Owning a commercial restaurant is no easy business. You need to have the latest and the right equipment to ensure everything is prepared the right way and on time. It is often business owners find themselves in a tricky position when it comes to choosing commercial appliances such as food steamers as there are the different types of commercial food steamers with varying functionalities. For this, these tips will also prove to be useful. You can also take some suggestions from the commercial kitchen appliance repair expert who maintains your restaurant equipment.

Determining Your Needs And Application

The first step of choosing the right commercial food steamer is also the most important. If you own a commercial kitchen that specializes in fried or steamed food, you need to match the needs of the steaming process and the food types with the steamer you wish to purchase.

The cooking method plays a crucial role in determining what you should spend your money on. One thing you should know is there are many food steamers out there that can be crossovers and fit into more than one category at the same time.

For example, you might need a steamer for short, hot blasts of steam such as tortillas and bread. In this case, a specialty steamer might be a good option. It could also be that you need to quickly heat small portions of shrimp, eggs, vegetables, or sandwiches. In this case, a portion steamer will be a perfect option.

Furthermore, to steam and cook large batches of food, you are going to need a high-volume steamer that can handle a relatively large volume of food items at the same time, reducing the cooking time. On the other hand, convection steamers tend to circulate equal steam throughout the unit to ensure the food is prepared properly.

But, if you want something that cooks dense food hotter, drier, and quicker, a pressure cooker is going to be your best bet.

Types Of Steamers

Now that you are familiar with the basic concept surrounding commercial food steamers, you should be aware of the most common types in detail.

Portion Steamers

Portion steamers are designed and used to quickly cook, heat, or rather small or medium amounts of food, which means they tend to have smaller portions and capacity when compared to the other types. In simple words, these steamers are used to prepare food items like burritos and tortillas.

These food steamers are found in fast food joints where multiple customers need to be served swiftly. Some portion steamers can handle one food at a time, while others can handle 1-2 pans full of food. Furthermore, food items like eggs, meat, pancakes, seafood, etc. can be taken out from the refrigerator and placed directly into the steamer. This saves a lot of time and effort in terms of energy, labor, time, etc.

High-Volume

High-volume steamers tend to utilize convection technology but may also cook with pressurized steam depending on the make, model, and variant. As the term suggests, high-volume commercial food steamers are designed to cook large batches of food both evenly and quickly. Some models can be custom-made to accommodate even more batches.

These types of steamers are mostly used in places where high volumes of food are cooked every day such as mess, halls, correctional centers, and food factories. Some high-volume commercial steamers also come with dual settings to cook and hold the product. This ensures the food items are served hot and fresh if there is a bit of wait in serving to the customer.

Additionally, such steamers and features are also useful in places like banquets, cafeterias, and catered events to help prepare in advance and keep stock to serve customers through the night. After buying, make sure that the commercial steamer installation is done by an expert.

Choosing A Cooking Method

When it comes to choosing between a portion or a high-volume steamer, you will also need to determine and consider the cooking method that best suits you. This is determined by the types of food items you sell. You need to keep in mind that steamers can cook food in several different ways based on temperature and speed, and can produce different textures. So, let’s take a closer look at the types of cooking methods.

Convection Steamers

As mentioned earlier, convection steamers are designed to disperse equal steam or heat to ensure the food items are cooked properly. This cooking method produces uniform texture, shortens the cooking time for dense foods, and maintains a cooking temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Convection steamers are very gentle with food. This means, if you are preparing seafood, eggs, or green vegetables, this steamer is going to be the best option. The best thing about convection steamers is that they can be opened during the preparation process to check on the food items and add seasonings and other things.

Considering such factors, you should always verify which cooking method a convection steamer operates with to pick the right option. Moreover, have the steamer maintained by consulting commercial appliances repair Fairfax services to ensure the unit doesn’t turn off unexpectedly or show problems that can affect the food and your cooking schedule.

Pressure Steamers

Pressure steamers come with pressure cabinets that hold steam and raise the temperature to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit. In normal circumstances, the steam can only reach a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not enough to cook every type of food.

The advantage of hotter steam is that it helps cook food relatively quickly and prevents sogginess due to excess moisture. Plus, it doesn’t take much time to prepare the food items either. Since these steamers rely on pressure to operate, steaming mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, and other food items is a perfect choice.

The added pressure inside the steamer helps penetrate dense food items and cooks them evenly. However, unlike the convection steamers, pressure steamers cannot be opened during cooking and users must be extra careful as the steam can cause burns.

Modern pressure steamers also come with a variety of safety features that help keep the user and the environment safe while operating.

Determine The Required Capacity

Since commercial food steamers come in different varieties based on features, size, and cooking methods, most business owners value the capacity to be able to handle a large number of customers at the same time. This means you will have to choose between a steamer that can cook large batches of food or an economical steamer that can handle comparatively smaller portions based on your needs.

Some business owners choose to install two or more steamers side by side, enabling them to prepare food with different time and temperature requirements. That said, consider the time and volume of products you will be managing daily to determine the right capacity.

Conclusion

The information mentioned above will surely guide you in the right direction and ensure you do not end up wasting your time and effort. But, if you still have some questions, do not hesitate to consult an expert. Another thing to remember is that after owning the equipment, you will need to maintain it for it to perform well. Hire commercial steamer repair Northern VA services for any restaurant appliance maintenance and repair.

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