Is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick?

Does anyone know of a good way to keep marshmallows from melting off the roasting stick when making smores? Not just sliding off, more like when you use a hot roasting stick and then put the marshmallow on it, it just spins around the stick and does not roast well.

Best Answer

If you can, just get better marshmallow skewers/forks. If there are two prongs on the end, the marshmallow can't rotate. (And as long as you're not holding it at a really steep angle, they'll have a hard time sliding off the end too.)

You can get fancy ones with nice handles, but just plain metal is fine. And it doesn't have to be super strong, so you can probably even just make some out of reasonably thick/stiff wire or metal coat hangers.

The ones I grew up using (for marshmallows and hot dogs) looked like this:

marshmallow roasting forks

(though I always put the marshmallows on straight).

I couldn't quickly find a picture of exactly the same shape, but if you're wanting to try to make your own, this is what I'd go for:

<===>----------<===

A loop on the end to give you something to hold, then repeated twists through the middle section to make it stronger, then opening up into the two-pronged fork on the end!

Pictures about "Is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick?"

Is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick? - Red stop button on yellow handrail in modern empty public bus during daytime

Is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick? - Road with lines and stop sign

Is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick? - Side view of African American hiker standing with wooden stick on path in forest in daytime

Quick Answer about "Is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick?"

Not just sliding off, more like when you use a hot roasting stick and then put the marshmallow on it, it just spins around the stick and does not roast well. If you cook it for less time they will not melt off the stick.

What should you use to hold the marshmallows over the fire?

double tines With two pokey things instead of one, the fork holds your marshmallow or hot dog firmly, reducing the risk that it will drop into the fire. Look for a well-made fork, though; on some cheaper models, the weld that holds the tines to the stick breaks easily.

What causes a marshmallow to lose its stability on a stick after it is heated?

So why do some marshmallows actually melt or at least soften during roasting? This is because of the gelatin that becomes softer as it warms up. Gelatin is a gelling agent which means it can form a gel. However, the gelatin gel is very heat dependent.

Why did my marshmallows melt?

Marshmallows start to melt when they heat up to just above body temperature, Hartings says. But if you're not careful, you can completely burn the outside before the inside even gets warm. The heat of the fire shakes loose the chemical bonds in the gelatin that hold the candy together, which makes the marshmallow ooze.

Is it safe to use sticks for roasting marshmallows?

\u201cIf the temperature goes above 160\xb0F, then you have nothing to worry about,\u201d Tetro says. (For reference, the heat from burning paper is around 480\xb0F, so your campfire is most certainly hotter than 160!) His advice, just to be safe: \u201cGive the stick a good pre-burn before attaching anything to it.\u201d

Melt Marshmallows

More answers regarding is there a way to stop marshmallows from melting off the stick?

Answer 2

Are you using a metal skewer? Metal will carry heat much more than other materials such as wood, and will cause the inside of the marshmallow where it is skewered to soften and slide under the weight of the rest of the marshmallow.

If you're aiming for a golden brown crust, then the key is to cook it quickly at just the right distance away so that the outside begins to have the maillard reaction before it burns (too close to the flame) or the insides soften too much (too far away/not a large enough flame). That really is dependent on the specific fire you're cooking it over. It will take some experimentation to get just right. Also, cook one side at a time, don't shake or spin the marshmallow as this only loosens it further.

If you're purposely 'slow-roasting' it for a more gooey effect, then also skewering a small hemisphere of screen wire (before the marshmallow) will keep the marshmallow in place even after its adherence to the skewer is compromised and make removal much cleaner as well as prevent it from falling into the fire accidentially. You can buy screen wire at your local hardware store and cut and fold it into the desired catch shape.

Answer 3

Like Jefromi said, having two prongs to hold the marshmallow will keep it from just spinning around the stick/skewer.

You might want to look into getting a skewer like this:

enter image description here

(I found this one on a site called outdoor roasting.com)

Having two prongs really makes all the difference! Having it wrap around like a safety fork is kind of an added bonus, keeping the marshmallow from falling off the end.

Make sure to turn slow and keep it a bit away from the fire to get it crispy and golden on the outside, with a soft and gooey inside. Waiting 60 seconds more is worth it. Sticking it straight into the fire will ruin your chances of a soft and gooey, golden brown marshmallow (for obvious reasons).

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: FOX, Will Mu, Harry Cooke, Kamaji Ogino