When caring for your cooking equipment,
here are 10 things to avoid
By Jessica Harlan
Caring for and using your cooking equipment properly
will help it last longer and will make you a be a better cook. Avoid these 10
no-nos to keep your kitchenware in tip-top condition, and to maximize its
performance.
1. Washing your knives in the dishwasher. Even if the manufacturer says it's
dishwasher safe, don't throw your cutlery in the dishwasher. The abrasive
cleanser and powerful spray can dull the blade. What's more, you risk cutting
yourself when you reach into the rack of the dishwasher to unload it.
2. Using sharp tools on nonstick-coated cookware.The chemical coating on your nonstick pans and bakeware is easy to
damage. Using a wire whisk, a fork,
a metal spatula or –worst yet- a knife, can scrape or chip the finish. Instead,
use wooden spoons, whisks coated with silicone or plastic, and silicone or
plastic spatulas.
3. Using soap and scouring pads on cast
iron. Whether you bought it pre-seasoned or
have built up a seasoned patina over the years, the coating that gives
cast-iron cookware nonstick properties can be damaged if not cared for properly.
The number-one way to strip your cookware of its seasoning is by scrubbing it
with harsh detergents or scratchy scrubbers. Instead, just rinse it right after
cooking with hot water and dry it with a dishtowel or a paper towel. For
stubborn, stuck-on food, scrub with coarse sea salt or use a nonmetal brush.
4. Storing knives loose in a drawer. As with washing knives in a dishwasher, storing them
improperly, like kicking around loosely in a drawer, can be bad for both you
and the knife. It's far too easy to accidentally cut your hand while reaching
into a knife-filled drawer, and a good knife rack will better protect sharp
blades.
5. Soaking wooden
tools and boards in water Wood will warp and swell if it's submerged in water
for too long, and the glue holding a cutting board together can loosen. Don't
let tools sit in a sink
for too long; instead, wash them quickly and let them dry on a drying rack in a
warm place.
6. Using cooking spray on nonstick pans. While many recipes call for
spraying a pan with
cooking spray to further keep food from sticking, a chemical in most of the
sprays called lecithin can build up on the pan's interior, creating
discoloration and a gummy coating. If you need a little more lubrication, just
use a small amount of butter or olive oil (and if you like the spraying action,
invest in a mister that you can fill with your own oil). And always use
nonstick pans over medium heat or lower – any higher can damage the nonstick
filling and some people believe it can also cause potentially toxic chemicals
to be released.
7. Overfilling a blender or a food
processor. Respect
those fill lines or the guidelines in the instruction manual about the maximum
amount you can put in the jar of a blender or the bowl
of a food processor.
If you overfill, the appliance might not be able to evenly process your
ingredients, and you also risk messy leaks spills. If you have a larger amount
of food than the recommended amount, divide the food in half and work in
batches.
8. Not preheating the pan. When using uncoated stainless
steel pans, heat them on their own or with a drizzle of cooking oil on the
burner for a couple of minutes before adding meat or vegetables. The act of
heating the pan will open the pan's "pores", allow the oil to create
a smooth, stick-resistant surface that will nicely brown food without it
sticking to the pan's surface. The food should sizzle when you add it to the pan.
9. Crowding a pan. When sautéing, trying to put too
much food in the pan can cause it to steam, rather than brown, so the texture
won't be as crisp and you might not achieve that caramelized, browned flavor.
Use a large enough pan for what you're cooking, or work in batches if not
everything fits comfortably.
10. Not reading the instruction manual. Above all, read the information
that came with your kitchenware. It will give you valuable information on the
best way to use and care for your equipment. What's more, you're likely to
learn about tips, features and functions. Keep all of your instruction manuals
in a folder so that you can easily find them if you need to refer to them. If
you lose your manual, many manufacturers have them available online, and you
might be able to find them from other, third-party websites.
Original Article
from:
http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/productcaremaintenance/a/10-Cooking-Equipment-No-Nos.htm
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