If you enjoy preparing smoothies or soups, then a blender is such a wonderful must have appliance in your kitchen. From pureed soups to blended drinks, a good blender can help you do everything as long as you know how to use it. Unfortunately, many people do not use their appliance as efficiently or as properly as they are supposed t use. Here are some useful tips for using a blender.
Before reading further it is also good to know that there are many benefits of juicing at home with your own blender.You will be able to make nutrients filled drinks which are healthy and delicious.
1.Use the lid well
Most people make the mistake of forgetting to use the lid well before pressing the power button. Forgetting to put the lid on the blender can not only make a big mess but can also set your cooking back to square one. While putting the lid on the blender may seem like a very simple thing it’s very easy to forget about it. Thankfully, most blenders have the lids that allow you to use the extra features. For instance, some come with a remover centerpiece that enables you to add the ingredients while the machine is still running.
2. Make sure you follow the order
When it comes to using blenders, this is perhaps one of the most important tips. As a rule, make sure you move from the lightest to the heaviest ingredients. Always start with the liquids. Once the liquid enters, it will help the other ingredients move around. Next, add fresh fruits and finally frozen fruit and ice. This is very important when it comes to using a blender.
3. Start at slow speed before gradually increasing the speed
While many people want to use the blender at the highest setting, this should not be the case. While you might think that choosing the highest power setting will help you blend fast, this might just leave you will unblended ingredients. When blending solids and liquids together, it’s important to start with a low power setting as you work your way up. If you are having a hard time blending solid ingredients, add a little liquid before increasing the speed.
4. Know how to use the pulse button
While most people do not understand the function of the pulse button, it’s important to know about it. You can actually use this feature to help dislodge the food that gets stuck or to chop the ingredients before blending them. When your blender suddenly starts to shudder it may be that something has stuck. Just turn off the power and then hit the pulse button so as to dislodge the ingredients before going back to blending.
5. Do not heat your soup on the stove
If you are using a good blender there is no need of heating your soup since the blender will do that for you. The whirring blades and the friction will create enough heat that will actually warm the soup for you.
6. When blending hot ingredients, remove the steam
While most blenders can blend hot ingredients, you need to be very careful while doing this. This is because the hot ingredients might cause it to heat up. Moe so, blending hot ingredients will produce steam that needs to be vented out. If your blender contains a removable filler cup, you need to remove it when blending hot ingredients. If you are concerned about hot ingredients coming out you can cover it loosely with a towel.
7. Clean your blender after each use
Depending on the kind of blender that you have, cleaning it can be a bit difficult. But, if you don’t do it well after every use, food might build up on the blender and the blade which could greatly affect the future performance of the blender. Immediately after emptying it, you need to rinse it with hot water. For easier cleaning in between the blending, do not forget to put a dish detergent and a small amount of water in the jar, and then pulse so that pre-cleaning can take place Avoid leaving the blender sitting on the counter for a day or two without cleaning it. It will only make the cleaning job difficult next time you are out to clean it.
Conclusion
Although knowing your blender and all the features that it has might take time, it’s very important especially if you want to get the most of it. When you open up your blender for the first time ensure you peruse the manual instruction to understand all the safety features as well as other instructions. These tips will help you enjoy using your blender.
