Alton Brown's Trick For Getting A Better Grip With Your Tongs
Alton Brown can often be found hosting some of your favorite culinary shows like "Good Eats" and "Cutthroat Kitchen" on the Food Network. He has also authored 10 books on the topic of food, won two James Beard Awards and a Shorty Award, according to his website. So, when he gives advice on cooking, many of us listen.
Brown has previously stated that every kitchen should have a pair of spring-loaded tongs and that they are the one tool he "cannot function" without, per Business Insider. He even holds a pair in one of the first photos inside his cookbook "EveryDayCook." The famous host also took to his Instagram to show an extra function that he uses tongs for — juicing a lime by squeezing the fruit between the arms. But if you find your tongs struggling to grip what you are cooking, Brown has a simple solution that he swears by.
The perfect hack for gripping your food with tongs
If you find your tongs are too slippery to grab your food, the solution could be free. Brown suggests using food-grade rubber bands (often found on bunches of asparagus or broccoli) wrapped around the ends of each arm. The added rubber grip will prevent things from slipping out of your hold and reduce the risk of burns from dropping hot food.
In a video posted to his Facebook, he demonstrates this trick for removing ramekins from a hot water bath. This cooking technique, called "bain-marie," is often used when making crème brûlée or flan, and helps cook the custard evenly all the way through. However, since the water can make the outside of the ramekins slippery, adding an extra grip to your tongs will allow you to safely remove them from the oven.
So, the next time you grab some vegetables to cook up for dinner, save the rubber bands and use them to help you make a tasty dessert.