Whether you want to make smoothies, hummus, or other blended dishes, a blender is what you need. But what about processing hot liquids in a blender? Is it ok to do so? These questions commonly come to mind.
Soup is one of the usual recipes that require you to blend hot liquids. Well, there are alternatives too, but a blender makes the process way easier. Anyway, the main concern of blending hot liquids is, of course, whether it is safe or not!
So, can you blend hot liquids in a blender? Our very first segment has the answer. And don’t forget to check the other related sections, where I have described every concern on blending hot foods in a blender.
Can You Blend Hot Liquids in A Blender?
So, yes, you can blend hot liquids in a blender. Still, there are a handful of factors that you must be aware of before putting any hot food in your blender. For example, you should never put boiling hot liquids in your blender pitcher as it may explode your blender jar.
Note that hot liquids can create hot air pockets inside the pitcher as well as overheat motors which may damage the blender that can’t be repaired.
Now before even thinking of blending, there is another query: can you put hot liquids in a blender? Knowing this is highly important because every blender’s jar can’t handle hot liquids. If your pitcher is not designed for blending hot foods, it may get damaged as soon as you pour hot food into it.
So, how will you know whether your blender is capable or not? A good rule of thumb while picking a compatible jar is to ensure that it has a non-slip grip lip if it stays on the blender’s base while running and fully tempered glass on its rim.
Glass jars can handle the heat more than plastic. Also, the power of the blender’s motor is another important factor in how much it can handle. Since very few blenders are made to handle hot foods, the additional heat element needs to be carefully considered.
For instance, boiling liquids can cause blender blades to stop spinning by forming hot air pockets. And that’s why you should know the proper way to do the job to be safe from any mishap.
So, from here, I will let you know various things that will help you learn every safety measure, how you can easily blend hot liquids, and numerous tips.
How Hot Can Be Too Hot for a Blender?
First of all, you should know how hot your blender’s pitcher can handle because if it’s too hot for it, it is bound to get damaged. Well, it is dependent upon the equipment being used.
For instance, are you using a glass pitcher or a plastic one? As I said before, a glass jar is a much better option for blending hot liquids than a plastic one. And also a safe option as there is no chemical in glass that can leach into your blended food.
Now even if you use a glass pitcher, never put boiling hot liquids in it. Let the liquid cool off a bit. Around 190° F temperature is acceptable.
I always dip my finger in the liquid, and if it is bearable, then I blend it. It’s purely my opinion as I am not a person who will ever compromise with safety. Since soup needs to be hot, I would rather heat up the mixture on the stove after blending than take any risk!
For the plastic pitcher, harmful chemicals from the plastic can leach into your food while it is heated. And since blenders are typically meant for blending smoothies or any other room-temperature cooking, it is reasonable to believe that plastic may get into your food. Even though there are no life-threatening elements, it is always better to be careful.
By the way, nowadays, you will find plastic pitchers that are specially made for withstanding hot food. But be sure to read the manual to see whether your blender model is capable and also learn how much heat it can handle.
Anyway, there is another thing you need to consider. Whether your blender is suitable for blending hot liquids also depends on how well its blades can withstand the heat.
The stainless steel blades on the bottom of a pitcher won’t become dull if hot food is poured into it. They are made of sturdy materials and were probably forged at temperatures more than eight times as hot as boiling water. However, the plastic that contains the blades might be damaged.
Now, even if your blender can withstand the heat, some other things can go wrong. And my next section will educate you on those matters.
What Can Go Wrong While Blending Hot Food? Safety Concerns
Before putting hot liquids in your blender, there are various safety concerns that you should be aware of. These drawbacks will let you learn what can go wrong and the reason behind those.
1. Hot Liquids Have A Higher Chance of Splashing
One of the key problems you may face while using hot liquids in a blender is that there is a high chance of splashing. The reason is heated liquids move more freely since they are less thick than cold liquids. And if your blender doesn’t have a vented lid, the pressure inside can make the blender explode. As a result, the hot liquids will splash out of the blender, causing a mishap.Â
2. Hot Liquids May Scald
If you aren’t careful with the process of blending hot food, then it may scald. This is due to the possibility of burns from hot liquids on exposed skin. Therefore, be careful when blending hot liquids to prevent splashing yourself with them.
3. Blenders Can Be Ruined by Hot Liquids
Putting hot liquids in a blender can damage the appliance, especially if it isn’t made for blending hot food. The blender blades may distort or bend from hot liquids. So, it’s necessary to check your blender blades frequently if you regularly use hot liquids and be sure they are not damaged.
Okay, I am done talking about why shouldn’t hot liquids be placed in a blender. Now, does this mean you should never blend hot liquids, even if your recipe calls for it?
No, not at all! You can definitely do it by following proper guidelines and some safety measures for using a blender. And don’t worry! I will guide you on that too. Just check out my next segment, where I have described how you can safely blend hot liquids.
How to Blend Hot Liquids in A Blender Safely?
As you know what type of trouble you may face while blending hot liquids, it’s better to know the safe way to do the job. So, here it is. From here, you will learn how to put hot liquids in a blender and blend them step by step without risking and damaging anything.
1. Allow The Hot Liquid to Cool A Bit
Let the hot food cool slightly for at least 3 to 5 minutes. As I said, you should never put boiling liquids in your blender. If you are making soup or any other recipe that needs to be hot, then you can reheat it after blending.
2. Never Overfill The Blender
You should never overfill the jar when putting the hot liquids in your blender. It’s one of the most vital things to remember. I will suggest you fill the jar halfway as it will help prevent splashing.
Filling the blender pitcher with hot liquids more than halfway may result in too much steam building up. And if the pressure from the steam is high, the lid may blow off.
3. Make Sure The Blender Lid Is Attached Firmly
Before blending your hot ingredients, make sure the lid is properly secured. Although blenders are made to handle hot liquids like soups and sauces, if you don’t secure the lid tightly, there will be a high risk of injuring yourself. Even the appliance may get damaged.
So, double-check whether the lid is properly attached. Doing this can lessen the possibility of hot liquids splashing out of the blender. Additionally, appropriately placing the lid can help minimize leakage and guarantee that your ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Remove The Feeder Cap of The Blender Lid
To reduce pressure caused by the heated liquid, loosen the center cap on the blender lid or remove it entirely. The steam pressure and vortex produced by the blades will try to escape, using force if necessary. But, if you loosen or remove the feeder cap, the pressure and steam can safely escape.
5. Cover & Hold The Top of The Blender Jar With A Towel
One of the dumbest things to do while blending hot liquids is holding the jar with your bare hand! The jar may break due to steam from the heated liquids, and serious burns can occur from the boiling liquid inside.
That’s why you should always use a towel to support the jar’s lid when blending hot liquids. This will shield your hands from the heat and help absorb any impact in case the jar breaks somehow.
6. Start Blending on A Low Setting
When you will start blending, keep the setting low. This reduces the risk of spilling from the blender. You can gradually raise the speed once the hot liquid has been combined.
7. Be Careful While Removing The Lid
Lastly, you should always be careful when removing the lid from the blender. You may get burned if you just remove the top lid without letting the steam release. So, it’s best to turn the blender off, allow it to cool a little bit, and then remove the top lid.
Note: Keep in mind that not all blenders can handle hot ingredients. Before beginning this task, always read the manufacturer’s instructions on whether your model is capable or not.
When handling hot items, you must never compromise on safety. Hence, here are some additional tips that will help you in many regards.
Additional Tips on Blending Hot Liquids
Besides knowing the whole procedure, remember these tips for your knowledge.
- Be sure to puree hot liquids in small batches. Indeed, it will take more time, but still, it is far safer.
- While blending, start at low speed. Blend for around 10 seconds at a time, turn off, and then release the steam by removing the towel above the lid.
- Don’t blend hot ingredients for more than 30 seconds at a time.
- You can blend for 10 to 30-second periods, gradually increasing the speed until the required consistency is achieved.
- Always release the steam before mixing again to avoid overheating the food and ruining its fresh flavor.
- If your blender’s manual says nothing about pureeing hot foods, it’s better not to use it for this task. Instead, you can use an immersion blender, one of the best options for pureeing hot ingredients for soup.
Advantages of Blending Hot Foods in A Blender
After learning the safe way of pureeing hot food in a blender, it’s time to know the benefits of this process. If you were hesitant about putting your hot liquids in a blender or not, this segment may encourage you.
1. It helps to cook food faster
The first benefit is that you can prepare or cook the food much faster. For instance, if you’re making a sauce or soup, blending it will help cook the ingredients and thicken the mixture. It’s because blending will break down the ingredients and let them release their nutrients and flavors.
2. Makes the blend smoother
Blending hot liquids in a blender will result in a smoother mix. This is because hot ingredients blend more easily than cold liquids because they are already softened from the heat. This can be notably beneficial if you are blending tough items like nuts, leafy greens, or any type of vegetable.
For instance, if you want to make tomato juice or sauce, boiling it and then blending it will give you the perfect smooth consistency.
3. Extracts maximum flavors from ingredients
When you puree heated ingredients, it releases the maximum flavors and aromas that might otherwise be hidden. The heat from blending hot liquids helps some of the flavor-giving volatile elements escape. This can result in a mixture with more flavor and aroma.
4. Requires less time on cleaning
Last but not least, using hot liquids in a blender will help you save time on cleanup. This is because heated ingredients are more likely to dissolve stuck-on food than cold items. Therefore, blending them can help in easing cleanup, especially if you are mixing foods that tend to stick, like carrots or potatoes.
Types of Blender Safe for Putting Hot Liquids
If you wonder which type of blender is designed to handle hot foods, here are the details you need to know.
- Immersion Blender
If you have a fear that your typical blender may explode because of hot liquids, then an immersion blender is what you need. As you have to dip it into the ingredients and mix, there is nothing to be afraid of. Whether you want to mix cake batter, blend sauce dips, or whip egg whites, handheld blenders can make these jobs handy and more precise.
In my opinion, using this stick blender to blend hot liquids, such as soup or sauce, is one of its best purposes. It allows you to transfer the contents immediately into your preferred container, unlike a standard blender that requires you to put your liquid in the pot and let it cool before using.
If you’ve ever attempted to make a sauce or soup, then you know that hot items can be hard to blend sometimes. Hot liquids often need several batches to get the proper consistency, even with a high-powered blender.
But, with an immersion blender, the scene is totally different. This reduces the possibility of spills and splatters while also saving time and labor. Plus, an immersion blender is easy to use and store because of its compact size and lightweight construction.
- Countertop Blender
Countertop blenders are the most common ones, and almost every home cook owns one of them. They are most famous for making smoothies and milkshakes. Although it is mainly used to blend cold ingredients, you may also use it to mix hot liquids. But you should be cautious with it and follow the instructions I provided above.
And as I said earlier, check the manual to confirm whether your one is suitable for pureeing hot ingredients or not. If not, either avoid using it or buy a blender suited for this job.
- Commercial Blender
If you wanna make hot chocolate for a large group of people or a single serving of hot cider for yourself on a chilly winter day, a commercial blender is an ideal choice to get the job done. Since these are powerful blenders, they can blend hot liquids with ease. With these, you don’t have to worry about burning your coffee beans or splattering hot liquids all over the kitchen.
Additionally, many commercial blenders come with added features or accessories that let you quickly heat liquids without using a microwave. With its strong motor and countless functions, it will certainly help in quickly creating delicious hot beverages!
Hence, if you want a versatile blender that can blend hot drinks, food, and all the other challenging blending jobs, opt for a commercial blender.
- Blender Bottles
A blender bottle is a perfect choice if you need to blend hot liquids on the go. It has a comfortable-to-hold design and a built-in whisk that makes it easy to blend and combine hot drinks inside the container, unlike typical travel mugs that can overheat or burn your hands when you contact them.
So be sure to give using a blender bottle some thought if you are seeking a quick and easy solution to bring boiling water everywhere you go.
Types of Hot Food You Can Make in A Blender
Actually, you can blend almost any hot meal in a blender jar, but it’s best to avoid any boiling liquid. Soups and sauces are the main meal categories with a higher liquid content that you should be creating in your blender.
You can also make alfredo sauce with a blender that has a high-powered motor and stainless steel blades. If you wanna learn some quick and easy hot recipes, jump into my next section.
Few Quick Hot Food Recipes With Blender
Blender is a kitchen tool that can minimize your meal preparation time. And with the help of this appliance, you can make a simple dish flavorful. Okay, here are a few recipes to try.
Risotto
Have you been avoiding making risotto just because it is such a pain to prepare? Well, pull out your blender, and you will see how easy it is.
Blend your cooked arborio rice, broth, onions, parmesan, and spinach. It eliminates the majority of the guesswork involved in preparing this recipe and equally distributes flavor and texture throughout the entire dish, ensuring that there are no pockets of the dish that are under-seasoned or that don’t have enough of the vegetables you choose to use.
Pizza Sauce
If you want to make fresh homemade pizza sauce, blending the ingredients is the best way to bring out all the flavors. Doing this will make the sauce authentic and chunky, or you can blend it finely to keep it smooth.
Blend cooked tomato, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion, powder, sugar, pepper, and some water depending on how thin or thick you prefer it.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This soup is one of my favorites cause it is pretty simple to make and heavenly to the tongue.
You can make this delicious soup by combining fresh broccoli, milk, chicken stock, parmesan, sharp cheddar, and garlic. Add some minced yellow onion to the mixture, together with some freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. The taste can be ten times enhanced if you add thickly sliced cheddar cheese on top at the end and oyster crackers as a garnish.
Anyway, there is nothing more to add to this topic. Hence, I am going to conclude it now.
Conclusion
So, can you blend hot liquids in a blender? Hopefully, after going through my entire writing, you have gained more than enough knowledge about this task.
Be sure to be extra careful whenever you work with hot ingredients. And now that you are aware of exactly how to do it, cook yourself something hot and delicious whenever you crave it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you blend hot liquids in a Ninja blender?
Yes, you can blend hot liquids in a Ninja blender while following all the safety measures. Even the Ninja Professional blender is specially designed for mixing hot ingredients. The jar of the ninja blender is made of heat-resistant glass, and it features a strong motor that can easily crush tough items.
Can you use a Vitamix blender to blend hot liquids?
Of course, you can use a Vitamix blender to blend hot liquids up to 170°F. However, it is advised not to use more than 50% of the jar’s capacity when mixing hot liquids for a lengthy period of time to prevent straining the motor.
