Why buy a steamer? - What's the use for it vs frying in a pan

[Devious Dave]

I don't have a steamer in my house. I like seafood, and I really like salmon. I usually fry it in a pan, but recently I've been debating buying a steamer. I know it gives vegetables a really good texture, but is that its only good use? I figured frying in a pan with coconut oil is going to give anything a better taste than baking or steaming. Need input on this

 

[VargReallyDidNothingWrong]

It costs like 5 dollars at the local Walmart.

Tastewise frying will always be better because of the Maillard reaction. Steaming is considered more 'healthy' but is blander.

I personally like steaming dumplings, instead of boiling them. I like the texture it gives the dough wrapper.

 

[Poppavalyim Andropoff]

I suggest you avoid any steamers with a connection to Cleveland if you're using this as a cooking device

 

[Moths]

Its for slanty eyed food those chinks try to keep away from the rite piggu

 

[Shamefur Dispray]

Some food is really good steamed, like broccoli with just a small amount of salt. The steaming completely gets rid of the bitterness of broccoli and it's easy to do

 

[Catler]

You don’t need a steamer if you have a dishwasher.

Dishwasher Salmon with a Piquant Dill Sauce

Get Dishwasher Salmon with a Piquant Dill Sauce Recipe from Food Network

www.foodnetwork.com

 

[Devious Dave]

Some food is really good steamed, like broccoli with just a small amount of salt. The steaming completely gets rid of the bitterness of broccoli and it's easy to do

This is very true but I don't eat enough vegetables

 

[Aunt Carol]

It costs like 5 dollars at the local Walmart.

I personally like steaming dumplings, instead of boiling them. I like the texture it gives the dough wrapper.

Yeah, I want to clarify--we're talking about this thing, right?

You really can't go wrong with the cost:benefit ratio, and if you have small children who like to play in the kitchen drawers it will double as a beloved UFO toy that plastic dinosaurs can "ride" in.

There are nicer steamers that stack on top of pots, or are a two-part pot like a bain-marie but with holes in the top pot.

I haven't tried those because I got a cheap rice cooker and it came with a stack-on steamer basket. Not much different than steaming in a pot on the stove, except with much less supervision (and more surface area). The pitch was that you could prepare an entire meal, rice on the bottom with vegetables/fish on the second story, but it works fine if you're only steaming things.

 

[VargReallyDidNothingWrong]

Can confirm I played with the UFO toy as a kid.

And also confirm that I have a smart cooker that has the little steamer insert. Works great. Never tried to do the whole rice in the bottom, meat in the top thing, but that's a smart way to do it.

 

[Just A Fat Round Bird]

You can literally just put a raised microwave grill thingy in a large enough pot and put a bit of water in. I used to steam stuff with that ghetto setup during uni, works good enough and if you have a microwave the chances are hight to already have such a grill thingy.