Compared with juicy pan-seared steaks and crispy roasted vegetables, it’s hard to get excited about the idea of what can be bland, steamed food. Yet, steaming can be an asset when it’s done right: If you’ve ever eaten a juicy, perfectly chewy—or “QQ”—soup dumpling or flaky steamed fish at a restaurant, you’ve experienced this first hand.
Luckily, restaurant-quality steamed food is easy to replicate at home—and you don’t need an entire steamer setup to do it. Allow us to introduce the steamer basket: Lightweight, portable, and super adaptable, these nifty tools allow you to turn almost any pot or pan into a steamer. Here’s how they actually work.
Compared with juicy pan-seared steaks and crispy roasted vegetables, it’s hard to get excited about the idea of what can be bland, steamed food. Yet, steaming can be an asset when it’s done right: If you’ve ever eaten a juicy, perfectly chewy—or “QQ”—soup dumpling or flaky steamed fish at a restaurant, you’ve experienced this first hand.
Luckily, restaurant-quality steamed food is easy to replicate at home—and you don’t need an entire steamer setup to do it. Allow us to introduce the steamer basket: Lightweight, portable, and super adaptable, these nifty tools allow you to turn almost any pot or pan into a steamer. Here’s how they actually work.
Types of Steamer Baskets When folded up, they look like small metal discs with holes. But they open up like petals on a flower to make a larger, flexible basket that you can use in many different-sized pots. The folding feature also makes them compact and easy to store.
How to Use a Steamer Basket Properly
To set up your steamer system, fill a pot with about an inch or two of water, making sure that there’s plenty of space between the water and the steamer basket.
- Place your steamer basket into the pot, then bring the water to a boil.
- Once boiling, add your food to the basket in a single layer, cover with a tight-fitting lid, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Make sure your food is in evenly-sized pieces to ensure that they cook at a consistent rate, and add items like carrots and sweet potatoes—i.e., those that take longer to cook—first.
While your food is cooking, try to avoid opening the lid every few minutes (or at all, if you can help it), as this allows steam to escape, and keeps your food from cooking properly. Always use an oven mitt when taking off the lid, as steam can cause severe burns.
What Is a Steamer Basket?
A bit like a shallower pasta insert, a steamer basket fits neatly into the top of a pot or saucepan of boiling water. While they’re often made of metal (ours is made of premium stainless steel), you can also find steamer baskets made of silicone or bamboo, as well as collapsible versions.
While you don’t always need a steamer basket to steam your food—you can make steamed mussels or lobster without one, for example—having one is essential in many cases, and especially so if you steam often. Compared to something like a sieve or strainer, a designated steamer basket holds food in a single layer, ensuring that every morsel cooks through evenly.
How to use a steaming basket
FAQ
What can you use instead of a steamer basket?
What is the steamer basket?
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Is a steamer basket necessary?