Have you ever been told to stick a paring knife into a
boiling potato to check if it’s tender all the way through?
The problem is that even the thinnest of paring knives
makes a large stab wound in the potato, releasing starch and
vastly increasing the chances that it’ll break apart,
particularly if you’ve bucked up for those tiny, tasty
fingerlings. A cake tester neatly takes care of that problem.
Want to know if those simmering carrots are tender enough
to puree? How about if those baby radishes are cooked
through? With a cake tester, you can find out without
leaving behind any incriminating evidence. My favorite way
to cook beets is in a tightly sealed foil pouch—a method that
absolutely prevents you from poking them with a paring
knife. A knife makes a hole in the foil too large to recover
from. Not so a cake tester.
I use my cake tester instead of a fork to decide whether or
not my braising brisket or short ribs are “fork tender.” If the
cake tester slides in and out with ease, the meat is ready.
Lots of fish have membranes between layers of flesh that
only soften at around 135°F or so (a perfect medium-rare).
Stick your cake tester into that poaching salmon fillet, and it
if meets resistance (i.e., if it feels like punching through
pieces of paper), it’s undercooked. Barbecuing a pork
shoulder low and slow? You can check if it’s done without
losing any juices through the grill grates. Finally, if you ever
(god forbid!) find yourself without your trusty thermometer
by your side, a cake tester is the next best thing. Stick it into
the center of your meat and leave it there for about 5
seconds, then pull it out and hold it under your lower lip (an
area particularly sensitive to heat). You’ll know instantly
nandana
(Nandana)
#1