Do you use wooden cooking utensils that are splintered, stained and burnt?

[SlickSnake]

I have a bunch of bamboo spoons. They are great. I like them more than metal or plastic. I especially like my oak sauce pan. You have to wet it before cooking to prevent burning, but it has a wonderful even heat, and even some steaming action from the water vapor.

Euuwww, cooking IN trees just goes against the grain... unless they are a burnin UNDER muh cast iron griddle I
cook muh possum gizzards in, Elle May Clampett!

 

[D1gger]

When I was a kid and misbehaved badly, my mother would give me a couple of swats on the ass with a wooden spoon. Funny thing was that when I moved out she set me up with some cooking utensils and pans that were excess to her needs, and one of the items was the infamous wooden spoon. I use it to this day to cook with (I never used it on my kids).

 

[spidey07]

When I was a kid and misbehaved badly, my mother would give me a couple of swats on the ass with a wooden spoon. Funny thing was that when I moved out she set me up with some cooking utensils and pans that were excess to her needs, and one of the items was the infamous wooden spoon. I use it to this day to cook with (I never used it on my kids).

My mom hit me with an oven mit out of pure anger with good force. I deserved it.

She didn't realize there was a big wooden ring on the handle side. That busted my knuckle wide open when i went to block it. never seen her cry that hard ever when she realized what happened.

Mom. I'm ok. All I wanted was a Pepsi. Just one Pepsi.

 

[Cerb]

LOL at the poll. But yes, I do, because they work great at scraping and abrading. The burned surface only accounts for a small fraction of a mm, right on the flat edge, anyway, from a hot surface with hot fat on it (light scratches go right through the burned surface, so not even 0.1mm). Nothing stirs a roux like a wood spoon or spatula, and you know it.

Stains are fine, too. What's a little soaked in and oxidized oil from a seed or root going to do, that's worth worrying about (turmeric, ginger, and sesame oil seem to be all that ever stain mine)?

Now, splintered, no. That means it's time for a new one, preferably of a different material, unless the splintering was from abuse (such as soaking for long periods).

 

[MrDudeMan]

Wood's my preferred material after metal. Plastic can go to hell.

lol. Why don't you like plastic?

 

[spidey07]

lol. Why don't you like plastic?

Doesn't have the pan scraping ability to deglaze or make gravy nor the heft of a wooden utensil.

Pro tip. Don't put your wooden utensils in the dish washer. It will ruin them quick. Treat like knives. Hand wash only.

 

[lxskllr]

lol. Why don't you like plastic?

It's ugly, flimsy, and melts.

 

[nageov3t]

It's ugly, flimsy, and melts.

:thumbsup:

I've had some bad experiences with plastics because of that. with a wooden spoon, it's nice that you can just leave it resting against the side of a pot and not have to worry about it too much.

 

[MrDudeMan]

I've never had a single issue with plastic. You guys may be buying cheap, POS plastic if it's ugly, flimsy, and melting. We routinely leave it sitting in boiling water and it's totally fine 10 years later. It's also easier to clean. I don't have a problem with wood, but it's not as convenient.

 

[nageov3t]

I've never had a single issue with plastic. You guys may be buying cheap, POS plastic if it's ugly, flimsy, and melting. We routinely leave it sitting in boiling water and it's totally fine 10 years later. It's also easier to clean. I don't have a problem with wood, but it's not as convenient.

well, boiling water sure. plastic is fine for that.

back in my college days, I had a plastic spatula melt because I left it resting against the side of a cast-iron pan while waiting for a steak to cook before flipping it.

 

[MrDudeMan]

well, boiling water sure. plastic is fine for that.

back in my college days, I had a plastic spatula melt because I left it resting against the side of a cast-iron pan while waiting for a steak to cook before flipping it.

I would never leave any of the utensils sitting next to something like that, so plastic has never been an issue. I always set the utensil I'm using on the spoon rest.

 

[lxskllr]

I've never had a single issue with plastic. You guys may be buying cheap, POS plastic if it's ugly, flimsy, and melting. We routinely leave it sitting in boiling water and it's totally fine 10 years later. It's also easier to clean. I don't have a problem with wood, but it's not as convenient.

I have a cheap spatula I use exclusively for pancakes because it's flexible, and easy to manipulate them in the pan. The end of it is melted due to my ex, and every time I use it, a bead of plastic comes off the edge of the blade due to heat. Granted, it's a cheap POS, but my daughter had a nice set of plastic bladed tools that also has melt marks on it.

As far as looks go, plastic looks stellar when it's brand new. It shines like gem, with a flawless finish. It doesn't age for shit though. Where wood and metal get character marks, and age improves the finish, plastic goes ghetto, and looks like it belongs in an abandoned trailer. It doesn't get "character marks". It just gets worn and ugly.

 

[MrDudeMan]

I have a cheap spatula I use exclusively for pancakes because it's flexible, and easy to manipulate them in the pan. The end of it is melted due to my ex, and every time I use it, a bead of plastic comes off the edge of the blade due to heat. Granted, it's a cheap POS, but my daughter had a nice set of plastic bladed tools that also has melt marks on it.

As far as looks go, plastic looks stellar when it's brand new. It shines like gem, with a flawless finish. It doesn't age for shit though. Where wood and metal get character marks, and age improves the finish, plastic goes ghetto, and looks like it belongs in an abandoned trailer. It doesn't get "character marks". It just gets worn and ugly.

My Calphalon plastic utensils still look pretty decent. They probably did look better new, but they definitely aren't eyesores right now. Metal is fine except it scratches my pots and I don't want to deal with cleaning wood by hand. That's how I landed on plastic I guess.

 

[alkemyst]

I thought wooden utensils were disposables. People reuse them?

 

[Mixolydian]

I don't cook.

 

[MrDudeMan]

I thought wooden utensils were disposables. People reuse them?

Why would they be disposable? I've never heard of anyone using wooden utensils in a disposable manner. They're not nearly cheap enough to be.

 

[Perknose]

Yes, especially the stained ones . . . just not for cooking.