Steaming food is one of the most important steps in cooking, especially in a commercial kitchen. Well, there are also a lot of challenges associated with steaming, so here is a list of them and their solutions. Ensure to consult a commercial kitchen appliance repair expert for steamer maintenance to keep many problems at bay.
Commercial Food Steaming Challenges
First things first, you want to know about the problems that you can face when you have a commercial food steamer. So, here are some of the very common issues people can face with a commercial food steamer in a restaurant or a food business.
High Water Wastage
The main gist of a commercial food steamer is to produce steam, and steam is produced by heating water. So, you definitely need plenty of water for the steamer to work at full capacity. Well, sometimes, the steamer can use a lot of water, but it still might not be working as well as you think it is.
This can be a huge problem, because you are literally wasting your time and a lot of water, only for the steamer to not do its job properly. So, you need to get to the bottom of this before it is too late.
Limescale Buildup
Whenever you’re using an appliance that uses water as the primary source of function, then you have to worry about limescale buildup too. Limescale is a whitish and yellow solid deposit on the walls of any appliance and even the kitchen sink and utensils when the incoming water is hard.
This causes the hardness-causing ions to get stuck to the walls of the appliance. In this case, it will be your food steamer, and if you don’t clean it often, then it might cause obstruction and it just won’t work properly.
Cooking Food Properly
A steamer works by introducing vapors of water, also known as steam, into the food that is being slow-cooked. This allows the food to be fully heated through and cooked, and it also keeps certain dishes moist, which is the goal of using a food steamer. But there can be problems in which the food is just not perfectly cooked even though you have cooked it for the allocated time and still aren’t getting the results that you need.
Well, this might be due to a lot of issues, mainly to do with steam leaking out. So, make sure that you check it.
Steamer Not Heating Up
Some steamers can be filled with food and turned on and forgotten about until the timer is up. Then, there are some steamers, which are the majority of what is still being used in commercial kitchens, which need to be pre-heated before you can put the food in to do its magic.
Well, if you have turned on the steamer to pre-heat and it is still not hot enough, then it is also a problem. So, you need to get this checked, because this can also lead to problems like food not cooking properly and water being wasted.
No Power
This is one of the most common issues that people deal with, yet it still leaves their head in a spin, because there are so many possibilities why a steamer doesn’t have any power. So, if you turn on the unit and the steamer doesn’t power on, then you need to try a couple of things in order to figure out what is wrong.
This is really hectic, especially on a busy day when you have orders pouring in. So, try to keep an eye on the issue and fix it immediately.
Commercial Food Steaming Solutions
Knowing the problem is half the thing. Now you want to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. So, here are the solutions to the issues that you might be facing in a commercial food steamer.
Check The Water Sensor
A lot of water-based food steamers come with a water sensor. This allows the steamer to know when the chamber is filled with enough water for the allocated steaming time and it works out well. So, if your steamer is wasting water, or if it is not using enough water on the other hand, then try to take a inspect the sensor.
It might be broken and needs replacement, so you can try to get it checked. Nine times out of ten, this will solve the issue at hand and you will not waste a lot of water in a commercial food steamer. This tip is useful for dishwashers as well. You can consult a commercial dishwasher repair Springfield technician for help.
Invest In A Water Softener
If limescale is becoming a frequent issue and you want to find a more permanent solution other than just cleaning your food steamer every single day, then you have to either change your water supply or invest in a water softener.
A water softener will be a lifesaver, especially when it comes to having hard water in your restaurant. It will literally save your water and you won’t have to go through monumental changes just to get water that is free from all sorts of hardness-causing ions.
Set The Right Temperature
For producing ample steam in a commercial food steamer, you have to set the right temperature in the appliance. This is going to be different for different steamers and when it comes to water-free steamers, then they’re a whole different game. So, what you want to do is check the manual and ensure that you have the right settings on your steamer.
This is going to ensure that the commercial food steamer doesn’t just produce steam, but it produces it at a very optimal rate, so that you don’t have to worry about steam escaping or the food not being cooked to perfection.
Replace The Thermostat
This also goes hand in hand with the last solution and it really does make a difference. The thermostat is a temperature-regulating device and a lot of commercial food steamers are equipped with it. So, if you are facing issues with the steamer not being hot enough or just not working efficiently, leaving the food cold and all that, then you need to check the thermostat too.
This will answer a lot of questions and you will know exactly what the problem is. So, when in doubt, check the thermostat and you will be good to go.
Troubleshoot Power Problems
Power issues can be simple or they can be very complicated. There can be a break in the circuit which is causing your steamer to not power on. There can be issues with the voltage or even the power cord that is preventing your commercial food steamer from turning on.
There are also issues with the control panel and other electrical issues that can lead to a break in the power. The point is, you need to go through all these issues one by one and figure out where the problem lies before solving it.
Conclusion
Commercial food steamers are a great way to keep your food from drying out and still ensure that the food is fully cooked and steaming. These tips will help you out a lot in improved your dishes that use steam. Moreover, call in a commercial steamer repair Fairfax professional for care and maintenance to avoid breakdowns.
