One of the most important concepts throughout people has been culinary art. Food preparation has been in constant evolution to the delicious and elegant dishes served by chefs in the 21st century.
The kitchen today is considered a very important aspect for all people, both for those who taste the food and for those who prepare or serve food. Modernity has enabled the development of tools that help people in the culinary field to be more efficient when preparing and serving food.
In this article, we are going to talk about slotted spoons. To get the best one, you need to consider some factors, such as the material, and the number of slits or the length of the tool.
Keep reading and learn more about all the ways to use a slotted spoon, whether it is to prepare a delicious dish, or even to serve it, and which ones best suit your needs!
Best Slotted Spoons
Imari Serving Spoon Colander Ladle
This piece is made of high-quality 304 stainless steel and is offered in gold, with a beautiful mirrored finish. It has enough round holes to drain the liquids properly, which makes it the perfect utensil that your kitchen needs.
Labha Serving Spoon & Fork Set
This is a set that contains a serving spoon, a serving fork, and a serving colander or slotted spoon. The pieces are made of 18/8 Stainless steel. The slotted spoon has one long slot in the middle, which will help you to separate small pieces of food from liquids.
Why Do I Need A Slotted Spoon?
Everyone that likes the art of cooking and eating should know that the amount of kitchen utensils is quite large. Sometimes we may think that it is unnecessary to have all those utensils because we believe that others that we have can do the same job. If you are one of those, here we will make you think twice.
You can have the most beautiful and fancy flatware, dinnerware, and cookware. However, there is more than spoons and forks to take, taste, and mix the food. If you use a spoon to remove solids from liquids, like ground beef or soup, you could do the job, but no so efficiently. The same happens if we use forks trying to fish that piece of food that we need to taste.
We know that slotted spoons are sometimes an overlooked utensil; however, they come in handy if you want to avoid mess and non-disruptive cooking and serving of food.
A slotted spoon is primarily used to remove solids from liquids, to serve and taste food only. Those how like pasta and soup probably already know about this utensil, because when cooking, we need to know if the pasta is done and if the vegetables are soft. The idea is to retain the liquids in the pot or pan.
Otherwise, if we do not need the liquid, for example, when the pasta is ready, what you need is a strainer.
You would need a slotted spoon on two occasions. When cooking and serving food.
When cooking, maybe you need to remove food from sauces, boiling water, or oil. During this process, you need to have the proper utensil, because most of the time we need to act quickly and efficiently to prevent food from overcooking or burning. Make sure that if you will use your slotted spoon with hot water and oil, the material should be appropriate.
On the other hand, when serving the food, it is useful if you want to drain or filter liquids that you do not want to serve on the plates. In this case, is important the size of the holes. Some slotted spoons have small holes to drain juice or water; others have holes that are bigger enough to drain thick sauces. In general, the holes or slots should be smaller than the food you will serve, to drain only the liquids.
What to know when buying the best-slotted spoon
Four main aspects need to be considered when you buy a slotted spoon. The material, the handle, the size of the bowl, and the slits.
Materials
Depending on your needs, when and how you are going to use the slotted spoon, there are different materials are available to choose from.
Wood is one of those materials that last for a long time and usually matches with the decoration of the kitchens. If you have cabinets made of light or dark wood, you can choose utensils made of similar wood. It is an eco-friendly material, which means that includes fewer chemicals in its manufacturing process.
Wood provides a vintage look and is excellent to use on non-stick pans because the utensil will never scratch the surface. However, over time it can tend to stain, so you need to wash it by hand and then dry it immediately. This will make the wood last like new and at the same time prevent mold from growing.
Another gentle and good-looking material is silicone. You can find slotted spoons and other utensils made of silicone in a wide range of colors. Besides, all cookware loves silicone, because it is perfect to use on non-stick pans and pots. You may think that it is not a good material because of the possibility of melting.
However, high-quality silicone withstands temperatures of up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. You just need to avoid leaving the spoon on hot surfaces, but it will not melt if you use it for cooking.
Another advantage of this material is that it does not transfer heat as fast as metals, so you will not burn your hands while cooking. You need to consider getting a BPA-free silicone slotted spoon, to be sure that the utensil is food safe. Most of the silicone utensils are not dishwasher safe, so it would be much better to wash them by hand.
Silicone and nylon utensils are good for extended uses because they are light. When you are cooking for long periods, maybe your arm would get tired rapidly if the spoon is made of a heavier material.
Finally, the stainless steel. This one of the favorites in the kitchen, due to its durability. It always provides a sleek, luxurious and elegant aesthetic. Most of the utensils have a shiny finish, which makes them look like new for a long time.
You can be sure that stainless steel will not melt. However, stainless steel transfers heat, so you can try to use one with a plastic or rubber handle, or a kitchen glove. This metal is not good to use on non-stick pans, because it can easily scratch the surface.
Other slotted spoons are made of two materials. Some have a silicone-bowl and metal handle, or vice versa. It is good because you obtain the best of both worlds. However, the food can be stuck in the joined parts if it is not cleaned properly.
Handles
If you use your slotted spoon mainly for cooking, it will be better to choose one with a long and round handle. It will allow you a better grip on the utensil, easily reaching the bottom of a stockpot.
If it has a hollow handle, much better. It will then be lighter and more comfortable to handle. Although we sometimes find ornate handles attractive, think first if they do not bother the grip.
The handle must be comfortable, especially if we are going to be several hours cooking in the kitchen!
Size & Shape
Being the part of the utensil that we are going to use, of course it must be taken into account. Depending on the purpose, you would need slotted spoons with different depths and shapes. Generally, to use with pans and pots, a bowl of four inches will do a great job.
Shallow bowls will take less food, but it makes easy the process of separating liquids and solids from a pot or pan. On the other hand, deep bowls take more food, but sometimes it is not easy to get the food that is at the bottom of the pot, near the bottom edges.
Slits
When it comes to the slits of these types of utensils, there are two main types: round holes or long slots. Holes are good to drain food like spaghetti because it does not allow long food like this to go through the holes.
In contrast, long slots most of the time do a better job draining liquids. Just remember that more holes or slots will drain faster, but if they are too big, some food, like peas, may get lost in the liquid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a slotted spoon?
It is a big spoon with slits on the bowl, used for separating solids and liquids.
Why do I need to consider when buying a slotted spoon?
The material, the handle, the size of the bowl, and the slits.
Having the proper kitchen utensils will make cooking, serving, and eating even more enjoyable. Get any of the slotted spoons we offer here at Artydome and enjoy a quality utensil with designs that match your style.
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