Vegetable Steamers

[All Seeing Eye]

I was just wondering if anyone here uses a vegetable steamer to cook their veg?

I mean, why is it better to wait something like an hour to steam cook your veg when instead you can spend 10 minutes boiling it in a pan on an oven ring?

Also doesn't it cost more electric to steam cook them?

Honestly, I want to know why people do this? is there some kind of benefit i'm unaware of? and does the benefit outweigh the problem of a bigger electric bill?

 

[Miss Chicken]

Probably the biggest advantage is that there is less loss of the water soluble nutrients (Vit B and C). Also there is no cross flavours.

I think, but I am not sure, that because the entire meal can be cooked in one steamer than the power consumption might be less if food is cooked on two or more oven rings.

 

[FrontLine]

an hour to steam your vegs? Hell my unit gets it and fish done in about 15 minutes. I love my steamer.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

an hour to steam your vegs? Hell my unit gets it and fish done in about 15 minutes. I love my steamer.

I dunno, I read on one of those Argos steamers about the timer being for 60 minutes.
I don't know how long it takes to steam them, never had one before.

 

[What's his face]

How much do steamers go for?

 

[Rÿcher]

Probably the biggest advantage is that there is less loss of the water soluble nutrients (Vit B and C). Also there is no cross flavours.

Bingo. Steaming doesn't leech the vitamins and the good stuff from veggies like boiling can. Steaming just softens the cell walls instead of explodes them so you can access the vitamins and other goodies through mastication and digestion.

How much do steamers go for?

got one of these? If so, you've got a veggie steamer. If not, they're less than $10 at a kitchen supply store like Bed Bath & Beyond. Just don't let the water in the pan you put the steamer in come above the bottom of the steamer.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

How much do steamers go for?

Check the link in my original post.

 

[What's his face]

[Charles Dickens Character]15 quid for a steamer? Why, back 'ome you could get two for 'alf a haypenny![/Charles Dickens Character]

I just looked at walmart.ca and the prices seem pretty reasonable. That might be something to buy.

 

[RoJoHen]

mastication

Delicious.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

WOAH! check this bad boy out! just came across this Kettle on the Argos website after looking at the steamers.

I is got to get me one of these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jadzia]

I steam my veg but I don't use an electric one. I just use a pan with a lid and very little water in it. (Gas cooker). Once it starts jetting steam out from under the lid I turn it down to minimum.

1. It takes less time to boil than a pan full water does -- saves time and gas, therefore cheaper and quicker than boiling.

2. Gas is lots cheaper than electric -- cheaper than an electric steamer.

3. Once it's jetting steam, it takes 10 minutes. I don't like my veg cooked to death.

4. The lidded pan can be left to stand for a few minutes and the trapped heat and moisture will continue softening the veg.


Why do people buy electric steamers? Lots of reasons.

They are a convenience for people with limited cooking facilities, eg, a caravan or camp site or hotel or travel lodge.

Not everybody is motivated principally by costs. They might choose these because they look nice; that they carry a health message; that they are very compact on their worktops; that they are cheaper and healthier than microwaved veg.

Some people might have their cooker tops full of other things if catering for a large group, or are preparing several courses.

Some of the steamers have auto timers, so you can start it and forget about it until you're ready to serve. Also, some might feature start time clocks, so you can prepare it in the morning/night before, and set the steamer to have your dinner cooked ready for when you get home from work. You can't do that with gas cookers.

 

[Holdfast]

WOAH! check this bad boy out! just came across this Kettle on the Argos website after looking at the steamers.

I is got to get me one of these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have one of these. Now I can enjoy watching water boil.

 

[Trekker4747]

Probably the biggest advantage is that there is less loss of the water soluble nutrients (Vit B and C). Also there is no cross flavours.

Bingo. Steaming doesn't leech the vitamins and the good stuff from veggies like boiling can. Steaming just softens the cell walls instead of explodes them so you can access the vitamins and other goodies through mastication and digestion.

How much do steamers go for?

got one of these? If so, you've got a veggie steamer. If not, they're less than $10 at a kitchen supply store like Bed Bath & Beyond. Just don't let the water in the pan you put the steamer in come above the bottom of the steamer.

I was going to say, almost, the same thing. I "love" these little gadgets companies make to get people to spend $40 on a piece of crap.

Look! A vegetable steamer! You NEED this! How else you going to steam your vegetables?!

Oh? A little metal foldy steamer thing? Come on you don't have one of those! You have to go to the store anyway to buy one, why not just buy one of our electric ones? They waste great cabinet space as they sit in there for weeks or months at a time and are soon forgoten!

Oh? You can just use a colander? Well.... Hey! Is that some sort of demon duck?! :runs off:

 

[All Seeing Eye]

WOAH! check this bad boy out! just came across this Kettle on the Argos website after looking at the steamers.

I is got to get me one of these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have one of these. Now I can enjoy watching water boil.

Just to inform people, the kettle I posted about, I got it this morning.
It's fricking awesome!

 

[backstept]

I love those things
they're the best way to cook broccoli in my opinion

 

[auntiehill]

I use a bamboo steamer. I just put it over a pot of steaming water and in about 15 minutes, the veggies are perfect. Boiled veggies often taste a bit like bland mush. Steamed broccoli is so much better than boiled.

 

[Captain Intrepid]

I love those things
they're the best way to cook broccoli in my opinion

Oven roasted broccoli is pretty damn good as well.

 

[Cutter John]

Gots me a rice cooker that doubles as a steamer. I love it!


Christmas present. So it didn't cost me nuthin'.