How to use a food processor-a step-by-step guide for beginners

2021-12-13 09:45:47 By : Mr. Jacky Cai

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This gadget is more than just cutting vegetables.

A good food processor can chop, slice, dice, knead and make puree, making it one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen. However, if you are not familiar with how to use your food processor, or you don't understand all the kitchen tasks it can complete, then your handheld device is likely to be underutilized.

The kitchen appliances and technology laboratory of the Good Housekeeping Institute regularly tests food processors and evaluates the ease of use, cleanliness and assembly of each device, as well as the various settings it must provide. Our experts carefully measure the performance of food processors by using them to slice and shred vegetables, chopping onions, chop parsley, grating cheese, and kneading dough. The best equipment, such as our award-winning 12-cup Breville Sous Chef, has the right capacity, accessories and power to handle all these tasks and more. Although a food processor cannot completely replace your chef's knife, it can save you a lot of kitchen time by speeding up tedious tasks.

Are you ready to start slicing and dicing? Here is everything you need to know to make the most of a food processor:

Before you start using a food processor, you need to make sure that all parts are clean and assembled correctly. Most food processors are equipped with an electric base, plastic working bowl, blade shaft, multiple blades, working bowl cover, feed tube and plunger.

The standard food processor has a wide working bowl with a capacity between 2 and 14 cups-we recommend a larger model between 12 and 14 cups for maximum versatility. There is an S-shaped blade at the bottom of the bowl. The blade can be flat or serrated; the flat blade cuts cleanly, which is more suitable for cutting meat and most vegetables, while the serrated blade can also cut mud, suitable for nut butter and frozen food.

Most food processors have only one speed, but some can have high, medium, and low settings. The highest setting is good for making smooth purees and handling hard ingredients, while the low setting is good for handling softer ingredients.

The pulse setting is ideal for gradually cutting up food and controlling the blades to limit the risk of over-processing. It is also very suitable for achieving uniform shredding: the stop-and-go movement allows unprocessed items to fall from the top to the blade to be processed. Otherwise, the items close to the blade will only continue to be processed, making the bottom finer than the top. (If your appliance does not have a pulse setting, you can pulse manually.)

In addition to the basic S blades, many food processors are also equipped with slicing and chopping trays, dough blades, dicing attachments, and other accessories. Switching between blades and discs and using different speeds-plus the pulse function-allows you to better control your ingredients and make the most of your equipment. Always handle your blade carefully.

The food processor can not only cut vegetables, but also do many things. Here are some daily kitchen tasks that your processor can easily handle.

Although good food processors are quite durable and versatile, they cannot accomplish all tasks. Avoid these errors to get the best results (and longest lifespan) from your equipment.