It's always exciting to own the nicest, most talked about kitchen gadget. Sure, it's an awesome feeling to have super-cool tools that are the envy of everyone who visits your kitchen (and help you cook the best food). But do you always have to go all out for the most expensive option, or can you play it safe with something more affordable that basically does the same thing? For example, I love to pull out my Le Creuset Dutch oven when I'm making hours-long gumbo for friends. But I'll admit that sometimes, a (much less expensive) Lodge 6-quart Dutch oven is more than enough.
With this age-old dilemma in mind, we recently caught up with chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic to get his thoughts on cooling racks after he used one in a demo he gave. Not surprisingly, Zimmern is a big fan of the cooling racks in his new three-part documentary series. Hope in the Water He was happy to share his thoughts on the film, which premiered on PBS on June 19th.
First, Zimmern points out that he uses cooling racks for a variety of purposes. “I'm super picky about cooling racks, not just for cookies, but also for resting chicken or fried foods before baking or serving,” Zimmern says. “If you put fried chicken fingers on a paper towel on a plate, they'll start to steam and all the work you've put into getting them crispy will be wasted.” Zimmern loves this four-piece set from P&P Chef, which includes cooling racks from 8.6 inches to 15.3 inches and is currently 35% off.
P&P Chef 4 Piece Cooling Rack Set
Amazon
When it comes to cookware, Zimmern certainly appreciates the good stuff, but he says there's no need to overspend on a cooling rack. “Cookware can be very expensive, and I always check for the lowest price,” he explains, noting that sometimes he's content to just surf Amazon until he finds the perfect fit.[Cooling racks are] “Bakery stores are all so expensive, so I buy sets of six, eight or ten for $12 on Amazon.com. When they break I throw them away, but I've had the same ones for about 10 years.”
Zimmern also recommends this two-piece set from E-far, which at 8.6 inches is the perfect size for a few pieces of fried chicken, a few baked goods, or a few grilled dishes.
E-far Stainless Steel Cooking Rack, Set of 2
Amazon
After all, it may be fun to shell out big bucks for shiny new gear, but when someone who can get just about any piece of equipment we want tells us to buy a cheaper option on Amazon, it's tempting to just hit that “add to cart” button.
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