10 Ways You Might Be Using Your Kitchen Tools Incorrectly

You might be thinking that you know all there to know about how your kitchen tools work. Well, think again. Here are some interesting ways that might surprise you regarding how things should be done in the kitchen.

Use Your Spaghetti Spoon For Consistent Portioning

Its safe to say that few people dislike pasta. That also means that we can sometimes go overboard with optioning. So, how can you get the right portion size every time? Well, use the big hole in the middle of your spaghetti spoon! Although it is not necessarily intended to be used as such, it sure beats buying a dedicated tool. So, instead of just grabbing a handful of pasta and hoping for the best, next time use this neat trick instead.

Keep Your Paws Off The Slow Cooker’s Lid

When you open the lid on your slow cooker you let the heat escape. Ironically, this is exactly what you should not do: you want the heat trapped inside so that your food cooks constantly over the entire period of time that it is in there. So, next time resist the temptation to peek inside and let it do what it was designed to do.

Broil With The Oven Door Open

The idea behind broiling is to develop a delicious crust on whatever food you have inside the oven. But, when you keep the oven door closed heat and steam builds up inside, which is not good for developing a good crust. As such, when you open the oven door, steam can escape. At the same time, the release of hot air from inside means the top of the dish will get the most cooking, and will thus prevent the rest of the dish from overcooking.

Colanders Are Used In More Than One Way

There is a better way of using a colander than what most of us are used to, which is dumping the entire content of your pot into it. So, instead of doing this, put the colander inside your pot (i.e., on top of your food), and then turn the pot over so that you can essentially throw out the contents through the colander from the inside to the outside of the pot. This makes is easier to control since you can not grab both colander and pot each with both hands.

The Correct Mixer Height Makes For Perfect Mixing

The beaters of your stand mixer should have an ideal space between them and the edges of the bowl. Too little space and they end up hitting and scratching the sides; too much and they can’t reach all the ingredients inside, which leads to less efficient mixing. To fix this, consult the owner’s manual to locate and fine tune the adjustment screws (usually somewhere on the neck).

Get The Most Out Of Your Dishwasher

Believe it or not, but there is actually a correct way of packing your dishwasher. Dishes soiled with starch need more pressure for cleaning, so put them in the middle portions where the spray of water is the strongest. Dishes soiled with protein residue don’t need much pressure, but instead need more chemical action, so put them at the edges where a less forceful spray will let soap linger on the dishes for a longer time.

The Order of Blending Matters

The placement of ingredients inside your blender is very important. If you place them incorrectly, the blender can stall. First add a liquid base, then add ingredients from smallest to largest. The toughest ingredients, for example ice, should go in last so that they are on top. By doing this the blender will be spinning at a proper speed when the tough ingredients make their way to the blades.

Get The Right Shape Of Dish For Your Microwave

You want your food to heat evenly; no one likes a plate of microwaved food that is piping hot in some parts and ice cold in others. The shape of the container you use to reheat the food can actually help here. Round containers allow more uniform heating to occur, in contrast to square shapes that overheat in their corners. Also, salt tends to draw more energy from the microwave, so don’t season your food before you add it to the microwave.

Pot Handles And Spoons Were Made For Each Other

You will surely have noticed that many pots and pans have a hole in their handles. If you think that these are for hanging them up on a hook then you are correct. But that is not their only use. They are actually also there for use as a spoon rest for your cooking utensils. Simply put the bottom of the utensil handle into the hole and let the utensil hang at an angle over your pot.

Roll Out More Than Just Pizza With Your Pizza Wheel

Obviously, pizza wheels are meant for slicing pizza. But, consider how sharp the blade is. This makes it very useful for other things such as slicing and dicing up some fresh herbs or salad leaves. Why stop there? You can quickly and easily slice some deli meat into strips. These technique works especially well if you have quite a bunch of herbs/leaves or meat slices to dice.