Last Updated on July 16, 2022 by
Do you want to make a recipe that states you should use kitchen twine to truss your poultry but do not have any kitchen twine? No need to worry; you can use other substitutes for trussing turkey if you do not have a kitchen twine. Kitchen twine is used for trussing birds, tying roasts to retain their form, fastening stuffed meats, and tying off a herb bundle. So, what can I use instead of kitchen twine?
Dental floss, aluminum foil, cheesecloth, baking paper, a cooking bag, toothpicks, wood sticks, or baking paper are excellent replacements for kitchen twine.
What Can I Use Instead Of Kitchen Twine – 8 Best Options
If you come across a recipe that requires you to tie anything up with culinary twine, you will most likely keep that spool around for a long time and be able to use it for many more dishes. If you don’t have this twine on hand, don’t stress about abandoning the recipe you’re working on. Here are several alternatives to cooking twine that you may use instead.
Toothpicks
When you do not have any cooking twine, toothpicks will do. Even if you don’t use them like cooking twine, they can perform the same function. Poke the toothpick into anything you’re trying to keep in place, and it should work nicely. Some folks even use wooden skewers to replace cooking twine. The concept is the same whether you use wooden skewers or toothpicks.
Simply poke the toothpicks or skewers where they need to be to prevent things from moving on you. If you want to bake with the toothpicks, soak them in water beforehand. This is to prevent them from catching fire in the oven. As long as you plan ahead of time, you should have a positive experience.
When using toothpicks, remember that you must remove them before serving your food. Nobody wants a toothpick in their turkey leg. To prevent a scenario like this, count the number of toothpicks you use.
Recommended Toothpick
Norpro Ornate Wood Toothpicks
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The Makerstep Wooden Toothpicks are both appealing and long-lasting. These pieces are pressure-resistant wood, and one end has been carefully carved in a spindle-like shape. These toothpicks are among the most flexible due to their complex but not over-the-top design. You may use them to serve finger appetizers at a party, clean your teeth, or complete a DIY project. This set has 360 pieces.
Baking Paper
Baking paper, like aluminum foil, may also be used only because it is ideal for usage in your oven and will not adhere to your pan whether it is scorched. You may wrap your food in the baking paper as tightly as possible, like aluminum foil, which will likely contain everything within quickly.
Even if you use a marinade, the baking paper will assist in completely coating the ingredients and making the dish more soft and tasty. You may also tear your baking paper into thinner pieces and wrap your rolls in locations where you believe they could be exposed.
The baking paper has the added benefit of not allowing your food to burn. Heat is no match for parchment paper. It can indeed tolerate incredibly high temperatures. This is because of the silicone coating, which makes it nonstick and heat resistant.
Aluminum Foil
Another common substitute for kitchen twine is aluminum foil. Aside from being inexpensive, it has also been shown to be effective for several uses. Aluminum foil may be used to wrap up and cover different forms of protein, such as fish, cattle, and lean meats for sausages, in addition to chicken.
To firmly wrap your food, use aluminum foil. You may also make twine out of aluminum scraps and wrap your food in specified areas. Remember that aluminum foil is thin and may not hold your stuffed turkey together. However, it may be useful for wrapping other meats.
If you need to tie up a chicken or another bird, wrap the wing tips with aluminum foil to keep them from burning. You may even tuck the end of the wings behind or inside the bird.
Dental Floss
If you don’t have any cooking twine, dental floss might be a great substitute. You may use this in the same manner that you would use cooking twine. Dental floss may be used to keep meat curled up and to truss a bird or turkey.
The main thing to remember while using dental floss is that you don’t want to add flavoring. If you use mint-flavored dental floss, some of the flavor may be transferred to your meal. Also, waxed dental floss may pose a risk to your oven since the wax may catch fire while you’re baking. Before you start using dental floss, look at the kind you have at home.
If the floss is not waxed, then everything should be OK. If all you have is waxed or flavored dental floss, it may be best to avoid using it for your safety.
Silicone Cooking Bands
Whether store-bought or homemade, trussing chicken with cooking bands or wrapping roasts works well, silicone cooking bands come in various sizes and are made of silicone, which is known for its heat resistance. You’ve undoubtedly seen them used to secure fruits and vegetables or a juicy piece of steak.
Cooking bands stretch out like rubber bands to hold the dish in place. Smaller bands may hold paper sachets or little portions of filled meats. A band may also be created by folding an aluminum foil sheet into a strip. Wrap foil around a roast or little package to secure it. Foil is great since it is oven safe and holds its shape after being folded and crumpled.
Oven bags
Oven bags are used to roast various meats, poultry, and vegetables. These cooking bags are made of food-grade Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and can withstand high temperatures. You may get a range of cooking bags in local shops from different brands, with or without spice. There are cooking bags for vegetables and meats; you can get whichever sort you need at the grocery store.
These bags will not only hold your food in place but also keep it apart from any other components in the oven. If you want to roast your meat to a certain taste, for example, using a cooking bag will isolate the flavor of the meat from the other vegetables. The same is true for herbs and spices.
Cheesecloth
You would believe that cheesecloth is just used for producing cheese, but culinary professionals know that it can also be used as an alternative to butcher’s twine. Cheesecloth, like aluminum and baking paper, may be used in any manner you wish. The decision is yours whether to wrap your meat or cut it into strips and use it as a string.
Cheesecloth, like butcher’s string, assists in keeping your meat or poultry in place. So, your flesh will not be exposed whether you poach or braise it. It also helps keep the moisture of the meat it covers. The longer the meat cooks, the more soft and juicy it becomes. Cheesecloth does not burn; instead, it preserves moisture, leaving your meat moist but not black.
Recommended Cheesecloth
Regency Wraps 100% Cotton Ultra Cheesecloth
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Regency’s cheesecloths are made of all-natural, unbleached cotton and are ideal for indoor and outdoor use. Whether creating your nut milk, wrapping chicken, or basting a meal with wine, the densely woven, ultra-fine mesh and slightly heavier weight of the cloths trap even the smallest particles. Because it repels lint, the cloth is handy for cleaning mirrors and polishing autos. Regency sells the cheesecloths in two or more sets, with each piece valid for one use only.
Cook Without It
This is the most straightforward butcher’s twine substitute. Simply do not use it. However, this may not be the most enticing alternative since your meats will not be protected for frying or grilling. However, it is crucial to remember that you may chop your meats into smaller pieces to make them simpler to handle while cooking or grilling.
This will enable you to move about them sufficiently to cook them without tying them together. On the other hand, smaller bits of meat are more likely to fall through the grill grate or flip off your tool during cooking or grilling, so be careful.
What Kind Of String Can Be Used For Cooking?
Because several types of strings are available, some are safer than others. To be entirely safe, you may use cotton strings. However, if you can’t locate cotton string, opt for one made of natural fiber since it won’t melt. You may also use linen string, which has no effect on the taste of the meal and is simple to incorporate into various recipes.
What Can I Use To Tie Chicken Legs For Rotisserie?
Use any heat-resistant thread if you need to tie chicken legs at the rotisserie. So, use a string or kitchen twine but avoid aluminum or baking paper strips since they are not durable. Cotton strings are still the finest option, but try linen strings if you can’t get them.
Conclusion On What Can I Use Instead Of Kitchen Twine
Butcher’s twine is a staple in the food business. Its string-like construction makes it simple to connect objects when preparing or grilling meats. If you don’t have butcher twine on hand, there are eight options you may use instead. Butcher twine substitutes include toothpicks and skewers, silicone cooking bands, aluminum foil, and not using it.
It’s also worth noting that certain options aren’t as suited for specific kinds of meat. Silicone cooking bands, for example, may not be ideal for bigger portions of meat like roasts since they may shatter or bend if applied too tightly. Next time you think of what can I use instead of kitchen twine? Remember these substitutes.
