According to the foreign media outlet Simply Recipes, professional chef and research and development expert Anne Wolf points out that kitchen paper towels have always been a handy cleaning assistant in the kitchen, and their uses are by no means limited to wiping up spilled liquids or drying hands; for example, placing them under a cutting board to prevent slipping, wrapping broccoli to keep it moist, and absorbing excess moisture from the surface of vegetables are all excellent uses. However, kitchen paper towels are not all-purpose. If used in the wrong places, they can backfire at any time, even bringing food safety and fire hazards. She specifically names the following 3 common situations in which kitchen paper towels should absolutely not be used:
When making crispy hash browns or salad dips, it is often necessary to squeeze the water out of shredded potatoes, onions, cucumbers, or cooked spinach. Although using disposable kitchen paper towels may seem convenient, the structure of the paper towel becomes fragile after getting wet, and it tears very easily when squeezed hard, causing fine paper scraps and lint to stick directly to the ingredients. It is recommended to use a clean pure cotton kitchen towel or multi-layer gauze to wrap and squeeze out the water instead.
Whether it is simmering a delicious, rich meat broth or stock, making perfectly set jelly, making chili-infused oil, or making perfectly brewed cold brew coffee, it is usually necessary to line a strainer with filter cloth to remove solids. However, kitchen paper towels are not an ideal filtering tool. Their fibers tend to clog when encountering liquid, causing filtration to be slow, and when exposed to heat or oil they soften and break very easily, causing paper lint to fall into the soup. It is recommended to line the strainer with special cotton cloth or gauze, or directly switch to a very fine mesh strainer for filtering.
Although air fryer liners may look similar to paper, their material is actually closer to high-temperature-resistant baking paper rather than kitchen paper towels. Never directly line an air fryer with kitchen paper towels, because the strong hot air convection circulation can very easily roll up the thin paper towel and suck it into the heating element, creating a serious fire hazard. In addition, the paper towel will also stick to the food and leave fine paper scraps, and it obstructs the flow of hot air, affecting even heating and crispiness of the food. It is recommended to use air fryer-specific heat-resistant liners, or use perforated baking paper, and during cooking, be sure to press it down firmly with ingredients of sufficient weight to prevent the paper from being blown up by the hot air.
Source: Simply Recipes
