unsinkable Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Put a butter knife in a baked dish like a casserole, hold it there a few seconds, and then feel the butter knife to see if the casserole is hot? It works best for things like potatoes and pasta, things without a lot of liquid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Not only have I never done that, I've never even heard of anyone doing it. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 No - but I am not above a quick poke with a clean finger or, with microwaved stuff, feeling if the bottom of the dish is hot. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 I have never heard of that trick. I use a thermometer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 No. Never heard of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 No. I can't think of any casseroles I've made when there was any doubt about their being hot enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) I have never heard of that trick. I use a thermometer.What do you do if you don't have a thermometer? Like if you're cooking at a place that doesn't have one? No. I can't think of any casseroles I've made when there was any doubt about their being hot enough.It comes in handy during parties when the oven is being used for many dishes and the oven is being opened and closed more often than usual. Plus, the temp that dishes are being cooked at isn't necessarily the recommended temp. Oh, it is also helpful when I'm doing something I've never done before...like heating 6lbs of baked ziti made with a couple gallons of sauce* that i had cooked the day before. It was so much food the standard directions wouldn't apply. The edges could be hot but the centers ice cold. *that is an awkward sentence. I'm trying to say it was a lot of food! Edited November 28, 2015 by unsinkable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I generally stick a knife in pies to see if they come out clean = done. But I've never done it for the temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Hey that's a good idea! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Yup. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I voted yes, but if I'm in my own kitchen, I actually have a small metal probe for that express purpose. It comes in handy for things like frozen lasagna or shephard's pie, which seem to take a different cooking time every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Never heard of it, but it's a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtomom Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I have never heard of that, but I may use it in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Who doesn't? Everyone I know does that.... am I weird? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Squirrels Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I've never heard of doing this before, but I might have to try it now! I admit to sticking a clean finger in when it's just at home for my family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I've also never heard of this trick before. I have a thermometer for home use--though I don't usually use it because we rarely eat casseroles--and any time we bring food somewhere I end up bringing it in a crockpot (because it's usually chili). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Nope. Good idea, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I'm guessing it's regional. What part of the country are those of you that were using this prior to this post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Sounds like it would work, I'm just wondering what kind of casserole I would need this for. Most things won't be done until they're bubbly, which you can see. What kinds of things do you use this for? I'm curious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 Sounds like it would work, I'm just wondering what kind of casserole I would need this for. Most things won't be done until they're bubbly, which you can see. What kinds of things do you use this for? I'm curious. Potatoes and pasta, things without a lot of liquid. Sweet potato casserole, baked ziti, lasagne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I'm guessing it's regional. What part of the country are those of you that were using this prior to this post? Central Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Never heard of it. I don't make many casserole type dishes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Never heard of doing that. I usually just poke the top with a clean finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyOwn Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I've never tried that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I can't think of any casseroles I've made when there was any doubt about their being hot enough. I have done the knife thing, but usually when we're rewarming cooked food. When cooking food there's never any doubt it's hot through. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Yes, but I've never seen anyone else do it. I do it with stuff that has been in the microwave as well, if it's something that can't be stirred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 That's a good idea. I usually poke at it to see if it's steaming or pull a small amount out to check. The knife would be easier! I have used a thermometer when one is handy or something raw was inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I do that all the time when reheating frozen meals, like baked ziti, lasagna, pot pies, shepherds pie, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Yes, I did it with all our casserole type dishes yesterday. Just because it was so full and my oven is old and doesn't heat as evenly as it should. I didn't want one of them to be luke warm in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Central Canada. Same. Learned it from my MIL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Never did it, never heard of it, from the deep south. We use our fingers for family, and there's nothing casserole-y that I cook for others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Only I use a fork or a spoon instead and touch it to my tongue since my fingers can't tell temperature much anymore since I started working in a bakery. I feel things with my fingers or palms of my hand and they feel room temp or cool when they are actually really hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.