What is a Bulb Baster?

I have a silicone bulb baster with a rubber bulb. I clean it by removing the bulb, dripping a few drops of liquid dish detergent down the cylinder, and using the spray nozzle on my sink to squirt a pressurized stream of hot water through it.

To warm it before use, I just roll it between my palms for several seconds. My hands are usually hot from all the kitchen exercise they get before I’m ready to baste, anyway.

If I use it with a glaze or marinade containing garlic and onions, the smell can linger even after I wash it. All I have to do is squirt some lemon juice down the cylinder and slosh it around a bit, and this removes the smell.

My bulb baster comes in handy when I’m making cinnamon rolls. I have the kind with the brush attached, so it’s easy to spread butter on the dough without making a mess.

I make a big batch of biscuit dough from flour, butter, and milk. I roll it out, but I try to keep it somewhat thick.

Then, I melt some butter to spread on it so that the cinnamon and sugar will stick. I use the bulb baster to draw in the butter and release it onto the dough, brushing it as I go along to ensure that it is evenly coated. I sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar, roll it up tightly, slice it, and bake the rolls.

I use the bulb baster again for the glaze. I mix butter, milk, and powdered sugar until runny. Then, I baste it onto the still warm cinnamon rolls. It sinks down into their crevices and moistens them.

I use a bulb baster to help keep my chicken moist while roasting. There is nothing worse than biting into what you expect to be a juicy piece of chicken, only to find it dry and flavorless. I baste it before and halfway through cooking to prevent this.

I make a glaze from olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt, pepper, and thyme. I draw it into the bulb baster, which has a pastry brush attached. When I release the glaze onto the chicken, I pull the brush across it to coat it evenly.

If any of the glaze remains on the bottom of the pan when the chicken is halfway done, I draw it up and squirt it back on top of the meat. Otherwise, I just use more of the fresh glaze to baste it.

My mother bought a baster to use on the Thanksgiving turkey. Though I have never cooked a turkey, I have used this baster for other things.

I used it just last night to baste my salmon. I made a glaze out of honey, brown sugar, butter, and lemon juice. I heated it in a pot on the stove, and then I used the baster to draw it up from the pot and squirt it onto the salmon. I placed the fish on aluminum foil so that the bottom would not burn or stick to the pan.

Halfway during cooking, I used the baster once more. I had kept the glaze warm by leaving it on low, and this made it easier for it to flow through the baster. I reapplied it to the salmon to keep it juicy and full of flavor. It turned out to be very delicious.