lemon filling, and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. A classic, perfected.

An unbaked lard and butter pie crust, with fork pricks all over on a wooden table.

Lard and Butter Pie Crust

Just for a day, put aside all thoughts of diets, waist sizes, and cholesterol and make a pie with this marvelous lard crust. You may never go back.

Two racks of barbecued baby back ribs, and a third rack cut into individual ribs, resting on a knife.

Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

Baby back rib perfection is yours when you first brine the ribs, then massage them with our subtle and superlative rub, and then grill them low and slow.

Two plates of warm cabbage salad with fried crispy tofu, carrots, cilantro on woven placemats

Cabbage Salad with Crispy Tofu

Napa cabbage, carrots, peanuts, scallions, and herbs are tossed with seared tofu and drizzled with an Asian garlic-chile sauce. A tofu lover’s salad.

A skillet lemon souffle made entirely in a frying pan, sitting on a wire rack, blue cloth wrapped around the handle.

Skillet Lemon Soufflé

Forget fussy souffle dishes. This recipe for lemon souffle is made in an ordinary skillet. Simple and perfect.