Food Processing Techniques

The food processor was invented during the early 1970's, to the thanks of cooks everywhere. The food processor, while not revolutionary, certainly saved restaurant chefs and home cooks large amounts of tedious prep work, like chopping, cutting, slicing and pureeing. Today, these machines are utility workhorses in many well equipped kitchens and chop and slice fruits and vegetables, make dough, and mix various ingredients all with the simple and easy push of a button. No more tired arms and forearms!

A processor is a valuable kitchen investment. Prices on processors typically range from about $50 to $300 and beyond. Investing that amount of money in a labor saving device is wise, assuming the processor lasts for a long period of time. Here are some processing tips and techniques that will help produce great meals and prolong the efficiency and use of your unit:

• When adding food into the processor, it is best to leave enough room in the work bowl for the food to be whirled and processed around. This will be easier on the processor's motor and also lead to more consistently processed food.
• Processing consistently sized food will also be gentle on the machine and lead to more uniform processed food. For example, process food chunks that are all similar in size like 1 to 2 inches. Do not process 4 inch size pieces with 1 inch size pieces.
• Food processors can chop, slice, mix and grate almost any food. However, it is not recommended to process the following food and items in the unit: grain, coffee, frozen meat, ice cubes and hard spices.
• Do not operate the processor for extended periods of time. This can be detrimental to its motor. Most foods can be easily processed in seconds. It is recommended to operate a food processor for up to a minute at a time. Short pulse bursts are usually best. If processing large quantities of food, let the motor rest between 1 minute processing intervals.