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Curtis Stone cooks up a summery steak salad and shares 5 helpful kitchen hacks

Curtis Stone grills up a summery, Thai-inspired steak salad and shares 5 helpful hacks every home cook should know.
/ Source: TODAY

Chef Curtis Stone stops by the TODAY kitchen to share five of his most helpful kitchen hacks. He also cooks up a summery salad with grilled, dry-aged steak, fresh herbs and a flavorful Thai-inspired dressing.

This satisfying salad pairs fresh herbs, crisp greens and veggies with hearty steak for a light yet filling meal. The easy Asian-inspired dressing packs on lots of flavor and compliments the richness of the meat.

Thai Salad with Grilled Dry-Aged Beef

Need some help around the kitchen? Stone shares a few of his favorite tips. Try these cleaning, cooking and storage hacks to keep your kitchen at its very best:

1. Fresh Egg Test

Drop a raw egg into a glass of water. If the egg sinks, it's fresh. If the egg floats, it's not as fresh. An air pocket develops inside eggs over time, due to the evaporation of moisture, which causes the egg to rise.

2. Homemade Knife Guard

It's always important to keep your knives sharp but that doesn't mean accidents don't happen. Even professionals use sturdy knife guards to keep their knives sharp and protected. If you don't have a knife guard, use the center cardboard cylinder from your paper towels to protect the sharp edge of your knife and avoid cutting yourself. Just slide your knife right through the cylinder.

3. Cutting Board Hacks

Make a no-skid cutting board: This is a trick chefs use all the time. Moisten a paper towel or kitchen towel and lay it on your kitchen counter. Place the cutting board on top. Now your board won't slip around as you slice and dice away.

Remove the stink from your cutting board: If simply scrubbing your cutting board won't remove that stank, mince some ginger over the smelly area. In fact, whenever you're cutting ginger and garlic (which you'll likely do for many Asian-influenced recipes) always mince the garlic first, then the ginger. The ginger will mask the pungent aroma of garlic.

4. Tenderize Meat

Adding grated ginger to your marinades for chicken or lamb will not only boost the flavor but really help to tenderize the meat. For best results, marinate your meats for about 30 minutes before cooking.

5. Egg Carton Spoon Rest

Remove the lid of your empty egg carton to use as a spoon rest. When it's dirty, just throw it in the recycling bin. Use the bottom portion of the egg carton to hold minced garlic, shallots, herbs, ginger, and any other kitchen aromatics.