Steaming food that is too bulky

While you may be tempted to steam anything and everything in sight, you must be selective about what you cook with this technique. It's a quick way to prepare food, but it comes with some risks. Steaming, according to culinary experts consulted by The Washington Post, can almost be inefficient.

The steam is so hot that it can quickly cook the outer surface of the food item so that the inner part of the item does not have time to catch up. This could result in an overcooked outside and an undercooked inside. As a result, attempting to steam super bulky or large foods is a mistake, especially if you don't prepare them with a lot of chopping. The thinner and smaller the steaming pieces, the better. It is possible to steam thick items, but care must be taken in how they are cut.