Including microwave-free ideas!
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The Epicure Multipurpose Steamer is a versatile cooking tool that will end up being indispensable in any family kitchen, but is especially useful for dorm dwellers, campers, travelers, singles, and empty nesters. Epicure provides the following description for its steamer:
10″ x 10½” x 5½”
- Cook one-pot dinners, rice, grains, pasta & popcorn.
- Holds 14¾ cups for 4–6 servings of most meals.
- Includes one Multipurpose Tray for separating, straining & more.
This post does NOT contain the basic product information and usual recipes. I’ll let you find that elsewhere. It can do all mentioned above, as highlighted by this video:
Epicure pushes the steamer as a way to get dinner from raw to ready in 20 minutes or less by using it in the microwave. But what if you don’t love microwave cooking? Or don’t have a microwave? The steamer is STILL a great option for oven cooking. Why?
- It’s lightweight. I love my stoneware, too, but silicone bakeware is great for older folks or folks with hand and wrist issues. It also makes accessing to from storage and returning it to storage easier.
- Yet it’s big enough to cook 4-6 servings. It’s safe up to 425 degrees. But do heed that limit.
- It’s nonstick and WAY easy to clean. In the dishwasher or by hand, cleaning is a breeze. And foods that usually stick will slide right out. As small a point that seems, it is a HUGE time saver for this productive mama. There are items I am much more willing to make when the cleanup is so easy.
- It can go from freezer to oven. A great option for preparing a meal in advance for your family or an older neighbor. You can prep, freeze, bake, store and reheat right in the same pan.
- It’s also dishwasher safe.
- It might fit in your toaster oven. I have a big toaster oven and it fits perfectly. Great for when it’s still hot out and you don’t want to heat the whole house.It’s great for travel (hotel stays, RV life).
The Less Than Great
I want to get real for a moment and share some of the cons of the steamer and similar silicone bakeware.
- Baked goods won’t brown, as silicone doesn’t retain heat. There are some products, like Silpat mats that are silicone over fiber glass, that do allow for browning.
- You must take great care and not cut the silicone with a knife or sharp edge. In fact, my household rule for my silicone is: DO NOT USE METAL
- It’s floppy and wobbly! This is probably my biggest warning. The lid will shift when you lift it and it will release steam. So be careful and be sure your family understands this before using it. See a few more safety notes below.
- It is a synthetic material. Most people consider it a better option than non-stick coatings but I encourage everyone to do their own research in this area.
Tips and Ideas for using your multipurpose steamer
Safety Tips
- always wear oven mitts
- always keep steam vents pointed away from you
- always open lid away from you
- always assume the steamer and food are hot
- consider placing the steamer on a sturdy base (cookie sheet, baking rack or plate)
- do not use cooking sprays on your silicone
Usage Ideas
- Try Pot-in-Pot cooking with your steamer: put your steamer in your slow cooker on a rack above water. This is a great way to cook grains and breakfast oats. You may need a large crockpot for this.
- Flip the tray UPSIDE down for separated compartments, either as the main layer or ON TOP of another layer of food.
- Stack insert trays for two layers of bacon or chips.
- It might fit in your toaster oven. I have a big toaster oven and it fits perfectly. Great for when it’s still hot out and you don’t want to heat the whole house.
- You can definitely grease the steamer (with butter or oil, not sprays) if you are baking in it. I do not. I find a short soak is all that’s needed if something is stubbornly stuck.
Food and Recipe Ideas
- Try your favorite baked oatmeal in the microwave or oven. Or a crumble or cobbler.
- Bake bread in the steamer. You can make a rustic loaf in the steamer or a traditional loaf in the rectangular steamer. Try it with my No Knead Bread Recipe!
- Heat and keep tortillas warm for a meal.
- Try the following and see how easy food removal and cleanup can be!
- quiche
- brownies
- finger jello
- cookie bars
- fudge
- fruit/nut bars
- rice crispy treats
- caramel popcorn
- cinnamon rolls
- other similar sticky treats
- mac and cheese
- lasagna
OTHER SILICONE PRODUCT INFO
Bake & Roll
- try bacon in the oven on this for easy cleanup
- roasting meat and veggies
- biscuits and cookies
- flash freeze items – they come off easily for long term storage
I used my silicone cupcake pan and the cupcakes came out terrible. I used a box cake mix. They were mishaped. They were also indented in the center of each cupcake bottom. The only ones that were okay were the ones I did not put much batter in. They were the size that my mini cupcake pan makes. I wanted regular size cupcakes. I really would like a response to this. I want to use it again but am afraid to.
I would probably ask the same questions as I did on your other comment. And then suggest you try them in a conventional oven when you try again. If they come out better, than it is likely to be a microwave issue. I am no expert on microwave cooking, by any means! But at least you narrow down your trouble shooting then.
I have the multipurpose steamer and I used a brownie mix (not Epicure’s). The inside was hard and the outside was undone. Would you be able to give me instductions for this?
It’s very hard to say. Was it a speciality mix (gluten free) or a “regular” flour mix? Did you make it in the oven or microwave? It’s very unusual for the inside to be overdone and the outside undone, for both a conventional oven and a microwave. If you did NOT use a conventional oven, I would try it in there to see what kind of results you got.
Hi Carol,
Stumbled upon your comment here and thought I’d check if you gave it another try.
1. What kind of mix did you use, was it gluten free? If so, the recommendation is to let the uncooked batter rest in the pan/steamer prior to baking for 10-30 mins for the starches to settle.
2. Another check is – microwave vs oven, not all microwaves work well for baking, and not everyone likes microwave over oven, I have clients who prefer oven (steamer can be used in the oven up to 450F so it’s a huge plus!)
3. Then, brownie mix can be tricky overall, not all of them are good to be honest, so perhaps a different brand may work better (unless you already tried this mix in another dish and liked it).
Personally, I have done so many things in the steamer and I find it is superior to stoneware because it actually allows for better heat distribution.
I admit, I only used Epicure’s cake mixes in the microwave though (I am not a fan of baking in general, so Epicure’s simplicity is the only reason I bake).
Best,
Eugenia
Thanks, Eugenia! I didn’t know that about letting the starches settle. Great tip!