What to Use Instead of a Toothpick for Baking: A Guide

There are many ways to achieve the same baking results without using a toothpick. A list of substitutes for the toothpick includes bamboo skewers, thin chopsticks, thin metal skewers, cake testers, and straws. Bamboo skewer or piece of spaghetti.

If you need to check if something is done in the oven, use a bamboo skewer instead of a toothpick.

If youre in a hurry and need a good DIY Hack – Use a piece of dry spaghetti. This is a great tip as most people have some in their pantry.

Cake tester: A cake tester will give you an accurate reading when it comes to knowing if your dish is ready or not.

Straw: Use a clear straw that you can see through when checking your dish. Metal skewer: A metal skewer can be helpful for finding out whether or not food is done cooking.

What to use instead of a toothpick

Toothpicks are a popular kitchen tool that can be used to check on the doneness of food. However, you may not always have your toothpick handy.

Luckily, there are many substitutes for the toothpick. A list of substitutes includes bamboo skewers, thin chopsticks, thin metal skewers, cake testers and straws.

Using a bamboo skewer will ensure that the food is cooked all the way through and is safe to eat. Cake testers can also be used to check if your dish is ready or not.

Watch the quick vide below for some helpful ideas including toothpick alternative test using a knife

Bamboo skewer

A bamboo skewer is a thin, pointed stick made from a type of wood called bamboo. You can use it to check if something is done in the oven.

To use a bamboo skewer, take it out of its container and insert it halfway into the dish you’re cooking. If the skewer slides in easily, then your dish should be ready to eat.

If you’re making meat, such as chicken or pork, then follow these steps: First poke the end of the skewer into the thickest part of the meat. Next, push it all the way through and make sure that there isn’t any pink visible on either side of the skewer (meat should be white).

Lastly, pull out the bamboo skewer and see if there’s any blood on it; if there is any blood on it, then your dish isn’t done yet and needs more time in the oven.

Cake tester

A cake tester is a thin metal or plastic rod, which can be inserted into a baked item to see if it’s ready. The tester should come out clean when the item is done.

The best way to determine whether or not your dish is done cooking with a cake tester is to poke it in the center of the cake batter and remove it. If you see crumbs on it, then your food isn’t done yet. If you don’t see any crumbs, then the dish has been cooked thoroughly.

Straw

Straws are one of the most common items used in cooking, but they’re usually not empty when you pull them out. That’s because you put liquids inside your straw to use it as a meat thermometer.

Your straw becomes an instant thermometer by holding it horizontally in the liquid and reading the temperature at the top.

How does this work? You can tell if your food is done cooking by looking at the following color changes:

-If your food is less than 150-degrees Fahrenheit (65-degrees Celsius), it’s raw.

-If it’s between 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit (65-93 degrees Celsius) , it’s rare.

-When your food is 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius) or higher, it’s well done.

Metal skewer

: A metal skewer can be helpful for finding out whether or not food is done cooking.

Dry Spaghetti. As mentioned above this is a great and simple DIY hack that most people have on hand.