Why does my orzo stick to everything?

[powerdog]

I've noticed that some of my al dente orzo (generally I use Ronzoni) sticks to the pot after I use the dishwasher, and also stick to dishes and utensils that were washed. I can only guess it's the small size, as elbows, spaghetti, etc. don't do this nearly as much. Is there any way to prevent this?

[Shel_B]

Soak the pot, dishes, and utensils and remove residual orzo before putting them into the dishwasher. If for some reason you can't soak the pot, then take some time to remove the orzo by hand before it starts sticking to the pot. Leaving the pasta in the hot and cooling pot and on dishes and utensils can "cement" the pasta to the walls of the vessel and to the dishes and utensils.

In the FWIW Dep't, the pot I use for cooking the pasta gets put into the sink and soaked (in hot, soapy water) just as soon as the pasta is removed.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[powerdog]

Shel, I will follow your advice. But out of curiosity, I'd also like to know why orzo has that superglue property more than other pastas.

[Shel_B]

Shel, I will follow your advice. But out of curiosity, I'd also like to know why orzo has that superglue property more than other pastas.

You mentioned that you cook the orzo al dente, and maybe there's more residual starch on the grains than with spaghetti and other pasta shapes. Is the other pasta you use also Ronzoni? Perhaps there's a different amount of starch and protein in the Ronzoni orzo compared to other brands, or even other shapes of the same brand. I'm only guessing here ...

[Plantes Vertes]

Hi powerdog, I wonder whether you are using sufficient water? If not the pasta starch can become concentrated and super-sticky.

I would imagine that orzo is gummier than other pastas for two reasons; 1) it has a larger surface area than the same amount of another shape and therefore offers more surface starch; 2) the individual pieces are light and not likely to tangle up like spaghetti, and will not fall off the pan/dish because of their weight or because they are pulled out in a mass as with the strands of long pasta.

[dcarch]

Perhaps this is indeed a very simple reason; force of adhesion v.s. weight. As partially answered by PV above.

For a given weight the pasta orzo has more surface area per weight than other pastas. True.

There are three forces of adhesion operating on wet pastas surfaces, namely water surface tension, gluey starch and 14 lbs/ sq. in. atmospheric pressure.

dcarch

[Lisa Shock]

Also, take a look at your pot. Is it old? Does it have lots of micro-abrasions on the surface? A scratched up surface will cause more sticking than a new, smooth one.

[Mjx]

Starch + hot water = glue. Plus, little pieces of orzo are ideally sized and weighted to firmly adhere. Try soaking everything in/with cold water, and scraping off the orzo before tossing things in the dishwasher.

[SylviaLovegren]

Tossing the orzo with lots of oil, butter and/or lamb fat helps keep it from sticking to forks and plates. The pot the orzo's cooked in is just the cook's reminder that life's joys need to be paid for.

[powerdog]

I use a stainless steel pot that's very old, and I'm sure it doesn't hold enough water for the amount I'm making, so there are two suspects.

I wonder what would happen if I rinsed the orzo just before cooking, to eliminate some of the extra starch.

[dcarch]

I use a stainless steel pot that's very old, and I'm sure it doesn't hold enough water for the amount I'm making, so there are two suspects.

I wonder what would happen if I rinsed the orzo just before cooking, to eliminate some of the extra starch.

It will be worst. You are creating more starch.

dcarch