How To Puree Without A Blender?

There are many recipes for our regular and special foods that require pureeing. With the help of this procedure, solid foods get a smooth, lump-free texture like pudding. You can simply have a smoothly pureed paste, or combine it with other foods.

The ideal tool for pureeing is usually a blender. You may also use it to create delicious juices, smoothies, and milkshakes.

However, you might not have a blender, or yours might need to be fixed. In certain circumstances, you might be unsure if you can purée without a blender to make good tomato ketchup. But the worry is over. We’ll show you how to purée without a blender using other tools and methods.

Key takeaways

• Food processors, immersion blenders, hand mixers, food mills, etc., are some alternatives to blenders for puréeing foods.
• Some alternative pureeing options, such as chef knives and peelers, require manual operation and handling with care, so be aware when using them.
• To puree hard vegetables, it’s always better to cook them first to soften them.

Alternatives to using a blender for Pureeing

We often purée fruits and vegetables for several recipes. However, other foods and meats might need to be smashed before cooking certain meals.

Foods with water in them are simple to purée. Contrarily, water must be added to foods with low water content to purée them and make blending easier.

The following are some alternative tools you can use when you want to purée something if you don’t have a functioning blender:

Food Processor

For puréeing foods, food processors are an excellent substitute for blenders because they feature a variety of settings. The truth is that many food processors have a purée setting that makes it simple to purée any foodstuff.

Generally, a food processor’s motor is more powerful than a blender. However, today’s high-end blenders are anticipated to feature motors that are at least as powerful as an ordinary food processor.

However, food processors typically come in two different types based on motors. They are:

1. Motorized food processor: Blenders and motorized food processors can handle both purée. As a result, using a blender or food processor for puréeing is the same. A tamper is also included with some food processors. If not, you can use a spoon.
2. Manual Food Processor: Manual food processors need you to spin the blades manually because they lack a motor. For instance, the blades could be attached to a handle or a crank that you turn. However, a manual food processor lacks the power of a motorized one. However, you may take it with you wherever you go.

Immersion Blender

An immersion blender requires manual operation, frequently comes with various attachments, and is typically portable. However, they work well for blending or mashing various soft foods. One of the equipment that commonly comes with an immersion blender is a food masher, which you can use to purée your foods.

See Also: Can You Beat Eggs With An Immersion Blender?

Hand Mixer

The term “hand blender” can also refer to a hand mixer. Using a driving shaft to purée food can serve as a viable alternative for a blender.

Follow these instructions if you don’t know how to use a hand mixer:

1. You should finely chop the stuff you intend to purée.
2. On a table, position the bowl of the mixer in a secure location. To guarantee that the bowl is steady, use a piece of clothing. Then add the food to the bowl that you wish to purée.
3. After turning on the mixer, purée the food using the shaft.

Food Mill

A food mill is a valuable kitchen tool that efficiently removes the skin from various vegetables. The mill has many discs of different diameters. Therefore, deciding on the puree or sauce’s consistency becomes simple.

Cooked meat can be used in food mills, but you should not put raw meat. Before using a food mill, make sure the ingredients are soft. As a result, you might frequently need to boil them before utilizing the equipment.

Mesh Sieve

There is no need to bother about pureeing if you only have a fine mesh strainer at home. Producing a fine saucy liquid item can be sped up using strainers.

Sieves come in various sizes. You can purée foodstuffs more effectively if the holes are smaller. Search for a big sieve to purée vast quantities of food at once.

Make sure your food can pass through a filter before consuming it. To get the soft food bits through the sieve, mash them with a spoon or spatula after placing them inside.

See Also: How To Set Timer On KitchenAid Coffee Maker?

Mortar and Pestle

Typically sold as a set, mortars and pestles are excellent for mash and puréed food. Depending on the materials you start with, it could take some time to get things as thin and smooth as you need them to be.

However, if you don’t know the procedures, follow the steps below:

1. Cut the ingredients you’ve chosen into small pieces.
2. Move the components for crushing into the mortar after pressing them down with the palm of your hand.
3. After finishing steps 1 and 2, use the pestle to mash the ingredients until they are completely pureed.

Potato Masher

You can purée food with excellent efficiency using potato mashers, which are available in various sizes. Considering how big these mashers are, you can mash up a lot of food at once.

Additionally, they come in various sizes, letting you select the appropriate one depending on the size of the foods you want to purée.

Cook And Strain

This technique is the first manual blender, and chefs have used it for decades. But it requires a lot of effort, particularly with harder fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it doesn’t apply to herbs.

The components must first be cooked (or softened) to use this procedure. After the items have finished cooking, you may remove their skins and filter them. Use the back of a large metal spoon to force the component through.

Chef’s Knife

Chef knives are built with strong, solid handles. So, it can often be used to smash foods and spices. Don’t you remember practicing this with garlic?

Although it takes some experience, using a knife to purée food is effective. Here’s how to make things simpler:

• As finely as you can, dice the meal. The process will be greatly simplified.
• Press the flat side of the knife into the food at a small angle.
• To make things a bit less difficult for yourself, twist the knife back and forth.

Cheesecloth And Mallet

Although using a cheesecloth and a mallet is undoubtedly one of the noisiest techniques, it is unquestionably efficient. Here’s how you can implement that:

1. Put your food items on a chopping board.
2. Cover the board with a large cheesecloth, take the mallet, and give the food a thorough beating.
3. The foods will break up into smaller bits the more you beat them. This works very well for crushing vegetables and nuts.

Fork

If the food is soft enough, you may purée it using a kitchen fork to get the desired texture. Use a larger fork for more significant meal portions.

Till the ingredients have the appropriate consistency, continue mashing with a fork. It could take some time, but using a fork to purée anything is not difficult.

Steamer Basket

Cooking makes fruits and vegetables simpler to purée. Put your food inside the basket, then secure it before dropping it into the pot of boiling water.

Take them out after a while and splash cold water over them to let them chill up. After that, you may use a rolling pin to purée them.

Cheese Grater

Typically, a cheese grater facilitates the puréeing of soft foods, including fruits, vegetables, and soft foods like zucchini, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Be careful not to scrape your fingers on the rough edges of little vegetables when handling them.

Chinois Strainer

Food mills and chinois strainers both function similarly. However, unlike a food mill, a chinois needs you to push the food through the holes using your hand.

Use a flat object, such as a silicone spatula, to do this. The strainer’s pores and often tiny openings stop seeds from contaminating your puréed food.

Rolling Pin

A rolling pin is a fantastic substitute if you want to purée cookies, pies, or other similar food items. When it comes to vegetables, you must first cook them. Afterward, put the food in a plastic Ziploc bag and place it on a chopping board. Until the meal reaches the correct consistency, continue rolling the Ziplock bag with the rolling pin back and forth.

Chopping Technique

This is one of the most straightforward pureeing techniques. In the kitchens, we all have knives. The food item you wish to purée should be placed on a cutting board.

Use a rolling motion while chopping the new object off with the knife. Use your knife quickly at a slightly curved angle.

Blade edges should remain flat. Use one hand to hold the handle and the other to hold the flat-sided knife. Up until they form a puree, keep dragging and cutting your items.

See Also: Do Water Filter Pitchers Have To Be Refrigerated?

See Also: How To Sharpen Titanium Coated Knife?

FAQs

Final Thoughts

For making purees and sauces, a blender is the best choice. But you may only sometimes have the opportunity to use one. So, to puree foods to make fantastic meals, you need some alternative tools, such as a hand mixer, food mill, immersion blender, and potato masher.

However, they all have different functionality than a traditional blender. So, you can expect different results from blenders. Plus, you need to be careful while using these tools, as they need to be operated manually and may lead to some injuries.