Flour Sifters

[debodun]

I went in search of a flour sifter in the kitchen cabinets. I found 6 in various styles and none were fit to use. I know they haven't been used since my mom got sick, so we're probaby talking arond 15 years or so. Some are rusty and most just dirty looking. I may have to go to the "big box" and get one since I didn't see any available locally. Would you recommend a crank handle or a squeeze handle?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I don't bake or use much flour when I need to sift I use one of these.

Just give it a shake or a spank, the flour knows what to do.

Start at the $tore and work your way up.

 

[StarSong]

I do an extraordinary amount of baking and haven't used a flour sifter in decades. Modern flour is pre-sifted.

Agree with Bea, if you need a sifter use a finer mesh strainer. It'll do the trick without lightening your wallet or taking up cabinet space.

 

[debodun]

I made corenbread recently and it was awful. There were small but hard bits in it that when I bit them, were sour at first, then tasted bitter. I wanted to see if there was something in the flour or cornmeal, so I was going to sift them both. Will cornmeal go through a sifter?

 

[gennie]

I'm curious. Where are the 6 unusable ones? Still in your cabinet or in the trash.

About the cornbread: I had same experience recently with sour, bitter taste. It turned out my cornbread mix was very old, long past its use by date. I had not had it too long so must have been old stock in store. New mix and cornbread fine.

 

[JustBonee]

I made corenbread recently and it was awful. There were small but hard bits in it that when I bit them, were sour at first, then tasted bitter. I wanted to see if there was something in the flour or cornmeal, so I was going to sift them both. Will cornmeal go through a sifter?

Like Gennie stated ... probably long past its expiration date.

 

[debodun]

I'm curious. Where are the 6 unusable ones? Still in your cabinet or in the trash.

I was going to throw them out, but I still have them in a plastic bag to toss. Two of them are totally gross even after I attempted to clean them.

 

[Camper6]

My sister makes the greatest pie crust. She told me she always sifts the flour. She has the crank handle style. I still have one. Never use it very often. Sifting also mixes together the baking powder, salt, etc.

 

[debodun]

It turned out my cornbread mix was very old, long past its use by date. I had not had it too long so must have been old stock in store.

I just checked my cornmeal and the exp date is Dec 17 2019. The flour I've had for a while, but I keep that and the cornmeal in the fridge.

 

[StarSong]

Can't imagine what cornbread ingredients would be hard bits that taste sour or bitter... Maybe your cornmeal isn't past the printed expiration date, but it may still be spoiled. Cornmeal is so cheap - I'd pitch that and replace it with a fresh package.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Could be baking powder or baking soda that has drawn in some moisture and developed little lumps that a sifter or sieve would catch.

 

[StarSong]

Could be baking powder or baking soda that has drawn in some moisture and developed little lumps that a sifter or sieve would catch.

Maybe so. Good point.

 

[Butterfly]

I made corenbread recently and it was awful. There were small but hard bits in it that when I bit them, were sour at first, then tasted bitter. I wanted to see if there was something in the flour or cornmeal, so I was going to sift them both. Will cornmeal go through a sifter?

I doubt that cornmeal will go thru a sifter. I think your cornmeal has gone rancid.

 

[debodun]

Well, last night I put the flour, cornmeal and baking soda through a strainer like Aunt Bea posted (I had a fairly clean one). They all went through and no lumps. That takes care of the dry ingredients.

 

[debodun]

Maybe it was egg shell pieces. I naver really perfected the art of cracking an egg. The shells usually end up disintegrating in my hand making a lot of tiny pieces that I can't always get out, or even see very well once they are added to the dry ingredients.

 

[AnnieA]

I don't bake or use much flour when I need to sift I use one of these.

Just give it a shake or a spank, the flour knows what to do.

Start at the $tore and work your way up.

I bake a lot and prefer a strainer over a hand crank sifter. It's much easier to clean and has other uses.

 

[debodun]

I'm curious. Where are the 6 unusable ones? Still in your cabinet or in the trash.

Did you have a question about the old, dirty sifters?

 

[Uptosnuff]

The only flour sifter I've ever used has been the squeeze handle kind. I would recommend those. You can use it with one hand.

 

[StarSong]

Maybe it was egg shell pieces. I naver really perfected the art of cracking an egg. The shells usually end up disintegrating in my hand making a lot of tiny pieces that I can't always get out, or even see very well once they are added to the dry ingredients.

Egg shell pieces would add no flavor. A little crunch perhaps, but no flavor. Before using any of your ingredients again you might want to taste test them to make sure they're still good. No matter what the sell-by or use-by date states.

 

[Rosemarie]

I don't bake or use much flour when I need to sift I use one of these.

Just give it a shake or a spank, the flour knows what to do.

Start at the $tore and work your way up.

I use one of those too.