7 Uses for Slotted Spoons

It was 4:30 in the afternoon when I remembered that I was responsible for providing dinner for the youth group at church tonight.

Unfortunately, the pantry was a bit bare, so anything I decided on would mean a trip to the grocery store.

Fortunately, my husband took the post-it note onto which I had hurriedly scribbled the grocery list and went to the store for me.

Once Matt got home, we made quick work of preparing the meal. I put the ground meat on to brown and started chopping the lettuce, tomatoes and onion.

He packed up the salad dressing, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, drinks, plates, and plastic ware.

We drained the meat and stirred in the taco seasoning. As I was scooping the meat into a to-go container, I grabbed a slotted spoon to help the meat drain a little more.

Then I wondered, “How do you choose a slotted spoon? Do I use the round slotted one or the long slotted one?”

I went with the long slots and determined to find the answer to my question when I got the chance.

So, here is what I found out about slotted spoon uses.

How to Use a Slotted Spoon

Before we dive into the many uses for a slotted spoon, let’s take a look at what a slotted spoon is and the different types there are.

What is a Slotted Spoon?

There is a slotted spoon and a perforated spoon. They both serve to pick up food out of liquid. However they have different uses.

• Slotted spoon uses – The slotted spoon is better for bigger foods and for quicker draining. You would not want to use this spoon when serving small sides, like corn.
• Perforated spoon uses – The perforated spoon will let you pick up smaller pieces of food like peas, chopped onion, or minced garlic that you want to keep in your dish. The smaller slots also mean that liquids will drain more slowly. If the liquid or broth adds flavor to the dish, then you would want to use the perforated spoon to reserve some of that flavor.

For our purposes today, I’m going to refer to them both as slotted spoons.

7 Slotted Spoon Uses

1. draining liquids, juice or broth
2. serving vegetables (perforated spoon)
3. lifting chicken from stock or broth
4. removing fried food from grease
5. getting potatoes out of boiling water
6. removing shrimp from boiling water
7. serving roast or other meat with au jus (perfortated spoon)

I guess that means I should have used the slotted spoon so the meat could drain faster. But, now that I know the different types and uses for slotted spoons, I reach for them with more confidence.

For more kitchen tips read:

• 7 Tips for Creating a Practical AND Pretty Kitchen
• How to Declutter and Organize Your Kitchen Like a Pro
• 10 Time-Saving Tips to Make Meal Time Easier