There are so many cool and unexpected ways to make the most of your toaster. We’ve rounded up a few of these clever methods to maximize your toaster’s potential. Read on for our toaster tips and hacks, and you’ll never ask whether your toaster is worthy of coveted counter space again.
Unexpected Ways To Use Your Toaster
1. Cook Steak
We know this sounds crazy, but we’ve seen the proof that you can actually cook steak in your toaster. The bizarre task was completed by Rhett and Link, the hosts of the Good Mythical Morning talk show. They used a thinner cut of steak, a New York strip, so it would fit into the bread slot of their toaster. After four cycles of cooking, the steak ended up a perfect medium-rare! Check out the video here.
2. Toast Sweet Potatoes
This next hack is a bit more approachable, as it simply involves making toast from an unexpected tuber, the sweet potato. This is a great option for those who want a gluten-free breakfast. Simply wash and rinse your sweet potatoes, and then cut off the ends. Slice the potatoes into one-centimeter-thick slices and pop them into the toaster. Toast on medium heat for between 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are crispy, and top them with mashed avocado or your favorite toppings. This could also work for yams, if you happen to have those on hand instead.
3. Heat Frozen Veggie Burgers
The next cool way to maximize your toaster involves heating up frozen veggie burgers. Simply remove the burger from its box and plastic wrap and pop it into your toaster. Cook on one cycle on medium heat and test how warm the patty is, and then repeat again as necessary. This is perfect for a quick and healthy lunch and will keep your burger nice and crispy rather than soggy from the microwave.
4. Make Grilled Cheese
Another way to get the most utility from your humble toaster involves one of the ultimate comfort foods, grilled cheese. Simply turn the toaster on its side, and then place two pieces of bread, each topped with a slice of cheese, into the appliance. Cook until the bread is nice and toasty and the cheese has melted. Just be sure to be extra cautious, since this is generally not a manufacturer-recommended practice and could potentially start a fire in your kitchen.
5. Turn Tortillas Into Taco Shells
This next toaster tip may be the most impressive yet. Your toaster can actually transform plain soft tortillas into hard taco shells. Just be sure to use the smallest tortillas you can find; your grocer should have a few options to choose from. Carefully place each tortilla into your toaster in a U-like shape that resembles the outline of a hard shell. Push the lever down to begin crisping, but stay close and unplug the toaster the second you smell smoke. Since they are so thin, tortillas can easily start a fire in the toaster, so be extra careful. After you remove them, the tortillas should look like taco shells and be a bit on the crunchy side.
6. Make Garlic Bread
You can make garlic bread in your toaster, too. First, smother a piece of bread with butter, and then sprinkle on some fresh herbs, Parmesan, and minced garlic. To avoid the sideways approach of grilled cheese, make a pouch using parchment paper, or purchase a toaster pouch. This will keep the ingredients from dripping out and burning on the cooking mechanism of your toaster. Toast the garlic bread until it reaches a golden brown color, and then remove and enjoy.
7. Reheat Leftover Pizza
Last but not least on our list of toaster tricks is reheating leftover pizza. Just be sure to use the same toaster pouches or parchment paper you did with our last entry. Simply place the pizza in the safety of the pouch so that the toppings don’t fall off. Then heat the pizza to your desired level of warmth. There will be no more sad, soggy, chewy pizza in your future, since this hack will warm your leftover pizza to a satisfying crisp.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of unexpected ways to use your toaster. Happy cooking!
