Cooking & Baking

sir pball

(5,336 posts)

10. The mats do work, but they're stiffer and more uncomfortable, plus you can't keep them on your person.

Sun Mar 1, 2026, 10:52 PM

Mar 1

Towels are still the single best "oven mitt" I've used.

I take two towels for an entire workweek and keep them tucked behind the front of my apron (I learned that from Mugartiz); I religiously keep them dry and grease-free and stash them in my locker every night.

In a commercial kitchen it's more important to have a "potholder" on your body, immediately accessible, rather than anything else. Having a towel in a quickdraw is better than any silicone potholder on the shelf.

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love_katz

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Highlight:

The single most important tool in a professional kitchen... [View all] sir pball Mar 1 OP

In the galaxy. usonian Mar 1 #1

Oh MAN sir pball Mar 1 #2

I've been saying that for decades. TexasTowelie Mar 1 #3

Or even home towels. It took me years to get my husband to cooperate... 3catwoman3 Mar 1 #9

That's right! Turbineguy Mar 1 #4

I first heard it on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, with Rula Lenska usonian Mar 1 #6

a towel is to an oven mitt Kali Mar 1 #5

Oh, I like that. sir pball Mar 1 #7

I will use quilted oven mAts Kali Mar 1 #8

The mats do work, but they're stiffer and more uncomfortable, plus you can't keep them on your person. sir pball Mar 1 #10

One of the first things in the great Jacques Pepin's "Complete Techniques" tishaLA Mar 2 #11

And at 90, he's still producing videos! Nittersing Mar 2 #13

After his wife Gloria died a couple years ago, I worried we'd lose him too tishaLA Mar 2 #14

Think I started using towels after reading an article in Serious Eats. Nittersing Mar 2 #12

and they don't say how to clean them Phentex Mar 2 #15

Well, my towels are cleaned professionally... sir pball Mar 2 #16