Picking the Best Pastry Brush

Pastry brushes are helpful for applying sauces, oils, glazes, and other liquids to dishes before and during the cooking process. Using a baking brush gives you better control over the ingredient you add. Plus, it helps you spread an even coating for a consistent product in a manner that's clean and efficient.

What is a Pastry Brush Used for?

The best breads achieve a golden-brown crust from an egg wash or melted butter spread on top before they go in the oven. Or when you need to grease a pan, using a food brush helps you do it quickly and cleanly. If you've added too much seasoning, a brush can even be dipped in water and run over your dish to remove the excess seasoning. The uses for a pastry brush in your kitchen can stack up quickly.

Don't let the name fool you, pastry brushes are also known as basting brushes. While both pastry brushes and basting brushes are designed to spread sauces and glazes more efficiently over foods, it is important that you use a designated pastry brush only for baking applications and a basting brush for meat and vegetable basting. Using the same brush can accidentally transfer flavors between your pastry and meat products, leading to cross-contamination.

1. Hand wash the brush immediately after use. If your kitchen is too busy, at least soak it in warm water until you have time to clean it properly. (This prevents liquid ingredients from hardening.)
2. Run the brush under hot water and gently rub bristles with dish detergent. Always try to remove oils as quickly as possible as they can turn the brush rancid, making it unfit for use.)
3. Keep an eye on the base of your baking brush, ensuring no food or grease remains lodged where the bristles meet the handle.
4. Rinse the brush and treat it with sanitizer.
5. Leave it in a clean place to air dry.