Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <spinach>
Title: What is the most efficient way to squeeze water out of cooked spinach?
Question: I'm cooking a bunch of spinach for making a spinach and ricotta filling. I need to get as much water as possible out of the spinach, and I'd prefer not to make a big mess in the process. In the past, I've wrapped a few handfuls at a time in a towel and squeezed out the liquid. This leaves me with a messy, green stained towel and requires a lot of twisting that doesn't seem maximally effective.

Answers:
sents: text: Use a potato ricer .
text: Just fill it up with a big handful of spinach, and give it a good squeeze in the sink, or over a bowl if you like to drink spinach water.
text: It extracts a ton of liquid quickly, and is a breeze to clean up when you are done.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/1393/Michael Natkin
score: 17
sents: text: The important part is to work in small batches.
text: I just use my hands -- grab a handful, squeeze, set it aside, grab another handful, etc.
text: Most things that you'd be tempted to use just have too large of holes, and let lots of spinach bits through, (and I admit, I miss some spinach as I start getting towards the end
text: and it's mostly water), or they've got too small of holes that it's serious effort to use, and you have to work in small batches anyway.
text: So, if nothing else, my way leaves you with only your hands to wash, and no extra gear to buy.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/67/Joe
score: 10
sents: text: The French method uses a conical strainer ('passoir conique').
text: It is solid stainless steel, with about a 6" mouth at the top, and holes to let the water through.
text: You simply push the spinach down as far as you feel is appropriate.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/62230/SeptimusFry
score: 7
sents: text: I use a sieve that can hang over the sink.
text: Put the spinach in the sieve.
text: On top of the spinach put a solid bowl, and in the bowl goes some weight.
text: I generally use whatever dry stuff I have lying around, which is normally lentils.
text: You can use blind baking thingies if you have them.
text: Wait for about 15 minutes.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/611/Carmi
score: 6
sents: text: I learned this from Rachael Ray - use a clean (no fabric softener) cloth.
text: Put spinach in small batches & squeeze.
text: Works great.
text: I use a never before used diaper.
text: use it to squeeze moisture out of shredded zucchini too.
text: After done, I soak the cloth in bleach water to remove the green stain then rinse the bleach out.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/7284/Ann
score: 6
sents: text: I use two identical plates.
text: On one plate you can put the spinach and with the bottom of the other plate you can squeeze out the liquid.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/641/BaffledCook
score: 4
sents: text: I use cheesecloth to squeeze my spinach.
text: I put all the cooled spinach in the cheesecloth and
text: then I keep wringing it until all the water is gone.
text: Then I discard the cheesecloth.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/36809/Maria Conte
score: 3
sents: text: I make spinach pie all the time and had the same problem!
text: Here's my solution and it works better than anything I've ever tried!
text: I have a Waring Juice Extractor.
text: I take the blade disc that usually grinds the vegetables and flip it upside down.
text: Turn the juicer on and feed the cooked spinach into the juicer and it extracts darn near all the liquid from the spinach!
text: Works incredible.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/54345/Brad McDonald
score: 2
sents: text: Alternative Cooking Method: Flash Sauté
text: While frozen spinach can be more convenient, nothing beats fresh spinach (IMO).
text: Fresh spinach flash sautéd in EVO with minced fresh garlic, salt-to-taste and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
text: This method alleviates the water left in the spinach because it cooks off in the high cooking heat.
text: Very flavorful to stuff pasta or as a side dish.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/54408/M.Mat
score: 2
sents: text: Salad spinner (centrifuge) for a non-destructive method?
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/8457/Tobias Op Den Brouw
score: 1
sents: text: I've most recently used a lemon juice squeezer and it worked perfectly!
text: One of these http://www.cajuncookingtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/lemon-squeezer.jpg Works a treat!
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/25720/Ola
score: 1
sents: text: I use my vegetable steamer, open the steamer, put the defrosted spinach in and close the steamer.
text: Press until drained.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/29751/Ellen
score: 1
sents: text: For frozen chopped spinach, don't open the bag.
text: Make tiny snips with scissors on one side of bag.
text: Place in bottom of sink and press all over, fold it, whatever works.
text: Less mess; no stained towels, no special equipment, and for those who may have arthritic hands, this works better than any other method I've tried.
text: I just "invented" this method today and will continue using it.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/80192/CHERYL PULLAN
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
The traditional French method uses a conical strainer with the spinach pressed down using a weighted bowl. Other options include a juicer, salad spinner, potato ricer or cheesecloth. It is important to work in small batches.
You can pass the spinach in a ricer or strainer. Alternatively, try a salad spinner or squeeze in a cheesecloth.