Spider Strainer Uses
So, what is spider strainer uses? A spider is a sort of skimmer…
…used in East Asian cooking that consists of a large shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle for extracting hot food from a liquid or skimming foam off while creating broths. The mesh size of the basket varies, but it usually ranges between 30 and 50 mm wide. It can be made out of metal, plastic, bamboo, wood, or even ceramic.
The term “spider” comes from its resemblance to spiders’ webs. This type of strainer has been around since at least the Tang Dynasty, when they were called “shuixing”. During this time period, cooks would use them to strain soups into bowls so as not to lose any ingredients during storage. They are also commonly used today by Chinese restaurants and home cooks alike. In here this blog, we also have an article about spider strainer that you might want to see.
How Does It Work?
The spider strainer uses, works on two principles: suction and gravity. When you put your hand inside the bowl, heat rises up through the water, which causes steam to form. As the steam reaches the top surface of the water, there’s an increased pressure pushing down onto the bottom of the bowl. However, because the bottom of the bowl is connected to a hose, air gets sucked into the space created by the rising steam.
Thus, the steam pushes against itself, causing an increase of negative pressure within the container. Once all the bubbles have escaped, the water level drops back down again. Because the water now sits lower than before, more air enters the system, increasing the vacuum effect once more. This process repeats until the water level becomes too low to create enough force to push the water higher. At this point, the entire contents will start floating upwards.
Why Do I Need One?
Most likely, you’ll want to make stock using vegetables such as onions, leeks, carrots, celery, etc., which contain high amounts of starch. If these types of foods get stuck in the holes of the strainer after boiling, then you may end up losing some valuable nutrients. Also, if you’re making soup, you might find yourself having trouble getting everything out of the pot without wasting a lot of broth. A spider strainer allows you to easily skim every last drop of fat off the top of the stock/soup.
Where Should I Keep It?
You could place your spider directly over a saucepan containing your stock or soup. Or, you could simply let the stock sit in another pan next to yours, where it won’t interfere with anything else. You could even set the other pan aside and just watch the stock simmer away quietly in the background. Either way, it’s important to remember that the reason why you’ve got this contraption is to remove impurities like fat from the stock. So, don’t worry about letting the rest of your kitchen area smell funny!
What Kind Should I Buy?
There are many different brands available on Amazon, ranging anywhere from $5-$30 depending on their quality. Personally, we prefer those that come apart rather than being sold assembled. We’ve had several sets break, but the ones that came apart still worked perfectly fine. The best part was how easy it was to clean – no sticky residue left behind!
Which Size Should I Choose?
We recommend choosing either small or medium-sized sizes. Smaller models tend to be easier to clean while larger versions can take longer to fill completely. Since most people only cook for themselves, buying large quantities isn’t really necessary unless you plan on cooking for others regularly.
Do I need to sterilize my strainer first?
If you purchase a new model, then yes, you should definitely sterilize it beforehand. Otherwise, it shouldn’t matter much whether or not you wash it. But, if you’re cleaning a previous version, it’s always good practice to boil it thoroughly in order to kill bacteria and prevent cross contamination.
Is There Something Similar I Can Use Instead?
Yes! While a spider strainer certainly makes life easier, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t achieve the same results by using a regular metal mesh strainer. In fact, we think that a traditional strainer provides better overall performance compared to a spider strainer. Why? It takes less effort to move things around in a standard strainer. Plus, you can actually see what you’re doing.
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