12 Things You Should And Shouldn't Do With Your Thermomix
While many love the rituals of cooking, others hate the whole palaver of prepping ingredients, watching different pans, and being left with a mountain of washing up. If you don't like culinary fuss, then you may own a Thermomix, which basically does everything you need so that you can weigh, chop, and cook in one place. This sophisticated piece culinary kit is so popular that fans don't just love this machine, they are obsessed with it.
While the Thermomix is a somewhat expensive device, it's also ridiculously handy for keeping kitchen counters uncluttered and making cooking easier. It's hugely popular in Europe and Australia, and it's quickly gaining traction in the U.S., with CNN praising the Thermomix and noting its convenient, life-altering effects. Thermomix USA posted a clip of Guy's Restaurant Reboot, in which spiky-haired Guy Fieri also praises the device.
If you're a proud owner of this genius kitchen appliance, then you probably know a thing or two about how to use it. However, there's always a lot to learn because the device carries a lot of functions. It combines several of the functions that your other kitchen equipment carries out into one device. There are so many tips and tricks to using the Thermomix: While you certainly should use it for some purposes, you should definitely avoid using it for others.
1. Keep it clean beyond self-cleaning
As you discover more recipes, dishes, and cooking techniques with your Thermomix, it becomes your go-to for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. And if you've got more than yourself to feed, then your Thermomix is likely going to be working very hard. It has never been this easy to avoid cleaning all those extra pots, pans, and appliances, knives, and chopping boards.
Not only does a Thermomix cook it all, but it also cleans. Vorwerk recommends adding some water and washing liquid to the bowl and giving it a quick blast on level ten. However, with so many meals to cook, you're inevitably going to get food stuck on your Thermomix. You're going to need to do a deeper clean at times, for sure.
Kidspot suggests a few different cleaning techniques. There are other options beyond pulsing on the turbo setting with water and detergent in the bowl. Clean your Thermomix for five minutes on Varoma at speed three and let the steam work its magic.
You can get under the blades and those hard-to-reach places with a small toothbrush or take your Thermomix apart and put it in the dishwasher.
For a softer wash, use a damp cloth and vinegar to wipe your device clean. Try adding eggshells and lemon halves to the bowl and give them a quick mix. Add water and clean on speed two for 20 minutes: This will also give your kitchen a lovely citrusy scent (via Collettes Thermie Kitchen).
2. Steam to proof dough
Making dough is an easy way to use your Thermomix that takes all the effort out and leaves you with a delicious loaf of bread, whether you're making sourdough bread or just following a TikTok post that inspires you to craft a wholemeal loaf.
You're probably thinking about mixing up the dough, taking it out of the bowl, adding it to your tin, and then letting it proof. According to a handy Facebook tip from Hanging with Helen, your Thermomix is great at proofing dough too. There's no end to this machine's abilities: Check out some of our hacks for baking bread. This tip is particularly useful if the room temperature in your house is a bit chilly during the winter.
If you've got a TM6 Thermomix, then select the fermentation setting. Rub oil around your dough and use it to grease your Varoma tray and lid. Set the timer for an hour at 104 degrees Farenheit.
If you've got other models, such as the TM5 or TM31 then you're going to set it to Varoma for one to two hours and add 250 grams of water to the bowl. This helps you create a wonderfully warm atmosphere that's not dry, which helps steam the dough as it rises. You can also wrap the dough in the Thermomix mat if you don't want to grease the machine.
3. Cook on manual with confidence
A Thermomix comes with its own programmed recipes. However, what do you do if you want to make one of our delicious recipes? After all, you may have a broad range of dishes, snacks, sides, and desserts that satisfy every taste and occasion. These recipes may include step-by-step guides and serving suggestions, as well as tips regarding the ways in which you can vary some of the recipes to suit you.
You can cook whatever you want with your Thermomix by utilizing its manual setting.THERMOfit with Noni offers sound advice on how to cook with confidence on YouTube.
You've got all types of cooking techniques available to you with this device, and your speed settings denote how these work.
Speeds one to three are good for stirring. Speeds four to six create a chopping action, while the eight to ten settings are great for grinding and blending. If you need to stir, chop, or blend ingredients more, then change the time setting rather than the speed.
If you're setting a temperature, you can add a duration on the manual setting (via YouTube). It's better to add more time if needed, as you can learn how to prep the ingredients rather than overdo it.
After some time, you'll become more familiar with the settings. You could also try using your stovetop and oven to make a Mashed dish or two and then using your Thermomix to steam some veggies to serve on the side.
4. Take the bowl apart to clean in the dishwasher
You can clean your Thermomix in the dishwasher: You definitely don't need to do this after each recipe, but popping your Thermomix in the dishwasher once in a while will ensure it stays clean. Luckily for you, cleaning this machine is quite easy.
Your Thermomix is electric, so you're not going to put the whole thing in the wash. You need to know how to take the bowl apart and how to put it back together once it's clean. Janny Thermo-Crazy offers practical know-how on this.
Remove the bowl from the machine and hold the handle firmly with one hand so that it's facing you. With the other hand, slot your fingers in the grove under the bowl and rest your thumb on the grip area on the side of the bowl. Twist this hand in a clockwise direction so that the base comes off. Take the blades out of the bowl and wash them separately.
Once the machine is clean and dry, put the base on the counter while making sure that the part that sticks out is facing you. Put the bowl on at an angle, with the handle pointing to the right a little. Add the blades and press down as you bring the handle and base in line till they click together. Only add the bowl to the Thermomix when the pins underneath are dry.
5. Make yogurt with a warm starter and cold milk
As you use your Thermomix, you'll likely start building up a repertoire of recipes for rustling up completed dishes. You might find that it's a good way to do a spot of mess-free batch cooking. If you start making your own bread and other foodie staples like yogurt, you'll also realize that you can make a lot for less.
Once you've made yogurt, you can enjoy it each morning, or you can then incorporate it into one of our recipes, such as the frozen yogurt bark made with honey, pistachios, and berries: So good! While the idea of making this dairy delight in your Thermomix may seem simple, you do need to be wary of temperature control (via Alyce Alexandra).
Your yogurt starter mustn't get too cold, and in order to prevent this from happening, ensure you use a flask if it's a little too cool in your kitchen or a food warmer if necessary. The temperature of your bowl and the milk in it is also of paramount importance.
Make sure it's cold: That means it should not exceed a temperature of 98.6 degrees Farenheit. While your Thermomix will do the work, you can't rush yogurt-making. Once it's ready, it'll need to thicken in the fridge for a day. Add any fruit, sweet ingredients, and any other flavors to your yogurt once it's ready.
6. Reverse the speed to deseed
The beauty of a Thermomix is that it's so precise. You don't want to be wandering off while it's chopping, cooking, and mixing. However, adjustable speed, timer, and temperature settings give you a great amount of control. You can use this to your advantage and do things that might be surprising as long as all the right dials are set.
Yes, you can cook whole meals and steam away, as well as grate and grind, but it's worthwhile expanding your Thermomix horizons. Did you know that you can also use your Thermomix to deseed a pomegranate? This function is going to be super helpful if you want to try out the duck breast with pomegranate sauce or our healthy guacamole with pomegranate seeds.
Try this YouTube tip for deseeding a pomegranate first: Add the fruit to the Thermomix bowl in quarters. Put the lid on, set your machine to speed four, and make sure it's in reverse. You're literally going to do this in a matter of seconds.
Open the lid and pull out the now empty bits of peel. Pour your seeds and all the juice which you've also managed to save into a bowl. There'll be bits of pith in there, but these should be large enough to pull out and discard easily. It's not that they're not edible, but they've got a tough texture and can be quite bitter (via Healthline).
7. Make sure you don't overfill the bowl
It's likely quite obvious that when you're mixing up ingredients in a bowl or cooking them in a pan or a stove, they shouldn't overflow. If there isn't enough space in the bowl, the contents are going to either not mix properly or fly out onto your countertop.
You need to be mindful of this when prepping and cooking with a Thermomix too. Because it's just so darned easy to add everything to your can-do kitchen ally, it could be easy to forget that there are limits. Thermomix Singapore advises against overfilling and suggests a few tips for you to try.
Naturally, the most common-sense advice is to simply not add too many ingredients. While this probably works well if you're following a set recipe, as you can adjust all the measurements to fit before you start, you could face some issues if you're making up the dish as you go along.
When you're cooking certain produce, such as rice, make sure you give the grains a good rinse beforehand. If you wash off all the starch, it's far less likely that the cooking water will turn foamy.
A good way to counteract liquids from boiling over is to add cooking oil to the liquid: You only need a drop or two. You also need to use the splashguard if you're cooking at high temperatures and use your Thermomix components in the right way for whichever settings you're using.
8. Chop vegetables into large pieces to avoid burning
Since a Thermomix is so precise, it helps if you're practical when cooking with this machine. While you might throw random-sized chopped veg into a frying pan and try and keep an eye on it, you shouldn't be doing the same with your Thermomix: That's if you want to avoid burning your ingredients. It's all about learning the scope of what your Thermomix can do and how to work with it in the kitchen. Vorwerk offers some practical ideas that could prevent a burnt dish.
Think about it: If you cook using a pan, then you're also in danger of bits of food sticking to the bottom and then burning up. The solution is to follow recipes properly and use the right ingredients. However, if you're cooking manually, keep in mind that high temperatures and finely chopped vegetables can caramelize or burn. If your Thermomix is hot, chop vegetables into 2-3 centimeter pieces.
You may want to reduce the temperature if your recipe calls for more finely chopped ingredients. A splash of lemon juice can also help stop sugar from turning into a burnt mess rather than melting into a rich caramel. If you do make a mistake, make sure to clean your Thermomix bowl thoroughly before trying again or making a new dish.
9. Do not forget to use all the functions
What you shouldn't be doing with your Thermomix is not using it to its full potential. Because it weighs food and also cooks up a range of delicious dishes, it's easy to overlook some of the simple yet useful culinary tasks it can do. Don't forget to use all of its clever functions. This means understanding that you can peel, steam, and even cook using the sous vide technique with your Thermomix (via TikTok).
Want to make our mascarpone mashed potatoes? First off, you'll need to peel your spuds to start with. Then attach your peeler attachment to the Thermomix bowl. Add water and up to 800 grams of potatoes. When you're making bread, your machine won't just mix up your dough, it'll knead it as well, saving you a lot of elbow grease.
If you've got some sous vide bags, then you can also cook whatever you like in water in your Thermomix. Try cooking a melt-in-the-mouth steak at a low temperature and then finishing it off on the grill.
Varoma is another everyday function that gives you steam-cooking satisfaction. In addition to cooking-up healthy vegetables, you can also use your basket for other steamed delights such as bao buns. You should definitely check where you can incorporate the Thermomix into your daily cooking to make your culinary life easier.
10. Lock in your whisk
If you've used your Thermomix for any length of time, then you may have come across the odd issue that needs tweaking. One of these might be your butterfly whisk coming loose. This attachment fits inside your bowl. It's important to keep the whisk in place, as a TikTok Thermomix fan explains. Before you start whisking up a meringue, make sure you've got this attachment right first.
Look at the blades inside your Thermomix. Do they all look the same? You'll notice that one of the four blades is a little different as it rises up before extending out. The others drop down and out instead. Use this one-off blade as a guide regarding where to lock in your whisk so that it stays put. Put the blade pointing upwards towards you, forming a 12 o'clock formation on a clock face.
If it's after the blade, it won't lock in. This is a once-you-know-you-know tip that's super handy. You don't want to be reaching down into what you're whisking to try and refit it if it comes off. The whole object of a Thermomix is that it doesn't create a mess, so dipping your hand in the bowl isn't a good idea. Obviously, if you have to refit the whisk, you need to make sure the Thermomix is switched off and you've removed the bowl.
11. Use correctly to avoid dangers
Knowing how to use your Thermomix isn't just important in terms of creating amazing meals. it may not be the largest appliance you have, but it's pretty sophisticated. With all that it can do, it's understandable that correctly using your culinary friend properly is about safety too.
The reality is that kitchen disasters have happened, and these have, in some cases, caused injury. Due to concerns that've been raised in the media, it's vital that you follow official safety guidelines and be wary of risk factors in addition to following any helpful tips.
If you're cooking at temperatures that are 203 degrees Farenheit or over and using the TM6, don't use the measuring cup that is fitted in the lid. While this is designed to let steam escape, it can become blocked and so you should use the basket that's for simmering at the top at this high heat level (via Cision PR Newswire).
Vorwerk explains that if the steam doesn't escape properly, it can lead to spills and the risk of burns, which is a real danger. Don't forget to add the lid on the steaming Varoma basket when you're using this function. It's also a good idea to make sure the software for your Thermomix is up-to-date (via Thermomix).
12. Do not try to deep fry
There's no doubt that your Thermomix is a kitchen miracle worker. However, while you may be able to use your Thermomix to whip up a cocktail, such as a frozen margarita, you can't use it to do absolutely everything. You should know the limitations of the Thermomi, and one of these is that you cannot use it for deep frying or making popcorn.
There are functions that allow you to reach high temperatures of 320 degrees Farenheit, and there's also a setting that's specifically for melting sugar. However, your Thermomix is not suitable for any type of deep-fat frying, even with guidance (via Vorwerk).
A poster on a Reddit thread points out that the high temperature can work with sautéeing. However, it's also noted that a pan may be preferable because the base of the Thermomix bowl is not as big.
It's going to be difficult to get your ingredients nicely browned in a Thermomix. A pan is the best way tp control the heat. You can always use your Thermomix to steam vegetables, which is definitely a healthier option.
The takeaway is that knowing what you should and shouldn't do with your Thermomix enables you to cook what you want with it. It also helps you decide whether or not you can use your Thermomix for a specific part of a recipe.