Kitchen tools for easier Pesach prep - please share!

amother

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 10:46 am

I've been making Pesach for years and have the basics for my kitchen, as well as some appliances (food processor, hand mixer, stick blender etc.). This year will be hectic for me and I'm looking for ideas to cut down the time and effort in the kitchen. What's made Pesach food prep easier for you?

I'm thinking about getting a food chopper (like the "alligator" type) but hearing mixed reviews. I think if I could find a good one it would help me with things like apple kugel, compote, vegetable soup etc. Any recommendations?

TIA!

Chayalle

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 10:53 am

absolutely get a food chopper. My Rav says I can use it on YT (but not Shabbos) BTW. It saves so much time! Salads, chop veggies for soup, etc....

Get a Mueller chopper on Amazon. I was replacing my alligator, the Williams Sonoma one broke multiple times, and then I got this one and it's a few years old already, no issues, sharp as ever. You will not regret this.

mha3484

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 11:09 am

I have a pesach instapot which is a huge help in making meats faster and the hard boiled eggs peel so easily. I also make potatoes for the karpas and mashed potatoes really quickly. Also makes delicious chicken soup faster then stovetop and with the ability to set it and walk away. No babysitting the pot that it boils over.

amother

Begonia

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 11:19 am

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-P.....ss_tl

This tool is amazing for apples.
I have a dc that loves using it.
In a couple minutes I have all the apples for compote peeled cored sliced.
I do have to fix a bit sometimes if apple isn’t so round

amother

Amaranthus

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 11:26 am

bargainlover wrote:

Apple peeler and Corer. Love mine, got on Amazon about 10 years ago. Peels, slices and cores the apples so quickly. Check Amazon for any that have good reviews - it’s around $20

Can you post the link?

amother

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 11:33 am

Thanks everyone! These are cool! That chopper and the apple tool look perfect and well priced! Can you use the chopper for potatoes?

I have a chometz instapot that I never use... and not really enough space to store a stand mixer. I don't bake that many recipes that need an egg white snow so I think my hand mixer should still do the trick. Thank you though!

mushkamothers

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 11:34 am

I cooked a whole pesach (besides for chicken and roasts in oven) in 3 instant pots. I don't use ingredients - Soup, potatoes to mash, beets for salad, sautéing, eggplant / zucchini dip mush, tomatoes for tomato sauce etc. And eggs come out perfectly too

Chayalle

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 11:36 am

amother OP wrote:

I use the chopper for potatoes all the time. Or sweet potatoes. sometimes I make overnight potatoes - I chop a bunch using the larger square chop, and some onions...drizzle with oil, salt, pepper, spices, etc....and put in low oven overnight.

Can do same with sweet potatoes, beets, etc...for roasted root vegetables. Also great for chopping veggies for soup.

mamaleh

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 12:59 pm

Chayalle wrote:

I see a few meuller choppers, can you link the one you have, please?

amother

Zinnia

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 1:24 pm

Chayalle wrote:

My mother had one for year round but gave up using it because a) it was physically hard to press down, and b) pieces were always stuck in the corners of the squares and was difficult to clean. Was easier to just use a knife.

But that was a number of years ago. How does the one you have score on those counts?

Chayalle

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 1:30 pm

amother Zinnia wrote:

The one I have has an amazing design, I find it pretty easy to press down. Much easier than the alligator. It has a sort of bend/tilt to the bottom dish, which makes this possible. (ETA it looks like in the newer models, the tilt is in the top piece. A little different from mine).

I don't find it difficult to clean, though I do use a combination of running a knife thru the rows, and my spritzer on my faucet.

I can't link the one I have, since I have it for a few years already, and they are selling updated ones. I can only assume they are as good/better than the one I have.

ETA never ever touch the blades. They are very sharp! Even after a few years of use (even the one I have for all year round - it's very sharp!) Cut the vegetables in half to place in and make it easier to use, but never push it to the blades with your hands. Never touch the blades when washing it.

Last edited by Chayalle on Mon, Mar 13 2023, 1:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

Empowered Mommy

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 1:31 pm

I'm surprised no on3 mentioned the betty crocker! Is it just a staple that is self understood and needs no mention?

Fry and bake everything it it, instead of an oven or frying pan.
Make pesach noodles in it. Any main and side dish. Best investment!

mamaleh

Mon, Mar 13 2023, 1:41 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Does yours have slicing/grating blades also, or just the chopping ones?