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When preparing a slow-cooked dish, it’s easy to leave a ladle in a pot to keep it handy. However, this discreet gesture can have unintended consequences for the quality of your food and even your safety. Before you do, here are five good reasons why you should think twice.
Reasons Not to Leave a Ladle in the Pot When Cooking
Risk of Cross-Contamination
If you use the same ladle to stir and taste food while cooking, there is a risk of bacterial transmission. This is especially problematic if you are cooking raw meat or products with delicate textures, such as eggs.
Heat is not always enough to kill all germs if the ladle is regularly dipped in and out of the pan.
Changing the taste of food
A metal or plastic ladle can absorb aromas and gradually release them into the dish, changing its taste.
Additionally, a ladle exposed to direct heat may burn slightly on the edges, which can give the dish an unpleasant aftertaste.
Risk of tipping and burning
A ladle placed in a casserole dish can fall at any time. If it falls into a cooking utensil, it can cause hot liquid to splash, increasing the risk of burns and damage to the cooktop.
Even just lifting it may involve touching a hot surface, which carries the risk of painful burns.
Leaving
a ladle in a Dutch oven while cooking often means more stains and splatters on your kitchen counter and stove.
If the ladle is too hot, food residue may stick and be difficult to remove. Removing it after each use will help prevent this from happening.
Improving food safety
A ladle placed in a casserole dish can fall at any time. If it falls into a cooking utensil, it can cause hot liquid to splash, increasing the risk of burns and damage to the cooktop.
Even just lifting it may involve touching a hot surface, which carries the risk of painful burns.
Leaving
a ladle in a Dutch oven while cooking often means more stains and splatters on your kitchen counter and stove.
If the ladle is too hot, food residue may stick and be difficult to remove. Removing it after each use will help prevent this from happening.
Continued on the next page
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