Help me be faster in the kitchen!
January 27, 2012 10:01 AM Subscribe
I would very much like to be faster in the kitchen, and I'm willing to throw money at the problem. What are your favorite must-have kitchen gadgets and tools that make your life easier?
I feel as though I'm very slow in the kitchen. I seem to spend a lot more time prepping and cooking than is necessary, and I've tried to diagnose the problem(s) without success. I prep everything before cooking (putting all of the ingredients in separate bowls). I have high-quality WÜSTHOF knives (but no real knife skills to speak of, though I'm working on it). I (try to) work from a clean kitchen, and clean as I go, though I'm not exceptionally skilled in this area. I have decent pots and pans, a Lodge dutch oven, a Kitchenaid stand mixer, a stick blender, etc.
I have all of the big things, but I'm intrigued by the smaller gadget things that claim to make things faster-- in particular, those that claim to dice and mince and slice. As an example, my current newest favorite addition (though it has no moving parts) is a $1 version of this garlic skin remover. I'm looking for tool suggestions that make all kinds of repetitive tasks go faster (for example, mincing garlic uniformly)-- especially those that are easy to clean up or are dishwasher-safe. When I dice things I like them to be uniform, and I would love to find something that could dice into different size pieces (including very very small). I like the $20 and under range but would be interested in the expensive-but-worth-it ones too. Ability to order online and ship to Canada (Amazon.ca, Ebay, etc.) is a plus.
I feel as though I'm very slow in the kitchen. I seem to spend a lot more time prepping and cooking than is necessary, and I've tried to diagnose the problem(s) without success. I prep everything before cooking (putting all of the ingredients in separate bowls). I have high-quality WÜSTHOF knives (but no real knife skills to speak of, though I'm working on it). I (try to) work from a clean kitchen, and clean as I go, though I'm not exceptionally skilled in this area. I have decent pots and pans, a Lodge dutch oven, a Kitchenaid stand mixer, a stick blender, etc.
I have all of the big things, but I'm intrigued by the smaller gadget things that claim to make things faster-- in particular, those that claim to dice and mince and slice. As an example, my current newest favorite addition (though it has no moving parts) is a $1 version of this garlic skin remover. I'm looking for tool suggestions that make all kinds of repetitive tasks go faster (for example, mincing garlic uniformly)-- especially those that are easy to clean up or are dishwasher-safe. When I dice things I like them to be uniform, and I would love to find something that could dice into different size pieces (including very very small). I like the $20 and under range but would be interested in the expensive-but-worth-it ones too. Ability to order online and ship to Canada (Amazon.ca, Ebay, etc.) is a plus.
This will depend on what you make, but I tend to cook as I prep, rather than having everything prepped before starting to cook. I do a lot of stir-fry and the veggies take different lengths of time to cook/soften, so I'll peel and slice carrots and then stick them in the pot on medium, then peel and dice potatoes and add it to the pot, then mushrooms, then celery, etc. This not only cuts down on total cooking time, but it also cuts down on the amount of dishes you have to wash, since I don't really store the ingredients anywhere except on the cutting board.
posted by Phire at 10:07 AM on January 27, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by Phire at 10:07 AM on January 27, 2012 [7 favorites]
Seconding a quality mandoline. Some like handhelds, but I prefer one with rubbery feet so it doesn't slide around the counter when slicing.
posted by matty at 10:12 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by matty at 10:12 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: for your knife skills Link (new window)
Developing good knife skills will take less time than setting up, breaking down, and cleaning of any appliance
posted by kanemano at 10:13 AM on January 27, 2012 [9 favorites]
Developing good knife skills will take less time than setting up, breaking down, and cleaning of any appliance
posted by kanemano at 10:13 AM on January 27, 2012 [9 favorites]
Best answer: I would work on the knife skills first - you could take a class somewhere or just practice at home. I cook a lot and have found that when I have good knives and decent knife skills, it pretty much eliminates the need for most other gadgets.
If you've got the knife skills, mincing and slicing isn't a problem. Although a mandolin is pretty cool to have for some slicing purposes.
posted by fromageball at 10:14 AM on January 27, 2012 [6 favorites]
If you've got the knife skills, mincing and slicing isn't a problem. Although a mandolin is pretty cool to have for some slicing purposes.
posted by fromageball at 10:14 AM on January 27, 2012 [6 favorites]
Keep in mind that any gadget you use for prep will need to be washed- if you have a dishwasher, awesome, but if you don't, washing fiddly gadgets is 5x worse. A mini food prep processor - the 2 cup one is pretty handy for quick chopping, and before I killed mine I used it almost daily. Cleaning it was easy, and if you get the slicing blade, you can find yourself slicing everything within reach- it's that much fun to use.
A garlic press will make minicing garlic a thing of the past- heck you don't even really need to peel the garlic before smashing it.
Epicurous has a nice collection of knife skills and other kitchen techniques videos, becuase at the end of the day, a sharp knife and good techniques really are pretty efficient.
posted by larthegreat at 10:14 AM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
A garlic press will make minicing garlic a thing of the past- heck you don't even really need to peel the garlic before smashing it.
Epicurous has a nice collection of knife skills and other kitchen techniques videos, becuase at the end of the day, a sharp knife and good techniques really are pretty efficient.
posted by larthegreat at 10:14 AM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's sounds like you're already on the way to speeding yourself up. Having a decent mise en place and doing your prep ahead of time is a good way to speed up the process. Knife skills are another, and that will come in time.
Try to avoid the trap of having too many gadgets in your kitchen, as they will simply clutter up your drawers and result in more things for you to clean later. I try to follow the Alton Brown rule of avoiding any single-purpose tools. Of course, this is a flexible rule (what else can you do with an ice cream maker?), but it will keep you out of trouble when you're tempted to buy a garlic roaster or some such nonsense.
All that said, I would heartily recommend the Benriner that donovan mentions. It's much cheaper than almost any other mandolin you'll see, and far more flexible. Other tools I find indispensable in the kitchen are my immersion blender and my food processor (hold out for a good one here). A microplane will also make your life a whole lot easier.
posted by Gilbert at 10:16 AM on January 27, 2012
Try to avoid the trap of having too many gadgets in your kitchen, as they will simply clutter up your drawers and result in more things for you to clean later. I try to follow the Alton Brown rule of avoiding any single-purpose tools. Of course, this is a flexible rule (what else can you do with an ice cream maker?), but it will keep you out of trouble when you're tempted to buy a garlic roaster or some such nonsense.
All that said, I would heartily recommend the Benriner that donovan mentions. It's much cheaper than almost any other mandolin you'll see, and far more flexible. Other tools I find indispensable in the kitchen are my immersion blender and my food processor (hold out for a good one here). A microplane will also make your life a whole lot easier.
posted by Gilbert at 10:16 AM on January 27, 2012
Not a gadget but an ingredient. It's not as nice as freshly minced, but using jarred minced garlic can save a good deal of time for your every-day cooking.
Also seconding (thirding? fourthing?) knife skills over gadgets. I can only imagine a mandolin saving time with a great volume or where fancy cuts or super uniformity are really important. Also, as far as mixing goes, I do it all by hand. Even for things like bread. I find it to be far quicker than setting up, breaking down and cleaning my Kitchenaid stand mixer.
The wand mixer is great for pureeing soups, though. Truly saves time and mess.
posted by rocketpup at 10:17 AM on January 27, 2012
Also seconding (thirding? fourthing?) knife skills over gadgets. I can only imagine a mandolin saving time with a great volume or where fancy cuts or super uniformity are really important. Also, as far as mixing goes, I do it all by hand. Even for things like bread. I find it to be far quicker than setting up, breaking down and cleaning my Kitchenaid stand mixer.
The wand mixer is great for pureeing soups, though. Truly saves time and mess.
posted by rocketpup at 10:17 AM on January 27, 2012
I was going to suggest a mandolin slicer, also a nice food processor can make dough and pesto etc much faster. I'm in love with my new flat wisk, not really for speed, but it is miles better than a balloon wisk.
As for knife skills, look for YouTube videos of how to chop specific vegetables, you'd be amazed at how much of a difference it makes if you know the best way to chop a particular vegetable.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:18 AM on January 27, 2012
As for knife skills, look for YouTube videos of how to chop specific vegetables, you'd be amazed at how much of a difference it makes if you know the best way to chop a particular vegetable.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:18 AM on January 27, 2012
Agreeing that knife skills are a key to improved speed and a SHARP knife is essential for this. I sharpen my knives weekly and I use (in addition to s steel) a couple of tools for this seeing as how I'm too lazy to use a whetstone. For my Gloabl knives (which I love) I use a version of this Mino Water Sharpener and for most other knives I use (an older model) of the Chef's Choice Electric Sharpener.
posted by donovan at 10:21 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by donovan at 10:21 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Knife skills will speed you up. Gadgets will slow you down, especially the gimmicky choppers and slicers. The tiny bit of chopping time they might save you is far outweighed by the extra cleaning time and the where did I put that gadget time and the how am I going to find counter space for this gadget time.
(since you mentioned garlic specifically, though, I've started just buying jars of the pre-minced stuff; the only drawback is that you'll start using too much garlic in everything because it's so much easier than mincing by hand or cleaning a garlic press)
posted by ook at 10:23 AM on January 27, 2012
(since you mentioned garlic specifically, though, I've started just buying jars of the pre-minced stuff; the only drawback is that you'll start using too much garlic in everything because it's so much easier than mincing by hand or cleaning a garlic press)
posted by ook at 10:23 AM on January 27, 2012
Also, in most instances I prefer a standard fork to a balloon whisk. Actually seems to whisk better and splash less.
posted by rocketpup at 10:23 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by rocketpup at 10:23 AM on January 27, 2012
If you want a fast and free garlic skin remover, place the flat of the knife on the garlic clove, and smack it with your palm. It sounds dangerous, but if you keep the blade tilted downwards, then you're fine. A great time saver if you cook with a lot of garlic, and it's one less unitasker gadget to clean and clutter the kitchen...
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:33 AM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:33 AM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
Best answer: If it hadn't already been mentioned a lot, I'd tell you that knife safety, knife skills, and knife sharpness are probably the best investments you can make in that order.
Also, thinking about your mise en place and about where stuff lives in your kitchen relative to where you stand when prepping and cooking.
Counter space is also a big bottleneck that you might not consider. It sounds like you might be kind of gadgety and that might be working against you. Having room to push your prepped vegetables around while still working is a giant time-saver. Restaurant kitchens -- which are way more time-sensitive than yours or mine -- keep almost no appliances on the counter.
If there's room in a cupboard or closet for, say, the stand mixer that you're only using once a week (if that) then that extra counter space might speed you up a lot. We have a tiny apartment and thus, no microwave. Our toaster oven (a wedding present) lives on a shelf and we bring it out about once a week because the counter space is worth more than the convenience. You can totally make toast in a frying pan.
(since you mentioned garlic specifically, though, I've started just buying jars of the pre-minced stuff; the only drawback is that you'll start using too much garlic in everything because it's so much easier than mincing by hand or cleaning a garlic press)
I want to stress that I totally don't do this because I have the time to clean my garlic press, but you don't really have to clean your garlic press. Garlic is pretty anti-bacterial to begin with, and it will dry out pretty quickly in your press. Then the next time you use the press, your fresh garlic will push the dried garlic out and into your food, no harm, no foul.
Also, smashing garlic with your palm and the side of a chef's knife is pretty damn quick, too.
posted by gauche at 10:36 AM on January 27, 2012
Also, thinking about your mise en place and about where stuff lives in your kitchen relative to where you stand when prepping and cooking.
Counter space is also a big bottleneck that you might not consider. It sounds like you might be kind of gadgety and that might be working against you. Having room to push your prepped vegetables around while still working is a giant time-saver. Restaurant kitchens -- which are way more time-sensitive than yours or mine -- keep almost no appliances on the counter.
If there's room in a cupboard or closet for, say, the stand mixer that you're only using once a week (if that) then that extra counter space might speed you up a lot. We have a tiny apartment and thus, no microwave. Our toaster oven (a wedding present) lives on a shelf and we bring it out about once a week because the counter space is worth more than the convenience. You can totally make toast in a frying pan.
(since you mentioned garlic specifically, though, I've started just buying jars of the pre-minced stuff; the only drawback is that you'll start using too much garlic in everything because it's so much easier than mincing by hand or cleaning a garlic press)
I want to stress that I totally don't do this because I have the time to clean my garlic press, but you don't really have to clean your garlic press. Garlic is pretty anti-bacterial to begin with, and it will dry out pretty quickly in your press. Then the next time you use the press, your fresh garlic will push the dried garlic out and into your food, no harm, no foul.
Also, smashing garlic with your palm and the side of a chef's knife is pretty damn quick, too.
posted by gauche at 10:36 AM on January 27, 2012
The most useful kitchen gadget I ever purchased was a digital probe thermometer with an alarm. I'm not good at judging meat doneness, so having a thermometer keep track of it saves me a lot of "open the oven, mess with and maybe cut into the meat, releasing all the juices" time and effort. I think it's worth it to spend a little more to get one with a steel braided cable, and some will double nicely as timers.
posted by Perthuz at 10:37 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by Perthuz at 10:37 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: This is actually a standard productivity question, masquerading as a cooking issue. There are three key components to your question:
1. How much time it takes you to prep a meal.
2. Your perception of how much time it takes to prep a meal.
3. How much time it SHOULD take you to prep a meal.
#1 is easily solved: set a timer and clock yourself. I often find that kitchen tasks seem to take far longer than they really do. Call it the Drudgery Factor. I'm frequently surprised to find that it only took me 10 minutes to wash all those dishes, because it felt like AT LEAST half an hour.
#2, being subjective, can be affected by the situation. If I have a lot of prep work, I'll turn on a podcast or bring in the laptop and watch something on Hulu. This is why a lot of people have small TVs in their kitchens.
Or maybe you should start selecting meals based on how much prep work they require. I always skim a recipe and if it involves a lot of chopping and dicing, or several different complicated steps - frankly I just keep looking until I find something simpler. (Or I deliberately do a half-assed job, just slicing onions instead of dicing them, etc.)
#3 is an interesting point. I only bring it up because I have known some verrrrry slowwwww kitchen workers. I'm thinking in particular of a roommate who, when he entered the kitchen, moved like he was underwater. He also refused to peel garlic the right way, and insisted on picking the skin off each clove individually with his fingernails. It drove me mad.
Two strategies here. One is to invite over a trusted friend who is competent in the kitchen, hand them a beverage, and ask them to critique your style and speed. This can be harsh, but effective. No one will be as brutally honest as a good friend.
The other is to invite yourself over to other people's houses and watch them prepare meals. Note the tactics and tools they use, and keep a mental clock ticking to judge how fast they work.
Ultimately, if your only experience here is watching cooking shows, then you have no real benchmark for how long cooking really takes - or should take.
posted by ErikaB at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
1. How much time it takes you to prep a meal.
2. Your perception of how much time it takes to prep a meal.
3. How much time it SHOULD take you to prep a meal.
#1 is easily solved: set a timer and clock yourself. I often find that kitchen tasks seem to take far longer than they really do. Call it the Drudgery Factor. I'm frequently surprised to find that it only took me 10 minutes to wash all those dishes, because it felt like AT LEAST half an hour.
#2, being subjective, can be affected by the situation. If I have a lot of prep work, I'll turn on a podcast or bring in the laptop and watch something on Hulu. This is why a lot of people have small TVs in their kitchens.
Or maybe you should start selecting meals based on how much prep work they require. I always skim a recipe and if it involves a lot of chopping and dicing, or several different complicated steps - frankly I just keep looking until I find something simpler. (Or I deliberately do a half-assed job, just slicing onions instead of dicing them, etc.)
#3 is an interesting point. I only bring it up because I have known some verrrrry slowwwww kitchen workers. I'm thinking in particular of a roommate who, when he entered the kitchen, moved like he was underwater. He also refused to peel garlic the right way, and insisted on picking the skin off each clove individually with his fingernails. It drove me mad.
Two strategies here. One is to invite over a trusted friend who is competent in the kitchen, hand them a beverage, and ask them to critique your style and speed. This can be harsh, but effective. No one will be as brutally honest as a good friend.
The other is to invite yourself over to other people's houses and watch them prepare meals. Note the tactics and tools they use, and keep a mental clock ticking to judge how fast they work.
Ultimately, if your only experience here is watching cooking shows, then you have no real benchmark for how long cooking really takes - or should take.
posted by ErikaB at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
A good knife sharpener. I have an electric 3-stage diamond knife sharpener that, when used in conjunction with a sharpening steel, can get my knives sharp enough to shave a baby. Yes, it's not as cool as getting out the set of Japanese waterstones, and I could probably get a slightly sharper finish by hand, but with the electric one it literally takes 30 seconds or less. Having super-sharp knives all the time will change your life.
posted by KathrynT at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by KathrynT at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Regarding mise en place, rather than put everything into individual bowls, you'll cut down on clean-up time if you identify ingredients that can be pre-combined like, say, the seasonings that all go in together or stir fry vegetables that take the same time to cook.
Regarding cleaning as you go, a sink full of hot soapy water ready to receive dirty bowls and tools is a wonderful thing.
Re: equipment, I received an electric citrus juicer (this style) as a gift once and I adore it. It makes it dead simple to make fresh orange or grapefruit juice as well as things like lemon mouse. It strains the seeds and pulp but makes it easy to add the latter back in if you prefer. (Pro tip: use your garlic press to squeeze key limes).
posted by carmicha at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2012
Regarding cleaning as you go, a sink full of hot soapy water ready to receive dirty bowls and tools is a wonderful thing.
Re: equipment, I received an electric citrus juicer (this style) as a gift once and I adore it. It makes it dead simple to make fresh orange or grapefruit juice as well as things like lemon mouse. It strains the seeds and pulp but makes it easy to add the latter back in if you prefer. (Pro tip: use your garlic press to squeeze key limes).
posted by carmicha at 10:38 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: I also have donovan's Japanese Beriner Mandolin and when I had cable I noticed that several folks on Iron Chef America had the exact same one, so I figure it's a decent one. Also it's pretty cheap. I use it infrequently but when I need it, it is really really handy. I use it to julienne carrots and zucchini for stir fry, and to slice cabbage when I make sauerkraut (which is like 25 lbs of cabbage, once a year, so it pays for itself just on that one day).
It's not so hard to clean. I take the blades off and put the rest in the dishwasher.
I also usually prep as I go, like Phire does. This requires you to be more or less familiar with how quickly things cook, so you can know that the onions should go in shortly before the carrots, and then the garlic once those are mostly done, because it'll burn, etc. (At least, that's how I do it.)
If you have that sort of general timeline in your head, you can also prep ahead but combine things in bowls based on when they should go in, rather than putting everything in its own bowl. That will reduce dishes, at least.
On preview, gauche has good points especially re: mise en place and counter space. I have a lazy susan in a corner of the counter that would otherwise be wasted space, and it holds several kinds of vinegar and a couple kinds of oil, all with pour spouts; crushed red pepper; kosher salt and two kinds of pepper in grinders; a vintage measuring cup with Tbsp, oz, and cup fractions printed on it; a teaspoon and a tablespoon; a couple kinds of hot sauce; and my ceramic garlic holder. When I am actively cooking, it's constantly spinning as I access various things as I go.
posted by librarina at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
It's not so hard to clean. I take the blades off and put the rest in the dishwasher.
I also usually prep as I go, like Phire does. This requires you to be more or less familiar with how quickly things cook, so you can know that the onions should go in shortly before the carrots, and then the garlic once those are mostly done, because it'll burn, etc. (At least, that's how I do it.)
If you have that sort of general timeline in your head, you can also prep ahead but combine things in bowls based on when they should go in, rather than putting everything in its own bowl. That will reduce dishes, at least.
On preview, gauche has good points especially re: mise en place and counter space. I have a lazy susan in a corner of the counter that would otherwise be wasted space, and it holds several kinds of vinegar and a couple kinds of oil, all with pour spouts; crushed red pepper; kosher salt and two kinds of pepper in grinders; a vintage measuring cup with Tbsp, oz, and cup fractions printed on it; a teaspoon and a tablespoon; a couple kinds of hot sauce; and my ceramic garlic holder. When I am actively cooking, it's constantly spinning as I access various things as I go.
posted by librarina at 10:40 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
I cannot fail to mention an immersion blender, since I have already used mine three times today.
posted by msali at 10:42 AM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by msali at 10:42 AM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
Re the mandolin, I strongly recommend some gloves when using. I am careful with my mandolin and always use my guard, but my gloves have nonethless saved me several times from losing the ends of my fingers.
posted by bearwife at 10:45 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by bearwife at 10:45 AM on January 27, 2012
I love my pampered chef chopper for onions and carrots . I place it directly on my cutting board.
posted by vitabellosi at 10:46 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by vitabellosi at 10:46 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: Prep in bulk, use later in week in a different dish. Work smarter by prepping what you can once a week instead of three times in a week.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:48 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:48 AM on January 27, 2012
Pretty late in my cooking life, I started taking the whole mis en place thing seriously and stopped running all over the kitchen. Mis en place prep saves a ton of time. However, I cheat on my mis en place and combine some ingredients in one bowl--herbs, salt/pepper in with the eggs or chicken stock, for example. I also chop some ingredients on different sections of the cutting board, and so on. This may be sacriligious, but I buy Trader Joe's mirepoix (chopped onions, celery, carrots) almost weekly, a huge time saver for many dishes. When I'm in a hurry, I'll compromise and buy chopped fresh onions and chopped fresh tomato cubes. Never chopped garlic, though. I've really cut my prep time a ton with the preceding.
posted by Elsie at 10:49 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by Elsie at 10:49 AM on January 27, 2012
Oh yeah I almost lost a chunk of my thumb this year on the mandolin (wasn't using guard though). Those cut-resistant gloves are almost as much as the mandolin itself, but fingertips are nice things to keep.
posted by librarina at 10:54 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by librarina at 10:54 AM on January 27, 2012
I love my lemon squeezer. It is especially nice for squeezing fresh lemon directly into or over a dish, as it strains out the seeds.
I use this dough scraper all the time, mostly for ease of transferring chopped veggies off the cutting board. The nice thing about this one is the little trough at the top, which allows you to transfer more veggies in one trip than the flat one donovan linked.
Here is something I don't own, but really should: a spoon rest. It would really save some mess, particularly if you get one you can just pop into the dishwasher.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 11:09 AM on January 27, 2012
I use this dough scraper all the time, mostly for ease of transferring chopped veggies off the cutting board. The nice thing about this one is the little trough at the top, which allows you to transfer more veggies in one trip than the flat one donovan linked.
Here is something I don't own, but really should: a spoon rest. It would really save some mess, particularly if you get one you can just pop into the dishwasher.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 11:09 AM on January 27, 2012
I think it's like washing dishes: if you think they take forever, it's just because you haven't done enough of 'em. You'll get faster as you keep cooking, and you'll probably mind it less.
That being said, I really really strongly second the lemon-squeezer (or lime-squeezer) and the digital thermometer with remote probe. And my kitchen scale will be pried from my cold, dead hands. I can't heap enough praise on an item that makes measuring peanut butter *easy*.
posted by pie ninja at 11:19 AM on January 27, 2012
That being said, I really really strongly second the lemon-squeezer (or lime-squeezer) and the digital thermometer with remote probe. And my kitchen scale will be pried from my cold, dead hands. I can't heap enough praise on an item that makes measuring peanut butter *easy*.
posted by pie ninja at 11:19 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: Get this thing. It's a little mini-trash or compost-bin that hooks onto the drawer-front of the cabinets at your prep station. (Stays there securely, I might add.) It is super-convenient to have this little trash bin that's not in the floorspace blocking your path, nor is it a trash bowl taking up countertop space. When not in use, mine hooks onto the trash can - and yes, blocks half the opening when I'm trying to throw something non-compostable away, but it's a good reminder to consider whether the item I'm tossing is worm-food or not. So I 100% recommend it if you compost and only 90% recommend it if you don't compost. Maybe subtract 20% for flies if you live somewhere hot.
posted by aimedwander at 11:20 AM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by aimedwander at 11:20 AM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
Salad Spinner (youtube link with sound) is the one kitchen tool I will not do without. I use it not only for salad, but mushrooms, and fresh cut veggies for roasting.
posted by JujuB at 11:21 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by JujuB at 11:21 AM on January 27, 2012
Potato ricer. Never serve lumpy mashed potatoes again.
posted by rhymer at 11:21 AM on January 27, 2012
posted by rhymer at 11:21 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: Don't bother with the spoon rest, Serene Empress! A small plate works just as well, and then you can just switch it out as it gets dirty and not have to worry about getting
One thing that helps me is having 'extra' stuff - more prep bowls than I need, more cutting boards than I need, more towels than I need - then I don't waste time and mental energy deciding whether I need to wash the cutting board or not. And really, three cutting boards hardly take up any more space than one.
posted by mskyle at 11:22 AM on January 27, 2012
One thing that helps me is having 'extra' stuff - more prep bowls than I need, more cutting boards than I need, more towels than I need - then I don't waste time and mental energy deciding whether I need to wash the cutting board or not. And really, three cutting boards hardly take up any more space than one.
posted by mskyle at 11:22 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: Two things. A food processor - don't get a small or cheap one as it will drive you crazy, waste time since you'll have to hand chop or grate whatever it failed to do, require that you multiply your effort, having to process several batches that a regular one would have handled, and break on you after a few extra big carrots.
My KitchenAid is a workhorse and going strong after 9 years, it also has a small bowl insert for small jobs that's really handy.
Maybe someone else can chime in on the quality of different brands - I have used two Cuisinarts at other people's houses and they suck compared to my KitchenAid. But maybe the newer models are better?
My other suggestion is getting two of what you use the most. I make a lot of complicated desserts and getting an extra bowl for my stand mixer and an extra spatula makes this a lot easier since I don't have to do as much re-washing before I'm done. Happy Cooking!
posted by paindemie at 11:37 AM on January 27, 2012
My KitchenAid is a workhorse and going strong after 9 years, it also has a small bowl insert for small jobs that's really handy.
Maybe someone else can chime in on the quality of different brands - I have used two Cuisinarts at other people's houses and they suck compared to my KitchenAid. But maybe the newer models are better?
My other suggestion is getting two of what you use the most. I make a lot of complicated desserts and getting an extra bowl for my stand mixer and an extra spatula makes this a lot easier since I don't have to do as much re-washing before I'm done. Happy Cooking!
posted by paindemie at 11:37 AM on January 27, 2012
Best answer: Also, maybe one reason things feel really slow to you is because you're being very careful, very precise and very meticulous about your results. That's good! That's the way to do things right!
That's not the only way to do things, though. Does it matter if the onions are in perfectly equal dice? Some dishes will look better if everythings chopped evenly, some dishes will taste better if the pieces are close enough to the same size to cook in the same amount of time - and some, it really doesn't matter. Really. What would it feel like if you rushed your way through a recipe? Chop roughly, stop trying to clean the last piece of connective tissue off the side of the meat, scrub veg instead of peeling (or at least don't fuss over every last bit of peel and whatever is this mysterious brown line in the carrot oh wait it appears to be a perfectly normal part of hte way it grew hmmm should I cut it out well it tastes okay - stop! no thinking! just chop!) shake some spices into the pot instead of measuring them all out carefully ahead of time (I think I only ever use my teaspoon measure, and it's just whether it's half-full (0.5), or flat (1), or heaped (2), or two rounded (3=1T)). The less you feel like the minor details matter, the less time it takes to complete the task to your satisfaction.
Or maybe it is important to you, maybe the meticulous process is part of the art and science that makes you love cooking. If that's the case, just relax in the zen of the perfectly cubed eggplant, and stop timing yourself. Or find a happy medium.
posted by aimedwander at 11:37 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
That's not the only way to do things, though. Does it matter if the onions are in perfectly equal dice? Some dishes will look better if everythings chopped evenly, some dishes will taste better if the pieces are close enough to the same size to cook in the same amount of time - and some, it really doesn't matter. Really. What would it feel like if you rushed your way through a recipe? Chop roughly, stop trying to clean the last piece of connective tissue off the side of the meat, scrub veg instead of peeling (or at least don't fuss over every last bit of peel and whatever is this mysterious brown line in the carrot oh wait it appears to be a perfectly normal part of hte way it grew hmmm should I cut it out well it tastes okay - stop! no thinking! just chop!) shake some spices into the pot instead of measuring them all out carefully ahead of time (I think I only ever use my teaspoon measure, and it's just whether it's half-full (0.5), or flat (1), or heaped (2), or two rounded (3=1T)). The less you feel like the minor details matter, the less time it takes to complete the task to your satisfaction.
Or maybe it is important to you, maybe the meticulous process is part of the art and science that makes you love cooking. If that's the case, just relax in the zen of the perfectly cubed eggplant, and stop timing yourself. Or find a happy medium.
posted by aimedwander at 11:37 AM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Not a gadget. Consider organization and kitchen workflow. You will save a lot of time by eliminating footsteps and eliminating digging for frequently used items in the kitchen. For example, cooking oil should be within arms reach of the stove on an open shelf or in a pull out drawer. Frequently used pots and pans and cooking utensils should also be within arms reach of the stove. Frequently used items used during both prep and cooking (salt, spices, etc) should be within arms reach of both stove and prep area. Flour, sugar, etc should be in containers with lids (not bags) that are within arms reach of prep area and can be scooped easily. Prep area should be within one or two steps from both sink and garbage. Having prep area within arm's reach of the stove is also nice, but accessible counter space to transfer items from general prep to stove readiness is also acceptable.
However, assuming you are not willing to throw big bucks at the problem by remodeling your kitchen to minimize footsteps, you could spend smaller bucks to invest in converting dead space in cabinets into pull out drawers, etc to keep items visible and within easy reach. Also you could install shelving above the stove, etc to keep pots and pans accessible. Finally, invest in containers that allow you to measure and scoop items easily. Containers for measuring out proper amounts of spaghetti, for example, save time.
posted by crazycanuck at 11:38 AM on January 27, 2012
However, assuming you are not willing to throw big bucks at the problem by remodeling your kitchen to minimize footsteps, you could spend smaller bucks to invest in converting dead space in cabinets into pull out drawers, etc to keep items visible and within easy reach. Also you could install shelving above the stove, etc to keep pots and pans accessible. Finally, invest in containers that allow you to measure and scoop items easily. Containers for measuring out proper amounts of spaghetti, for example, save time.
posted by crazycanuck at 11:38 AM on January 27, 2012
I'll probably get slammed for saying this, but I love my Nicer Dicer. I know it's an ASOTV product, but, seriously, if I'm making soup I just run all the onions, celery and carrots through it in a few seconds for the mirepoix. It's also great for making fruit salad.
I also second the dough scraper to pick things up, and wouldn't be without my salt pig or my immersion blender (a Bamix copy that I bought 15 years ago and which is still going strong).
posted by essexjan at 11:47 AM on January 27, 2012
I also second the dough scraper to pick things up, and wouldn't be without my salt pig or my immersion blender (a Bamix copy that I bought 15 years ago and which is still going strong).
posted by essexjan at 11:47 AM on January 27, 2012
Gadgets break easily and are not usually worth the time it takes to clean them. Doubly so for cheap gadgets.
I've been working on improving my knife skills, and it's made me much faster. YouTube is a good place to start. I hang a plastic grocery bag for garbage around the cupboard handles at knee-level, so I can discard scraps without moving from the cutting board. Only use multiple bowls when you need to; ingredients added at the same time can be mixed together.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 12:01 PM on January 27, 2012
I've been working on improving my knife skills, and it's made me much faster. YouTube is a good place to start. I hang a plastic grocery bag for garbage around the cupboard handles at knee-level, so I can discard scraps without moving from the cutting board. Only use multiple bowls when you need to; ingredients added at the same time can be mixed together.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 12:01 PM on January 27, 2012
You're shopping at a restaurant supply store, right? Because if you aren't shopping at one you are paying too much for stuff you don't need. If a commercial kitchen doesn't need it, odds are you don't either.
That being said, I did a recent stroll to the restaurant supply and snagged some good stuff for cheap. Cutting boards were number one. I grabbed two simple plastic half-sheet cutting boards, $6 apiece. Half-sheet is big enough that I can chop an onion, leave it in a pile, chop celery, leave it in a pile, chop potatoes, leave them in a pile and still have real estate to keep working. To hell with bowls, I've got cutting board space to do all of the work and only have to clean a simple cutting board.
Also: parchment paper/aluminum foil. I hardly ever bake without one of the two and it makes clean up much faster.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 12:05 PM on January 27, 2012
That being said, I did a recent stroll to the restaurant supply and snagged some good stuff for cheap. Cutting boards were number one. I grabbed two simple plastic half-sheet cutting boards, $6 apiece. Half-sheet is big enough that I can chop an onion, leave it in a pile, chop celery, leave it in a pile, chop potatoes, leave them in a pile and still have real estate to keep working. To hell with bowls, I've got cutting board space to do all of the work and only have to clean a simple cutting board.
Also: parchment paper/aluminum foil. I hardly ever bake without one of the two and it makes clean up much faster.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 12:05 PM on January 27, 2012
Response by poster: Damn it. I was hoping to get away with avoiding the improving-my-knife-skills bit. I fear for my knuckles (my husband prides himself on keeping them sharp but I lack confidence in the usage), but I think maybe I need to start there.
A couple of you have nailed it though-- I haven't been cooking for very long (couple of years). I haven't been eating for much longer than that, but that's a long story. Part of the problem is that I don't yet have a repertoire of go-to dinners, and I'm always working from a recipe (usually combining more than one based on what I like). I enjoy the process of cooking and I like trying new things, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't quite know the cooking times for everything yet, though, so I have been doing my full mise en place before I even turn on the oven/stove, and so getting a sense of timing will just have to come with time too. Another part of the problem is that where I live, I usually have to go to all three grocery stores just to get the makings for a single meal, which adds to the overall feeling of time spent (though I usually do the shopping earlier in the day). I also haven't quite figured out how to stock a fridge, but that's another story.
I appreciate all of the thoughts/ideas for workflow (and attitude!) and while I have an immersion blender, it's probably time to invest in a quality food processor as my next appliance. In general I am almost overly organized but it feels like when I start the cooking process things progress so quickly that I get messy, and fast. Having extras of everything I already have but that I need to use more than once and sometimes in a hurry (cutting boards, utensils, etc.) is an excellent plan in terms of smaller things I can buy that would make a difference. I do like a lot of your suggestions so far for the tools, too, so please keep them coming!
posted by mireille at 12:06 PM on January 27, 2012
A couple of you have nailed it though-- I haven't been cooking for very long (couple of years). I haven't been eating for much longer than that, but that's a long story. Part of the problem is that I don't yet have a repertoire of go-to dinners, and I'm always working from a recipe (usually combining more than one based on what I like). I enjoy the process of cooking and I like trying new things, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't quite know the cooking times for everything yet, though, so I have been doing my full mise en place before I even turn on the oven/stove, and so getting a sense of timing will just have to come with time too. Another part of the problem is that where I live, I usually have to go to all three grocery stores just to get the makings for a single meal, which adds to the overall feeling of time spent (though I usually do the shopping earlier in the day). I also haven't quite figured out how to stock a fridge, but that's another story.
I appreciate all of the thoughts/ideas for workflow (and attitude!) and while I have an immersion blender, it's probably time to invest in a quality food processor as my next appliance. In general I am almost overly organized but it feels like when I start the cooking process things progress so quickly that I get messy, and fast. Having extras of everything I already have but that I need to use more than once and sometimes in a hurry (cutting boards, utensils, etc.) is an excellent plan in terms of smaller things I can buy that would make a difference. I do like a lot of your suggestions so far for the tools, too, so please keep them coming!
posted by mireille at 12:06 PM on January 27, 2012
"the only drawback is that you'll start using too much garlic in everything"
Impossible! Though I wholeheartedly endorse freshly minced garlic over the jarred stuff--it has a...taste to it.
Spatulas in a variety of sizes.
posted by sugarbomb at 12:08 PM on January 27, 2012
Impossible! Though I wholeheartedly endorse freshly minced garlic over the jarred stuff--it has a...taste to it.
Spatulas in a variety of sizes.
posted by sugarbomb at 12:08 PM on January 27, 2012
My wife has been using garlic confit as alternative to the nasty jarred stuff (which we found metallic tasting). The confit is whole-clove, and has the rich buttery flavour of roast garlic but without the work and mess of peeling the bulbs. It gets made in large batches, then frozen in pint tubs. A tub in the fridge lasts us a month or two with no degradation in taste.
The idea came from Susan Spicer's Crescent City Cooking. apparently this is how she handles most of the garlic in the kitchen of Bayona. It's certainly been a boon to our kitchen.
posted by bonehead at 12:20 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
The idea came from Susan Spicer's Crescent City Cooking. apparently this is how she handles most of the garlic in the kitchen of Bayona. It's certainly been a boon to our kitchen.
posted by bonehead at 12:20 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
my husband prides himself on keeping [knives] sharp
As well he should! It's often said that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, and I can personally attest to that. I cut a good chunk of flesh off of a fingertip once when I was trying to dice carrots—the carrot rolled out from under the knife and the knife cut my finger instead. The carrot rolled because I was using more force on the knife than I should have been. I was using more force on the knife than I should have been because the knife wasn't sharp enough. Had the knife been properly sharp, I would've cut through the carrot with less force, the carrot wouldn't have rolled, and I wouldn't have cut my finger.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:31 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
As well he should! It's often said that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, and I can personally attest to that. I cut a good chunk of flesh off of a fingertip once when I was trying to dice carrots—the carrot rolled out from under the knife and the knife cut my finger instead. The carrot rolled because I was using more force on the knife than I should have been. I was using more force on the knife than I should have been because the knife wasn't sharp enough. Had the knife been properly sharp, I would've cut through the carrot with less force, the carrot wouldn't have rolled, and I wouldn't have cut my finger.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:31 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
The ultimate gadget: the Thermomix. I got mine this Christmas after drooling over it for a year and watching every damn youtube video on it, and it is simultaneously ridiculous and wonderful. Basically a food processor that cooks. I use it for almost every meal now, even if it's just prep. Prior to this, I barely cooked for years because my kids didn't like my cooking and it was too much hassle. Now they ask me to make dinner.
Because it's one machine always on the countertop, it saves hauling out other machines - blender, steamer, food processor. It also cleans itself fairly well, so I end up dissassembling it for a thorough clean only after something like making peanut butter. You pour in water with a bit of detergent, set it to boil and stir and end up with a clean pot that just need to be rinsed out under the tap.
The thermomix saves time because it's reliable and has a built-in measuring scale. By reliable I mean you don't have to hover over a simmering pot. You set the timer and heat, do something else and come back when it beeps. Once you work out a recipe in it, it is good each time.
Thermomix users sound like cult members because the damn thing is so good. They're hard to find secondhand, but you can get a demo pretty easily before shelling out for one.
Also seconding the little trashbin. Off the countertop is nice - we use a tiny pot from Ikea meant for their kitchen rails to do that - but otherwise, just designate a small ceramic bowl for that. Multiple chopping boards are great too.
posted by viggorlijah at 4:34 PM on January 27, 2012
Because it's one machine always on the countertop, it saves hauling out other machines - blender, steamer, food processor. It also cleans itself fairly well, so I end up dissassembling it for a thorough clean only after something like making peanut butter. You pour in water with a bit of detergent, set it to boil and stir and end up with a clean pot that just need to be rinsed out under the tap.
The thermomix saves time because it's reliable and has a built-in measuring scale. By reliable I mean you don't have to hover over a simmering pot. You set the timer and heat, do something else and come back when it beeps. Once you work out a recipe in it, it is good each time.
Thermomix users sound like cult members because the damn thing is so good. They're hard to find secondhand, but you can get a demo pretty easily before shelling out for one.
Also seconding the little trashbin. Off the countertop is nice - we use a tiny pot from Ikea meant for their kitchen rails to do that - but otherwise, just designate a small ceramic bowl for that. Multiple chopping boards are great too.
posted by viggorlijah at 4:34 PM on January 27, 2012
If you bake much at all, parchment paper is very much worth the investment.
Fine mesh strainers. These are indispensible for me, and they come in handy for so many things.
And, of course, a quality blender.
posted by azpenguin at 6:04 AM on January 28, 2012
Fine mesh strainers. These are indispensible for me, and they come in handy for so many things.
And, of course, a quality blender.
posted by azpenguin at 6:04 AM on January 28, 2012
Once I got a good garlic press, lots of my life got better. With a good one (ours is Oxo), you only need to peel the outer layers of skin (the inner skin stays in the press), cleanup takes 30 seconds, and you get to use nice fresh garlic instead of nasty jarred.
posted by freshwater at 10:30 AM on January 28, 2012
posted by freshwater at 10:30 AM on January 28, 2012
As much as I hate people who take jobs as narrators with speech impediments, I do enjoy rouxbe.com's content, especially this: http://rouxbe.com/cooking-school/lessons/170-pan-frying.
However. As they've become a pay-to-play site, I'm entirely against it.
That being said, I can't reccomend it, specially seeing as you were looking for a gadget-based time-saver.
posted by prodevel at 5:48 AM on January 29, 2012
However. As they've become a pay-to-play site, I'm entirely against it.
That being said, I can't reccomend it, specially seeing as you were looking for a gadget-based time-saver.
posted by prodevel at 5:48 AM on January 29, 2012
Another thing I find is a real timesaver is kitchen scissors. Probably everybody on the planet already uses these but for a lot of years I didn't--couldn't keep them in the kitchen, my kid kept stealing them. Now that she's move out I have two, and I really appreciate how convenient they are for opening packages, snipping herbs, etc.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 7:02 AM on February 4, 2012
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 7:02 AM on February 4, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
A "dough scraper" to speed getting mise en place items into bowls keeping your cutting board neat
posted by donovan at 10:07 AM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]