Ted Allen's Must-Have Kitchen Tool Can Do More Than You'd Expect
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When you're outfitting your kitchen, it's easy to get caught up buying a bunch of tools that have a single purpose. That pineapple corer probably seemed like a good idea at the time, as did the cake tester and olive pitter. But one of the best tools to buy for your kitchen, according to "Chopped" host Ted Allen, is the fish spatula. Although Allen's favorite kitchen object sounds as if it might have limited use, it has enough alternative uses that it might just be the one tool worth adding to your kitchen arsenal.
A fish spatula is thinner and longer than more traditional spatulas and has a sharp, angled edge that allows it to slide easily under fish or whatever ingredient you want to lift off of a pan or flip over. It also features larger slots than you'd find on other spatulas, which allows oils and juices to drip through. "If you don't have a fish spatula, get one immediately — it's my favorite," Allen told People when the magazine asked celebrity chefs to share their best cooking tips. The former cooking and wine expert on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," noted the tool's thin, almost-sharp edge. "So it's great for flipping, stirring, cutting and getting that first brownie or piece of lasagna out of the pan."
Look for a spatula with a wide angle and comfortable handle
Ted Allen isn't the only Food Network star who loves a fish spatula. It's also the kitchen tool Ree Drummond can't live without. As she told Today, "I use it for pretty much anything because of how sharp and precise it is." Drummond and others like using the kitchen tool to flip eggs while others cite its usefulness for flipping pancakes and burgers. A fish spatula can also come in handy when you need to lift cookies off of a baking sheet.
When shopping for a fish spatula, look for one that has a larger angle along the edge of the blade. The larger angle makes it easier for the spatula to slide under whatever food you're lifting up or flipping over. Blades can range in size but keep in mind that bigger isn't always better. Anything larger than seven inches is probably unnecessary. You also want to make sure the handle is comfortable to hold. If you want to treat yourself, the WÜSTHOF Gourmet Stainless Steel Fish Spatula is $65. If you're shopping on a budget, the Winco Fish Spatula is around $10. Sur La Table Stainless Steel Fish Turner is a mid-range spatula with a silicone edge. If you're not ready to heed Allen's advice, just consider all of the tricks he's learned from the dozens of chefs that have cooked in the "Chopped" kitchen since the show's start in 2007. As he told Christopher Kimball on the podcast "Milk Street," "More than anything, what a day on 'Chopped' does for me is it inspires me."