The Plastic Wrap Hack For Getting Sauce Into Squeeze Bottles Mess-Free
The seemingly simple task of transferring sauce into a squeeze bottle can quickly turn into a kitchen challenge, especially if you don't have a funnel handy. The narrow opening of the bottle, coupled with the viscosity of many sauces, often leads to spills and dribbles that can create a mess. Chefs and home cooks alike may find themselves wishing for a more efficient method as they navigate the fine line between getting their desired sauce into the bottle and avoiding an unintended splatter.
Enter the plastic wrap hack. This tip is perfect for getting a thicker substance, like spicy mayonnaise or chocolate sauce, into a squeeze bottle. It's best for situations where you may not have a funnel, although even with one, sometimes thicker viscosity sauces don't flow through very easily. Think of a sausage casing. This method is similar, with the plastic wrap acting as the casing in this scenario.
How exactly to use the plastic wrap hack
To take advantage of this kitchen hack, begin first by prepping your plastic wrap. Gently pull out a layer and place it on a firm surface. Pour your cooled mixture onto the plastic wrap, and smooth it into an even layer. Following this, roll the mixture and the plastic wrap into a tube-like configuration, sealing the ends with a secure twist. Now, position the tube into your designated squeeze bottle. Run your hand down the plastic wrap tube, seamlessly guiding the mixture into the bottle — a technique reminiscent of using a piping bag.
This plastic wrap hack is an easy way to get your thicker sauce or mixture easily into a squeeze bottle without much hassle or mess. Having a condiment in a squeeze bottle makes for convenient application, and makes tasks such as decorating a dessert plate with chocolate swirls or topping a dish with a drizzle of spicy mayonnaise super simple.
Other ingenious uses for plastic wrap
The potential applications for plastic wrap in the kitchen are endless. Ever had to put peanut butter or honey in a dry measuring cup for a recipe? Getting it out is borderline traumatic, let alone cleaning the measuring cup afterwards. Simplify the process exponentially by lining the measuring cup with plastic wrap, plopping in your sticky ingredient and then scraping it out with a spoon. Toss the plastic wrap in the trash when you're finished. Now you've got an accurate portion in your recipe and your measuring cup is left perfectly mess-free.
Plastic wrap can also aid tremendously when poaching eggs. Chef Alexis Gauthier recommends lining a ramekin with a bit of plastic wrap, creating a vessel for the egg. Crack in the egg, season appropriately, and then lift the sides of the plastic wrap to create a pouch. Twist the bag to seal it off and drop into boiling water. You'll have a perfectly poached egg without all the runaway fluffy egg whites.