Many of us have become dependent on eating out, using the microwave or only a singular pot with the small burner to make endless amount of mac-and-cheese (guilty). However, there are so many hidden treasures within our kitchens, one of them being the broiler.
The broiler, to put it simply, is the really coily thing commonly found at the top of your oven. You start it by hitting the button or turning the dial to the "Broil" setting. Most often you then readjust your oven racks to the highest level in order for the food to be close to the heat.
Like the cast-iron skillet, the broiler holds prestige. It is able to melt cheese on anything, char a steak, and toast breads. However, the young adult demographic has failed to utilize the broiler to its full capacity, until now. Here are three simple ways to use a broiler:
Toasting
Chances are, you do not own a toaster in your dorm room. However, you most likely have access to a communal cooking space. You can move the oven rack to the highest shelf, turn on the broiler, wait for it to heat up, and toast bread (check here for an amazing sandwich that uses the broiler), frozen foods, bagels, english muffins, anything in the broiler!
Just be sure to keep the oven door cracked so you can check on what you are toasting. Most things will be toasted to perfection in about three minutes, so do keep an eye on it to be sure you don't set off the fire alarm.
Reheating
Broilers are perfect for reheating anything fried, pizzas, or cheesy bread. You can pop some left over wings or mozzarella sticks on some foil and broil them just a few minutes so they heat up without loosing their crisp texture. This should only take about 5 minutes.
Cooking
The broiler is so useful because of how fast it is. You can cook your own cheesy bread, pizzas, and steaks if you are feeling fancy! Broiling will melt cheese to perfection (or marshmallows in this yummy treat). It can even leave a nice crust and sear on meats. Just like the previous steps the most important thing is to keep an eye on the food as it is easy to burn it if you walk away for too long.
When cooking meats in the broiler, be sure you pat them down if you want them to have a nice crisp sear on the outside. It is also smart to let foods get to room temperature first before broiling them so the food cooks evenly. Also, keep in mind that the closer the rack is to the broiler it will impact how quickly the food cooks.
The broiler is one of the most versatile cooking appliances in your kitchen, but it is sadly the most forgotten about. It can cook anything from toast to filets. Do not forget about your broiler next time you are craving toaster waffles!