Chile relleno.
Just a horrible experience
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It’s a really good question that I can easily answer.
Eating good for is such a high priority in my life - for me every meal time is an opportunity to eat well and anytime I can’t do that I feel disappointed.
My mum always cooked well and I’ve cooked for myself as soon as I moved out of home and now cook for my family, mostly every night from scratch - both my wife and son and guests for dinner are always happy with what I prepare. Bless him my son when I watch cooking competitions like Masterchef he always tells me to enter.
However I can only cook imprecisely - chuck a bit of this in, a bit of that, a handful of this a pinch of that. As soon as precision is involved I turn off - I absolutely can’t bake- anything where I’d have to measure precise ingredients, or carefully mix things together at a certain speed or certain order is beyond me.
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You’re not asking me to defend something I’ve already admitted is likely foolish, are you? 
and making an omelette may be “not hard” but making an excellent omelette is another story. Let’s just say this: it’s hard until it isn’t. 
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Also would be a good thread on its own! In fact, going to start it. 
I agree with you on the steaks, by virtue of the fact that I am usually disappointed with restaurant’s cookery of them.
I rarely, but not never, order scallops at a restaurant, too – but that’s not because restaurant scallops disappoint me, but rather because they’re so easy at home, thereby making them feel even more overpriced when out. Same concept with raw oysters – I can shuck oysters and make my own mignonette, and that’s really all I ever want done to my oysters.
… sounds like there’s a story here. Don’t hold out on us, Brig!
Good call! I’ve tried these at home a few times — each time I try, I get a little closer to acceptable. Feels like something I’ll eventually get.
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Mostly ramen, poke, cheesesteaks, we cook almost all our meals at home.
My favorite Korean food here on the island cooked by grandmas. Simply no way I could recreate a lifetime of ‘hand flavor’. When they announce their retirement I’ll sign on as a part-time worker to learn their recipes.
I don’t have the patience to make a good sourdough bread, so I leave that to the pros and nerds.
Deep fried things.
Ravioli/Dumplings.
Cured meats.
@Larry_Stein You don’t have a rice cooker for the sushi rice?
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Pizza.
I used to feel the same. Now, it nearly makes my “Only at Home” list, but – really – that’s just w/r/t delivery pizza. I’m still down to go to a legit pizza joint for some pie.
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I feel like we did this topic once before, buty my answers remain the same. After many trials and fails and -also some real good results, I’m mostly done with making pizza and ramen at home.
Please tell me that doesn’t include Kenji’s tavern-style pizza!
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ramen
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Anything deep fried, including fried chicken.
Peking Duck - I feel like I’d need to make at least 1/2 dozen for it to be worth it.
Desserts, cakes, cookies, pies, flour based baked goods.
Agreed with curries or slow cooked dishes with lots of strong spices.
Ditto with chile rellenos, probably at the top of the list.
Any Szechuan dishes like mapo tofu, szechuan broths etc with peppercorns and chilis. I’ve never been able to replicate the flavors I get at good Chinese restaurants.
I do make omelettes and buy a new Winco pan about every 6 months. They’re simple with no fillings, and about 1/2 the time I’m throwing in dashi and sometimes mirin. My egg guy gives me a break but they’re well over $6/dozen!
I make pretty good Mexican food. Enchiladas about 2x per year, tacos quite often. I think nailing the rice and beans is most important.
Don’t mind making Ramen but prefer easier, lighter broths over time consuming rich tonkatsu, and the noodles aren’t that much effort.
No poke? Only a handful of ingredients go into my recipe.
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Let me guess - your mom thought you cooking by saying something like you will see how much is needed, or just taste and you will know if you need more (?).
I think there’s a difference betweenn “not worth it” and “don’t do it often.” Ramen and pho, totally not worth it, not because we can’t do it well, but because the results of the enormous effort it takes are just not enough better than good restaurant examples. And because the raison d’etre of ramen and pho is grabbing a bowl quickly and slurping it up kind of on the go.
Thai curries and mole and complex Indian dishes are absolutely worth it, we just don’t do it often because of time and energy and sourcing. Pizza is similar - totally worth it, but only for a group of 5 or 6 people a few times a year. We’d never light the oven just for the two of us.
Sushi I don’t even consider making at home, though sashimi is common.
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Exception granted for tavern style. And we are overdue. Good reminder!
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That’s an interesting distinction I hadn’t considered.
Even though I listed Mole I do kind of understand. There are so many different variations of Mole but at least around here I’d struggle to find a place with more than 2 or 3. If we would want to explore you really have to do it yourself.
My wife doesn’t want it that often so generally it’s just not “worth” the multi day and tracking down all the ingredient effort for a once every 3 month fix. We both would be happier though if we lived closer to a topolobompo or Californios type place.
Curious about Indian though as I’ve never even attempted it. I can go to our finest Indian restaurants and have dozens of choices from regions all over the country.
Do you feel when you attempt it you are doing it better than a very good restaurant or are you looking to make something not readily available?
Pizza. I tried getting into it during the pandemic and the reps it takes to get good is just not worth it for me. I’m lucky to live near plenty of good pizza and so I’m comfortable leaving it to the pros.
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Homemade Indian, with ultra fresh spices, is always brighter, fresher, and less heavy than what I get in all but the best restaurants. If I lived in London, where the Indian food is superb, I might feel different. But certainly in Philly, and in most of the US, I find the Indian food to be largely disappointing.
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