Soup Chafers
Soup server chafers utilize a small burner to keep soup hot over the course of serving. Many of these soup chafers heat water, and that heat is then transferred to the food, providing a gentle, consistent heat that keeps food at a safe temperature.
Soup Chafing Dish: What You Need to Know
Soup server chafers function similarly to other chafing dishes, but they're made to hold large volumes of liquid-based food, such as soup or chili. They're shaped differently than other chafer dishes; soup chafers usually are round or cylindrical and deeper than a standard chafer.
Soup chafing dishes often are used in catering or buffet-style service because operators have the convenience of leaving out the soup to be served without worrying about maintaining its heat. To that end, most soup chafers are made to be aesthetically engaging, with stainless steel constructions and elegant lines.
Common Questions About Soup Chafers
Can you put soup in a chafing dish?
Normal chafing dishes aren't designed to hold soup, though they certainly could be used that way if you desire. Soup chafers hold more volume and serve soup easier than using a standard chafer for the same purpose. Many catering soup servers utilize a water dish to transfer heat through steam rather than directly from the flame.
Steam heat is always at 212 degrees Fahrenheit and covers the cooking area fairly evenly, meaning the soup being held isn't burned but stays uniformly warm. Maintaining appropriate temperatures throughout the vessel is vital, as any portions of soup that drop beneath 140 degrees Fahrenheit can enable harmful bacteria to grow and present a danger to your guests. Soup chafers are designed to keep their contents hot with the energy of chafer fuel, so caterers can set out the soup for serving without worry.
How do you use a soup chafer?
Soup chafing dishes have a small canister of chafer fuel that burns and imparts heat into the contents of the chafer. Most operators use chafer soup servers as part of a buffet or catering operation. Catering soup servers can keep soup hot throughout service, preventing the growth of potentially harmful pathogens.
Soup server chafers only should be used to keep soup hot rather than cook it. The heat of a can of chafing fuel is not enough to cook food thoroughly.