Most in this thread already, know this. This is for a food noob, and mostly it pertains to cooking meat. These are thing to always do, and if you do, your food will be cooked better, with much less frustration.

Always bring your meat to room temp before cooking it. In a pinch at least leave it out at room temp 25 to 30 minutes before cooking.

Always completely dry the meat before cooking, pat it dry, squeeze it dry, just get the water out. It helps cooking, and also makes spices, and marinades to better adhere, and penetrate the meat.

Always take the meat OFF of the heat, and cover it, lightly (aluminum foil tent), to placing it inside a cooler, at least 5 degrees before you want the temp to be for your preferred degree of doneness, and let the meat "rest" for at least 5 minutes before cutting it. IOW if you want your steak to be a perfect med/rare then you want 130, to 135 degrees, so pull it at 120 to 125 degrees, it will keep warming if covered, and that "rest" time allows the meat fibers to relax, and the juices to redistribute through the meat.

Know things, like how hot do I want my???? Every kind of meat has a "range" of temps to cook it to, know before you cook what your goal is.

In a way this is exactly like woodworking. Knowledge, and skill to Prepare your stock (wood, or meat) before starting to make your project. 

Or, just go old school Caveman style and pitch it in the fire, and take it out when you think it should be done. I hear those carbon fibers taste real good, and alternative is just eat the charcoal, saves $$$$$ buying steaks, and chops.