Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Cookware › Steamers How to Use a Bamboo Steamer Published: July 8, 2026 · Updated: July 8, 2026
Line each tier with perforated parchment, cabbage leaves, or a cloth so food doesn't stick, set the stacked baskets over an inch or two of simmering water in a wok or wide pot, cover, and steam. Soak a brand-new steamer first, and never let the pot boil dry.
Recommended Line the baskets, set them over simmering (not touching) water, cover and steam — soak a new one first, don't boil dry — A bamboo steamer cooks with the gentle, even heat of rising steam, and its woven lid absorbs drips so buns and dumplings stay dry on top. Line each tier — perforated parchment, a round of cabbage or lettuce, or a damp cloth — so sticky dough and fish don't glue to the bamboo. Set the stacked baskets inside a wok, or over a pot whose diameter matches the steamer, with an inch or two of water simmering below that never touches the food; keep it at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil, and top up with hot water on long steams so it never runs dry. Put denser or longer-cooking items on the bottom tier, closest to the steam, and lighter ones on top. Soak a brand-new steamer in water for about 30 minutes before its first use so it doesn't scorch, and afterward empty it, wipe it, and air-dry it completely to prevent mold — never soak it or put it in the dishwasher.
