Using an immersion blender to purée vegetables

[kitchengoddess8]

I used my new immersion blender to purée boiled parsnips and ran into some problems Some parsnip purée got suctioned into the blade cup, and it stayed there until I cleaned it afterward. Is this supposed to happen? Does this prevent the blades from functioning effectively while blending?

 

[Katie H]

I think it might be a function of the vegetable. Parsnips are quite fibrous and could end up leaving some clog-like deposits on the blending mechanism.

I have a Braun immersion blender and have not encountered any challenges pureeing vegetables and use it often to do just that.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I think it might be a function of the vegetable. Parsnips are quite fibrous and could end up leaving some clog-like deposits on the blending mechanism.

I have a Braun immersion blender and have not encountered any challenges pureeing vegetables and use it often to do just that.

Glad to hear about your experience. I'm going to try it with some other veggies and see what happens. Some recipes say to add a couple of tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid to the parsnips. Maybe that will help with the clogging.

 

[Dawgluver]

Yes, if it's totally drained parsnips, no liquid, you will get clogging.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Yes, if it's totally drained parsnips, no liquid, you will get clogging.

Glad that mystery is solved!

 

[larry_stewart]

I agree with above. Some veggies break down easier and smoother than others . A little liquid can make all the difference in the world. A lot of times, I also transfer whatever I am using the immersion blender for into a container or pot that is taller and thinner, therefore, making sure the the blade is always submerged in the puree. Sometimes if its a large wide pot, the blades aren't completely submerges, so nothing gets pureed properly, and stuff splatters all over. Sometimes I'll just tip the pot a little to create a certain depth on one side of the pot.

***OBVIOUS BUT CRITICAL COMMENT***
WHEN IT GETS CLOGGED, BE SURE TO UNPLUG IT BEFORE CLEANING OUT THE VEGGIES FROM THE BLADE.

Im sure you figured this one out, but could get ugly

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I agree with above. Some veggies break down easier and smoother than others . A little liquid can make all the difference in the world. A lot of times, I also transfer whatever I am using the immersion blender for into a container or pot that is taller and thinner, therefore, making sure the the blade is always submerged in the puree. Sometimes if its a large wide pot, the blades aren't completely submerges, so nothing gets pureed properly, and stuff splatters all over. Sometimes I'll just tip the pot a little to create a certain depth on one side of the pot.

***OBVIOUS BUT CRITICAL COMMENT***
WHEN IT GETS CLOGGED, BE SURE TO UNPLUG IT BEFORE CLEANING OUT THE VEGGIES FROM THE BLADE.

Im sure you figured this one out, but could get ugly

Yeah it's pretty scary to think about having fingers near the blade when it's plugged in! I didn't try to unclog it. Just kept blending to see if it would unclog by itself - it didn't

Love your idea about transferring the veggies to a container where there is more depth. What are the best kinds of containers to use? Does it matter whether it's glass or plastic?

 

[larry_stewart]

Depending on the amount of stuff Im blending, Usually I transfer it to one of those quart sized plastic containers i get ( and keeP) when i get soup from the Chinese restaurant. Have to watch out, because when the blender is running, it creates a 'vacuum like' force that almost sucks up the bottom of the container ( as it spins, it is creating a force to pull in the food. As a result, this force almost makes it feel like it is attaching itself to the bottom of the container. So as you pull up on the blender, the container sometimes feels as it is lifting up too. Very similar feeling as when you take the hose of a running vacuum and put it on your arm or leg).

I usually use a slight up and down motion to make sure Im incorporating all of the food. Adding a little liquid , if needed , to get things going. If it is hot, be careful that the hot liquid or food doesnt splash up at you. Also, if hot, then the container could be hot too as you try to secure it from moving or falling over.

If Im doing something like pea soup, where I have a full pot, I just immerse the blended directly in the pot ( since there is an abundance of material, and there is no issue with the tip of the blender being completely submerged).

If, in the parsnips case, you add a little too much liquid and the consistency is not what you want, you can always cook it down a bit ( Just making sure that you'r continually stirring to avoid it burning or sticking to the bottom) and at a relatively low heat. And be selective with the liquid too. Sure you can use water, but could also use broth, milk, cream , butter ...depending on what flavor you are looking for .

Also, as a cleaning tip, sometimes i just fill a glass full of soapy water. I then immerse the blender into this cup and run it for a minute or two. Then take it out and just rinse with water to remove the soapy solution. ( All done in the sink to avoid making a big mess). ***This may be a 'typical guys way' of cleaning it, but it meets my standards ( not sure if my wife would agree).

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Larry, thanks for all the great tips! Using my blender should be a little easier next time.

The cleaning method you described works like a charm! I also saw that on a blog post and tried it yesterday. I did have to scrub the outside of the blade housing a bit.

 

[larry_stewart]

I actually have 2 immersion blenders. One i got years ago for under $20 . Then I upgraded recently to one with all the bells and whistles and detachable parts. After using the new one once or twice, i went back to the old one. I prefer a one trick pony, that is good at doing what it supposed to do, than one that can do just an OK job on multiple functions. Also, the newer one was a pain in the butt to clean with all the detachable parts. Its now laying in my " one time use appliance graveyard" .

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I actually have 2 immersion blenders. One i got years ago for under $20 . Then I upgraded recently to one with all the bells and whistles and detachable parts. After using the new one once or twice, i went back to the old one. I prefer a one trick pony, that is good at doing what it supposed to do, than one that can do just an OK job on multiple functions. Also, the newer one was a pain in the butt to clean with all the detachable parts. Its now laying in my " one time use appliance graveyard" .

What brand/model was your old one?

 

[larry_stewart]

My older ( cheaper ) one , that I still use , is a 'RIVAL' brand. I'm not sure if I ever heard of it before. The newer one with all the bells and whistles I think was a Kitchen Aid Brand. It functions well, but too many parts.

I actually did have one other, that I got as kinda a gift, but the plastic around the blending end actually melted and deformed a little, as I was blending it in a pot that was still on the stove.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

My older ( cheaper ) one , that I still use , is a 'RIVAL' brand. I'm not sure if I ever heard of it before. The newer one with all the bells and whistles I think was a Kitchen Aid Brand. It functions well, but too many parts.

I actually did have one other, that I got as kinda a gift, but the plastic around the blending end actually melted and deformed a little, as I was blending it in a pot that was still on the stove.

Wow that sounds scary - melting plastic in food. Mine is the 2 speed KitchenAid which has no bells and whistles. Just came with a plastic mixing cup.

 

[larry_stewart]

MY kitchenAid came with a whole carrying case, multiple attachments ... All worked well, but not what I needed. Ill probably use the old crappy one until it drops dead.

 

[RPCookin]

I have one that came with a 3-in-1 appliance, Wolfgang Puck signature. We bought it when we moved to the Bahamas as a space saving idea, and now that we are back in the states, I decided to keep it for the time being. It's an immersion blender, regular blender and rather limited food processor that all use the same motor, and a hand mixer that is a separate unit. The blender and processor functions are rather less than excellent , but I really like it as an immersion blender. It has really good circulation and a powerful motor.

It also has a whisk attachment and can beat an egg or 3 in just seconds for a fluffy omelet or any recipe calling for the eggs to be beaten.

 

[tinlizzie]

My first stick (immersion) blender was made by Braun and was a find at the hospital thrift store. I was happy with it, pureeing cooked veggies in hot liquid; it worked perfectly well. Then one day, it gave off that 'too hot' smell and just quit. I blamed it on its being a thrift store buy. When I bought a new one I actually read the booklet, which warned against prolonged use at one 'go,' which could lead to burn-out. So I suspect it was my fault -- inadvertent abuse from ignorance. The new one is a Bodum; I like it a lot.

 

[Aunt Bea]

My Waring immersion blender is a $3.00 thrift shop find. It only has two settings, ON and Off. I use it mainly to puree soup and whip cream. I keep a bartenders shaker glass half full of water nearby when I'm using it. If the job is too difficult for the blender I can dip it into the water and hit the button to clear the clog. I also dip it into the water and run the machine for a few seconds when I'm finished so I just need to wipe if off with a damp sponge and let it air dry. I use it but I'm not sure I would bother to replace it if it conks out.

The biggest problem I have with using it is me, I always forget and lift the thing out of the liquid at least once every time I use it. At least now I remember to always use it with a deep container!

 

[kitchengoddess8]

My Waring immersion blender is a $3.00 thrift shop find. It only has two settings, ON and Off. I use it mainly to puree soup and whip cream. I keep a bartenders shaker glass half full of water nearby when I'm using it. If the job is too difficult for the blender I can dip it into the water and hit the button to clear the clog. I also dip it into the water and run the machine for a few seconds when I'm finished so I just need to wipe if off with a damp sponge and let it air dry. I use it but I'm not sure I would bother to replace it if it conks out.

The biggest problem I have with using it is me, I always forget and lift the thing out of the liquid at least once every time I use it. At least now I remember to always use it with a deep container!

I love your idea of keeping the shaker glass nearby. I'm going to do that next time, especially when pureeing parsnips!

 

[Dawgluver]

Kitchengoddess, this one's for you.

DH and I don't care for pie crust, unless it's crushed gingersnap crust with pumpkin filling. Today I had a craving for pumpkin pie filling, and followed the Libby's instructions sans crust. I threw everything into a tall plastic pitcher and blended it up with the immersion boat motor. I added some Greek yogurt for the heck of it. Now it's baking, smells wonderful. The recipe makes two regular pie pans full.

I may bring the second one to my cousin's gluten-free Thanksgiving.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Kitchengoddess, this one's for you.

DH and I don't care for pie crust, unless it's crushed gingersnap crust with pumpkin filling. Today I had a craving for pumpkin pie filling, and followed the Libby's instructions sans crust. I threw everything into a tall plastic pitcher and blended it up with the immersion boat motor. I added some Greek yogurt for the heck of it. Now it's baking, smells wonderful. The recipe makes two regular pie pans full.

I may bring the second one to my cousin's gluten-free Thanksgiving.

Sounds yummy! Love your idea of making pumpkin pie filling by itself.


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