What are the three pork dishes you HAVE to be able to make to hold your head up high and not look like a poser? These three: pork chops, good bacon, and pork loin. Bonus recipes for good students: handmade sausage, handmade bacon.

Chicken is by FAR the most popular protein in the US. Learning how to cook a few very basic dishes perfectly is the difference between the culinary student and the home cook looking up something to make on their cell phone, 20 minutes before dinner time.

There are quite a few basic techniques that you will have to master to be successful with chicken and a bit of understanding the cooking properties of the different cuts and market forms…. but once you get the basics down, you’ll be able to make just about any chicken dish you can imagine!
Recipes covered: Pan-fried, Roasted, Braised, Brined, and Pan-seared Chicken. RECIPES: Southern Pan Fried Chicken; Brined, Roasted Whole Chicken, Braised Chicken all’Arrabbiata, Chicken Piccata

How do you “blacken” foods? This post explains the spice blend, the technique, and the applications of this most famous Louisiana culinary tradition. Recipes: Creamy Penne Pasta with Blackened Chicken and Roast Roma Tomatoes; Creme Brulee

Ribs require combination cooking – that is, they need a low, slow start to help the tough connective tissue around the bones to dissolve into delicious and satisfying gelatin, then they need a dry, hot finish to caramelize the surface and give us all those yummy crunchy bits. Here are the recipes in this post:
BBQ Ribs, Fried Okra, Spicy Collard Greens

How to make handmade pastas: fettucini, four cheese stuffed ravioli, mushroom tortellini, and gnocchi; Includes recipes for three famous (and easy) pasta sauces: pesto, alfredo, pasta pomodoro