Putting hot liquids in your blender could possibly result in a serious emergency. Hot liquids give off steam which creates pressure in the blender. Because of this, the blending process could cause the whole thing to explode, and create a major mess, not to mention burn anyone nearby.
If you want puree hot liquids using an immersion blender is your safest bet. Another option is to wait at least 10 minutes for the liquids to cool before blending and removing the circular part of the lid to allow the steam to escape. Make sure to cover the opening with a dish towel before you turn the blender on, though.
Thick and starchy food like potatoes cannot be over-blended as the blades and the speed will cause them to release too much starch. The result? An unpleasant texture, which some call “wallpaper taste”. That means that if you want nice and fluffy mashed potatoes, you’d have to stick to other methods.
Blenders are made for fruit smoothies, it seems, and one ingredient people love to put in their smoothies are frozen fruits. While freezing them is a great way to keep the fruits fresh for longer, make sure you don’t try to blend any frozen foods that are large or extremely hard, as it could break the blender container.
Even if your blender stays intact, you'll probably end up with a lumpy smoothie. Instead, allow the foods to thaw for 10-15 minutes before blending them, and use foods that are cut into smaller pieces for the best results.
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Juicing has plenty of indispensable health benefits. It is a process that extracts the juices from fresh fruits and vegetables. The resulting liquid contains most of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. But before popping those fiber-rich leafy greens in your blender, it is best to ice them for 5 minutes. If you try to blend them when they’re at room temperature the motor can easily turn your dish brown. Cooling the greens will keep their colors vibrant when blended.
While there is no danger to putting meat in the blender, the process will change the meat’s consistency and texture which can ruin the taste. “Blending meats turn them into baby food,” explained chef Terri Rogers to Reader’s Digest. Of course, if you are making it for a baby or need to eat soft foods for whatever reason, blending meat is perfectly fine.
Unless you have a high-performance blender, experts advise to never try and blend sun-dried tomatoes. Their leathery texture can jam up the blender. If you do want to blend them, make sure to soak the tomatoes in water first to soften them up.
Trying to make bread or cookie dough in the blender will most likely result in a tough dough. Another risk is that the ingredients won't be incorporated properly. But kneading dough is hard work, so if you do want to rely on the help of appliances, opt for a food processor or a mixer.
Ginger is so fibrous that putting it in a blender will just end up in strings and a mess. Also, strong-smelling foods like ginger, garlic, or chili pepper, can leave lingering odor and spice behind, which can transfer to whatever you blend next. When it comes to ginger, you’re better off chopping it.
Technically, grinding coffee beans in a blender is possible. However, they will fare much better in a coffee grinder. Not only will blending the beans probably lead to inconsistent granules and mess with the flavor of the coffee, but it will also wear down the sharpness of the blades over time.
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Vegetables, such as celery and broccoli, tend to become stringy in a blender if they’re raw. It’s best to cook them before tossing them in. The same applies to beans - if you don’t cook them before blending they might dull down the blade.
Another high fiber food that doesn't do well in the blender is cauliflower. If you’re making cauliflower rice, for example, go for the food processor. "The way a blender chops makes it mushy rather than the desired consistency of cauliflower rice," says Jodi Greebel, a New York-based registered dietitian.
Because of the way the blades are made and the shape of the container, a blender just isn’t cut out for crushing spices. Buying spices that are already ground up is the easiest solution, but If your heart is truly set on making your own spice blends, use a spice grinder instead of a blender.
When adding chicken or fish to a blender for meatballs or fish cakes, it is important to make sure there are no bones left in the meat. Large ones will dull or break the blade, and possibly even the container itself. Smaller bones, too, can cause the blender to jam. This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often beginners and even professional chefs make this mistake.
Although nuts aren’t as tough in blenders as other foods, they can still dull the blender blade, or end up in a sticky grout-like paste. To efficiently puree nuts at home, soften them first by soaking in water.
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