Unorthodox uses

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lezah

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
12
things used for things they weren't really meant for.. got any habits?

Here are some things saran wrap/kitchen wrap/cling film whatever you want to call it can do:

• when spreading dough in a cake form, just put in the dough and put a sheet of the wrap over the form, and simply use fingers to spread the dough, then peel off the wrap.

• similar to above; put dough between to layers of wrap, roll it out or whatever you want to do with it.. then peel off the top layer, use the bottom layer to move the whole thing in one piece without damaging it, flip it onto the cake or whatever, then peel off. My mom does this and loves it. no need for extra flour.

• put wrap over/in a cup, crack egg into cup and therefore into the wrap, seal wrap around egg (leaving some air in it) with a knot or clip/whatever, and boil the whole thing while turning it to make a poached egg that actually stays in one piece. (the problem then becomes getting it *out* in one piece. maybe adding a bit of olive oil to the wrap first might've helped me there)

also, my dad uses one of those long flat salmon knives to cut cakes in half (ie through their centre horizontally) so that layers of filling can be added.


I hope at least some of these are things that you haven't heard of already and that my first thread doesn't sound completely stupid... :huh:
 
I'm sure I'll think of more but my biggie is using the heel of a chef knife to open stock cans. :angel:
 
... also, my dad uses one of those long flat salmon knives to cut cakes in half (ie through their centre horizontally) so that layers of filling can be added...

I was taught to use unwaxed, unflavored dental floss - measure up on two pencils (from eraser end) how tall you want the lower layer of cake to be, and wrap the dental floss around the pencils. Hold the floss taut between the pencils, keeping the errasers on the counter, pull floss through cake. Toss floss when done - easy clean up!

LL
 
I'm sure mine is very common...using a sandwich baggie to pipe egg mixture for deviled eggs, or of course icing cookies.
 
I was taught to use unwaxed, unflavored dental floss - measure up on two pencils (from eraser end) how tall you want the lower layer of cake to be, and wrap the dental floss around the pencils. Hold the floss taut between the pencils, keeping the errasers on the counter, pull floss through cake. Toss floss when done - easy clean up!

LL

ha, that's ingenious!

I'm sure mine is very common...using a sandwich baggie to pipe egg mixture for deviled eggs, or of course icing cookies.

well, I hadn't heard of it so thanks :) to add to that- whenever i'm at an airport that supplies free ziplock bags I pocket a whole stack of them. :angel:
 
When pounding chicken breasts, place the meat between two pieces of plastic wrap. It keeps the meat from "spraying" juices and little bits of raw chicken everywhere. Works good for cutlets and thin ribeyes to turn into chicken fried steaks.

Use unflavored dental floss to cut soft cheese, like chevre, buffalo mozz, etc. I really like the bit about wrapping the floss around pencils, since I've been known to try to use floss to cut some harder cheeses, like guoda, etc., and end up just cutting my fingers.

Use the flat side of a knife or cleaver to crush garlic cloves. This is actually taught in culinary school.

I've heard of using a brick as a weight to press down squid on a grill, as well as a heated weight (preheat the foil-wrapped brick in the oven for an hour or so) to make paninis.
 
Another use for unwaxed, unflavored dental floss: use it to tie up your bird before roasting. (You can floss its teeth, too.)

I also use it when I'm making a bouquet garni, to tie off the cheesecloth.
 
I use cut off plastic bottles, too, for funnels!!!! And I have different sizes........if you run out of coffee filters you can use a paper towel(s) in a pinch......just as long as they are not scented........
 
Take one of the round containers you buy potato salad in at the grocery store. Line it with Saran Wrap/plastic cling wrap and use it to form your hamburgers or chicken burgers. Makes a perfect, round burger and they are individually wrapped so they can store if you don't want to cook a full pound at one time. (Learned from Guy Fieri and used many times. I love that man!!)
 
For those without dishwashers...

Save a pump bottle from shampoo or hand soap.
Use it for your dish soap.
Very handy to be able to just squirt a dollop of soap into the sink
without having to pick up a bottle or open a lid!
 
For those without dishwashers...

Save a pump bottle from shampoo or hand soap.
Use it for your dish soap.
Very handy to be able to just squirt a dollop of soap into the sink
without having to pick up a bottle or open a lid!

I fill an old hand soap pump bottle with water and squirt in some dish soap to use as hand soap at the sink.
 

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