Wooden Drop Lid Skimmer Akutori Otoshibuta 16cm

When braising or stewing, controlling the evaporation is key to delicious results. A drop lid is the single best tool to ensure the ideal amount of evaporation. A drop lid is easily in the top 5 of most important tools in our kitchen. Whether a professional or novice, using a drop lid will dramatically improve your results. 

In fact, Thomas Keller, chef of The French Laundry, he states in his book of the same name that, "Very rarely will you see a pot with its lid on in my kitchen. I prefer parchment paper lids, because they allow some evaporation..." The wooden drop lid serves the same purpose as the parchment lid, but it is better because the weight of the lid helps maintain the shape of the ingredients.     

When choosing a size, please keep in mind the drop lid sits inside the pot, with a gap between the lid and the wall. 

A drop lid skimmer (akutori otoshibuta) is a creative design that features deep ridges on the bottom of the lid. The ridges gather any impurities that rise to the surface of the simmering dish. To skim this away, simply remove the lid, wash away the impurities, and repeat as often as needed.

Overall, I highly encourage you to try using a drop lid. I have used a drop lid thousands of times for stews and braises, and the results are always tender and delicious meats and vegetables. 

 Yamacoh, founded in 1972, is based in Natsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, specializes in natural wooden products. Their Youbi brand can be described as ‘functional beauty.’ Youbi’s wood products are primarily made from Japanese cypress, hinoki and sawara. These skilled craftsmen produce refined products that are delicately lined, with smooth beautiful surfaces.

Details

• Brand: Yamacoh
• Size: 16cm diameter
• Material: sawara cypress 
• Made in Japan

Precautions

• Wood is not dishwasher safe. Excessive detergent and soap may damage the wood products as well.