Hello again...

I'm new to all this cooking stuff, just so you know. As a teenager my
mom used to always try to pull me into the kitchen to teach me stuff,
and i'd always be 'too busy' with stuff at the time....

....she *tried*. I give her all the credit for that. But now, I have
to learn it all on my own. But here's some questions:


1) "Never put knives in the dishwasher" is something I've read in many
cases. HOWEVER.... does this apply only to wooden-handled knives? I
have a set of knives that are all one-piece stainless steel. No wood
anywhere. Are these ok to dishwash?

2) "Never put copper bottom pans in the dishwasher" is something I've
read many times as well. I have an old set of Revere pans with copper
bottoms. What happens when you dishwash them? Does it just discolor
the copper? Can I buff it back out again someday? Mine are all
pretty tarnished anyways (I got them second hand).

3) Can i use one of those old-style oven-going thermometers in the
slow cooker too? My thoughts on this are that it would be great to be
able to use the slow cooker as a miniature oven in the summertime. I
could roast things in it on HI while putting less heat into the place
as compared to using a conventional oven. Once things hit 160F in the
center they're pretty much done and ready to eat, right?

Thanks.

"phaeton" <blahbleh666@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> 1) "Never put knives in the dishwasher" is something I've read in many
> cases. HOWEVER.... does this apply only to wooden-handled knives? I
> have a set of knives that are all one-piece stainless steel. No wood
> anywhere. Are these ok to dishwash?

Dishwashers use very caustic cleaners and combined with the force of hte
water and things bouncing around, good knives can be damaged on the edge.
You can put in your butter knives, just not the good chef's knive and the
like.
>
> 2) "Never put copper bottom pans in the dishwasher" is something I've
> read many times as well. I have an old set of Revere pans with copper
> bottoms. What happens when you dishwash them? Does it just discolor
> the copper? Can I buff it back out again someday? Mine are all
> pretty tarnished anyways (I got them second hand).

My good copper never goes in the DW. Again, the caustic detergent is not so
good for them but I'd put Revereware in. It may discolor but who cares?.
Maybe someone that has done it can give a better answer.


>
> 3) Can i use one of those old-style oven-going thermometers in the
> slow cooker too? My thoughts on this are that it would be great to be
> able to use the slow cooker as a miniature oven in the summertime. I
> could roast things in it on HI while putting less heat into the place
> as compared to using a conventional oven. Once things hit 160F in the
> center they're pretty much done and ready to eat, right?

You can use the thermometer, but 160 is not a magic number. Some things
will be overdone, others still need time. I don't think the pot will get
hot enough to "bake" anything. They are designed to work with liquid as
liquid transfers heat much better than air.

What do you plan to roast? With the lid on, you wont' get crispy skin on
chicken, you won't get any browning, with the lid off, you won't get any
heat.

phaeton wrote:
> Hello again...
>
> I'm new to all this cooking stuff, just so you know. As a teenager my
> mom used to always try to pull me into the kitchen to teach me stuff,
> and i'd always be 'too busy' with stuff at the time....
>
> ...she *tried*. I give her all the credit for that. But now, I have
> to learn it all on my own. But here's some questions:
>
>
> 1) "Never put knives in the dishwasher" is something I've read in many
> cases. HOWEVER.... does this apply only to wooden-handled knives? I
> have a set of knives that are all one-piece stainless steel. No wood
> anywhere. Are these ok to dishwash?

Probably, if they are one piece stainless. Wood handles get the finish
worn off and then the wood swells and warps. Real silver knives have a
stainless blade that is glued into the handle and the heat loosens the
glue joint in time. My stainless knives have been fine.

>
> 2) "Never put copper bottom pans in the dishwasher" is something I've
> read many times as well. I have an old set of Revere pans with copper
> bottoms. What happens when you dishwash them? Does it just discolor
> the copper? Can I buff it back out again someday? Mine are all
> pretty tarnished anyways (I got them second hand).

I don't know the answer to this one. You can get the finish back on
your tarnished pans either with a mixture of vinegar and salt, or even
better, a cleanser made for copper.

> 3) Can i use one of those old-style oven-going thermometers in the
> slow cooker too? My thoughts on this are that it would be great to be
> able to use the slow cooker as a miniature oven in the summertime. I
> could roast things in it on HI while putting less heat into the place
> as compared to using a conventional oven. Once things hit 160F in the
> center they're pretty much done and ready to eat, right?

I don't think so. Even the "High" setting on the slow-cooker isn't
really that hot. Slow cookers are made for simmering or braising.
My first attic apartment right out of college was equipped with only a
two burner hotplate and one of those turkey roaster ovens. It worked
quote well as a regular oven and even provided enough heat to bake cakes.

I look forward to seeing other people's replies.

gloria p

spope33@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote in news:gj6vdl$620$1
@blue.rahul.net:

>
> Restaurants have lots of dishwashing machines and lots of good
> chef's knives.
>
> How do they wash them?
>


Number one rule in a dishroom is to never bring chef's knives in there.
It's to protect the dishwashers from accidentally cutting themselves when
they didn't know there were sharp knives in the sink, wash basin, etc.
This does not mean that it never happens.

> (I'm wondering if the answer is "they don't"...)

Most professional cooks/chefs handwash their own knives.Another reason
for not bringing it to the dishwasher is that if you wash your own
knives, then you're guaranteed to get your knife back after cleaning.
Throwing it in a bin for the dishwasher to wash does not guarantee that
you will see that knife again or in a timely manner.

You can do anything you want with cheap knives. They wont hold a keen
edge, anyway. But if you have a GOOD knife, it is a fine tool and
deserves hand washing.
My French knife has never seen the inside of the dishwasher and never
will. Nor has it ever been submerged in the sink. I wash it after each
use under running hot water with some dish detergent rubbed on by hand.
I keep my steel handy and give the blade a few strokes before each use.
The knife I paid 100 bucks for ten years ago is as sharp today as it was
then.

I dont own any copper, sad to say...but IF I were so furtunate, you can
bet I would treat them with the respect they deserve.

The detergent we use in dishwashers is mighty strong stuff---made to eat
theu dried on food...and WAY corrosive. See what happens to clear
plastic glasses? How they get all...cloudy and scratched-looking?
That's the corrosive nature of the detergent. Eventually it will
destroy the finish of even the most expensive non-stick pots. I have a
good, albeit old set of good cookwarwe that I KEEP in shape by NOT
putting it in the dishwasher. Any piece can still cook an egg without
sticking.

Please do your copperware a favor! Get some copper cleaner and restore
their beauty! Then, please wash them by hand!

I dont know about "roasting" in a slow cooker...? I mean, to the best
of my knowledge, you MUST add liquid, so your product will be "braised",
rather than "roasted" (dry).

I guess checking the temp is important if, say, you are slow cooking a
roast you want to serve medium or medium rare....but I've never used my
slow cooker for that. Ive used it for "pot" roast and pork butt....and
I can tell it's done when it begins to be easy to shred, the "fall
apart" test, LOL.

For a beginning cook, I strongly suggest watching all the Food network
you can. I've only learned to cook over the last six years and learned
just about everything I know from watching the TV cooks. Well, that and
practice!

Lass

On Dec 27, 8:13*pm, phaeton <blahbleh...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ....
> 1) "Never put knives in the dishwasher" is something I've read in many
> cases. *HOWEVER.... does this apply only to wooden-handled knives? *I
> have a set of knives that are all one-piece stainless steel. *No wood
> anywhere. *Are these ok to dishwash?

No. The basic rule, to be practiced 99.44 percent of the time, is:
Use the knife, immediately rinse or wash it, dry it, and put it away.
This takes only seconds and solves many problems. Put another way:
the knife doesn't leave your hand. You take it out of its rack, use
it, rinse it or wipe with soapy water and then rinse it, dry it, put
it away. Every time. The only places it should ever be is in the
rack or in your hand. Not only does this keep it away from caustic
chemicals and having its edge banged up, it also means no accidents.
-aem

> I dont own any copper, sad to say...but IF I were so furtunate, you can
> bet I would treat them with the respect they deserve.

They're apparently "just Revere", and my knives are "just" Chicago
Cutlery. I dunno... -I- like them. :-)

>
> The detergent we use in dishwashers is mighty strong stuff---made to eat
> theu dried on food...and WAY corrosive. *See what happens to clear
> plastic glasses? *How they get all...cloudy and scratched-looking?

Is there any less corrosive detergent available, perchance? I never
let food get dried onto anything. When I see other people not
scraping/rinsing off their plates after a meal it annoys me.

> For a beginning cook, I strongly suggest watching all the Food network
> you can. *

I'm constantly debating as to whether or not I should get cable.
Thing is, most TV doesn't appeal to me, but The History Channel is my
vice. I've watched the Food Network a number of times, and while it
is at least entertaining, I find that the stuff they make there is a
few levels up from me in skill, or they make a lot of things that I
probably wouldn't. As far as just getting the extreme basics down,
I've done quite well (at least I think) with an old 1960s copy of The
Joy Of Cooking and a brand new Better Homes n Gardens cookbook. Got
them both at a used book store, paid about $20 total. I find a main
course that sounds good, one or more sides, plan it out, make a
grocery list, get the stuff, set aside the time, follow the steps, and
it works. I know this is obvious to everyone else, but I'm learning a
lot of stuff for every-day meal construction and enjoying it every
step. All my friends think i'm kinda 'fruity' or 'effeminate', but to
heck with them. They can live off frozen pizza and ramen the rest of
their lives. I won't.

phaeton wrote:
>
> 1) "Never put knives in the dishwasher" is something I've read in many
> cases. �HOWEVER.... does this apply only to wooden-handled knives? �I
> have a set of knives that are all one-piece stainless steel. �No wood
> anywhere. �Are these ok to dishwash?

Stainless steel is an alloy of various metals (ordinary iron being a
main ingredient), there are many grades, food grade stainless is not
really very impervious, in fact it is one of the least impervious to
acids and bases... were it designed more impervious (say like marine
grade) it couldn't be honed to a sharp enough edge for kitchen work,
as being so thin it would be too brittle and bits would easily chip
off. Auto dishwasher compounds are quite caustic and will pit the
very thin business portion of a sharp knife... the sharper the knife
the more it will become damaged. Dishwashing compounds need to be
caustic otherwise the machine could not clean dishes in so limited
amount of time, the dishwashing machine has no means to abrade the
schmutz away like one can when washing by hand with some sort of
scrubbie.

Professional cooks typically own their knives, they hand wash them
themselves... and they don't wash their knives very often or they'd
not have time to cook, during their shift they wipe their knives with
a rag not necessarily a very clean rag either. They wash their knives
at the end of their shift, there is no soap permitted in the food prep
areas of any commercial kitchen, no glassware either, when you see
cooks sipping wine from stemware on foodtv that's fake, when they use
clear glass mixing bowls so you can see inside, that's fake too.

Meat cutters at the stupidmarket typically use a knife service that
owns the knives, they are cleaned after hours, usually in the wee
morning hours when a privately contracted cleaning crew comes in to
steam clean every square inch including all machinery and cutlery.
New health codes no longer permit commercial establishments to use
wooden handles and wooden work surfaces. Don't ever place any sharps
into a sink or dishwasher... never ever hand someone a sharp tool...
place it down on a surface so they can pick it up themselves... and
never ever accept a knife being handed to you, make them place it down
and then pick it up yourself.

> 2) "Never put copper bottom pans in the dishwasher" �is somethingI've
> read many times as well. �I have an old set of Revere pans with copper
> bottoms. �What happens when you dishwash them? �Does it just discolor
> the copper? �Can I buff it back out again someday? �Mine are all
> pretty tarnished anyways (I got them second hand).

Dishwashing compounds will pit copper and aluminum... even stainless
steel will eventually become pitted... with stainless you just won't
so readily notice. First a microscopic hole occurs that fills with
the caustic material, over time and with subsequent washings the
cavity will enlarge below the surface where you can't see, exactly how
caries occur in teeth. Eventually there will be a hole eaten all the
way through... keep in mind many of such errosions are occuring
simultaneously, often they join and create a latticework of tunnels,
like your expensive stainless cookware is infested with termites...
the worst part of which is that they harbor a great deal of schmutz
that will become part of your stew. Your expensive designer pots will
look all shiney but if you wash them by machine, after a few months
they will become scrap metal. I wash all my pots by hand... pots
don't fit into dishwashers very well anyway, so they interfere with
washing the smaller items sitting above... it's a false economy to
machine wash pots... restaurants wash all pots by hand.

> 3) Can i use one of those old-style oven-going thermometers in the
> slow cooker too? �

Sure you can, but for what purpose.... slow cookers have preset
temperatures, usually hi & lo. Slow cookers only work with liquids.
I can see using a insta read thermometer to check the temperature of a
new slow cooker just out of curiosity, you can't change it. There do
exist table top roasters that work with relatively dry heat, and allow
infinite temperature settings.

On Dec 27, 9:58*pm, Alan Ladd <onlyalad...@SPAMyahoo.com> wrote:
> spop...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote in news:gj6vdl$620$1
> @blue.rahul.net:
>
>
>
> > Restaurants have lots of dishwashing machines and lots of good
> > chef's knives.
>
> > How do they wash them?
>
> Number one rule in a dishroom is to never bring chef's knives in there.
> It's to protect the dishwashers from accidentally cutting themselves when
> they didn't know there were sharp knives in the sink, wash basin, etc.
> This does not mean that it never happens.
>
> > (I'm wondering if the answer is "they don't"...)
>
> Most professional cooks/chefs handwash their own knives.Another reason
> for not bringing it to the dishwasher is that if you wash your own
> knives, then you're guaranteed to get your knife back after cleaning.
> Throwing it in a bin for the dishwasher to wash does not guarantee that
> you will see that knife again or in a timely manner.

You are right on with your answer!

Steve Pope <spope33@speedymail.org> wrote:

> Ed Pawlowski <esp@snet.net> wrote:
>
>>Dishwashers use very caustic cleaners and combined with the force of hte
>>water and things bouncing around, good knives can be damaged on the edge.
>>You can put in your butter knives, just not the good chef's knive and the
>>like.
>
> Restaurants have lots of dishwashing machines and lots of good
> chef's knives.
>
> How do they wash them?

Each chef brings his own knives to/from work and washes them by
hand.

-sw