Tip: How to Drain Cans Quicker! ~ Diane's Vintage Zest!

Tip: How to Drain Cans Quicker!

A few weeks ago when I was making my Big Game Chili, I made twice the recipe so I had tons of cans to open, drain, and repeat.  Well, I was using my usual trick of draining them quicker and apparently it was something that my guy had never seen before and I thought that it would be a neat little tip to share with you!

Also, not only does this tip help with draining your cans quicker, it helps to cut down on the number of dishes you wash and cuts down on the amount of counter or sink space that a regular colander would take up.  Great!




In the old days, I would take the cans and dump the contents into a colander.  Then, it would sit there, taking up space in the sink or on the counter.  If I had lots of cans to drain, I would have to  dump half of them into another bowl just to be able to get them all done.  That meant even more dishes to wash, besides having to figure out where to store them until the recipe was ready!

With one little item, I figured out how to wash fewer dishes, take up less counter space, and drain all the cans really quickly!  Also, I didn't have to go out and buy another kitchen gadget to take up more drawer space.  :)  What is it?

It's a...

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I use this old one which has lasted me for forever!  All you do is pop it over the top of the can...


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...flip it over and drain!  It's so much quicker because I can do it one-handed, flip it over and done.  I  just have a nice little assembly line of cans to drain, and it is finished in a flash!


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If you want to "wash" the can contents to dilute the canning liquid, you can also run the sink through the strainer to avoid losing the contents.


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Yep, that's it!

The nice thing is that you can just line up your cans until you are ready for them, and they won't take up as much space as a huge colander.  And the bonus is that I only have to wash one little item.  Yay!




Do you have any useful kitchen tips?  I would love to know!




20 comments:

  1. this is so interesting. i'm showing to my hubby since i don't cook!

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  2. Yep, just me being resourceful so I don't have to wash as many dishes. Easily the worst part of cooking! ;)

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  3. I use the can lid. I don't open it all the way, press it down so it's in the original position(only there's now cracks on the rim as it's been opened) and just pour out the fluid. And you don't have to wash ANYTHING :)

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  4. I used to do that too! It works perfect for a few cans, but when I have a ton, it takes a long time. Either I would leave it too closed and there would still be liquid inside, or I would open it up too much and the contents would start leaking out. Great tip though for sure!

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  5. I always just completely opened the lid and just held it in place with my finger. Of course, with beans, even though you are supposed to drain and rinse, I don't. There's a lot of flavor going down the drain that way!

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  6. i always TRY to use the can lid, but i can never quite get all the liquid out, and it doesn't really help with rinsing. this idea is great! i also have a few recipes that use a LOT of cans, sometimes that can be the hardest part!


    www.thekriegers.org

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  7. I always make a mess I have some drainer from Pampered Chef but I can never find it!

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  8. I am like so many others, I used the can lid too! I don't eat a lot of can items so that's not a huge deal for me. But, I happen to have one of these coffee strainers. I use it for larger pots of loose leaf tea though. I am going to have to do this just so I can show my family my new trick! :)

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  9. Yes! I try to shoot water into the nooks and crannies and end up losing some of the can contents, but this way you can cover it up and even shake it around to loosen it up. I'm glad my little tip is helpful to you! :)

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  10. It's honestly one of my least favorite parts of cooking, and I'm glad when I can delegate it to my man. He likes it because it involves no stirring or chopping! :)

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  11. Great tip!!! I need to get one of these coffee strainers!

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  12. What a great tip. While I don't use a whole lot of can items, it is a good tidbit to know :)

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  13. This is really neat!

    Thanks again for joining the Link Up this week!

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  14. I don't drink coffee and don't have one of these little strainers, but will look
    for one the next time I'm at the store. It's the perfect solution for the can
    draining dilemma. Thanks for sharing at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.

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  15. Thanks! I'm glad it was so helpful. :)

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  16. Yep, JUST in case. You never know when you'll be making chili for an army of hungry family members in the near future. :)

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  17. I'm sure you can find one easily at the dollar/99 cent store. SUCH an investment! :)

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I love to hear your comments! And putting in your two cents is always free. :)

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