Twines & Ties

Kitchen twine is indispensable for trussing whole chickens, tying roasts and rolled stuffed meats, and making bundles of herbs for flavoring stews. (Never cook with twines that aren’t specifically labeled “kitchen” or “food-safe.”) Does it matter which kind you use? And what about reusable food ties made of silicone? We tested cotton and linen kitchen twine as well as two brands of silicone food ties, using them on stuffed 11-inch-long flank steaks for braciole and to truss chickens. When all was said and done, nothing beat cotton twine. It never frayed, singed, split, or broke, and it stayed put when we tied knots. It’s inexpensive and efficient. Linen twine worked equally well but was more expensive. We’ll stick with our winner for our cooking needs.