Food Network star Bob Blumer pioneered the method of cooking fish in a dishwasher back in 2005. We've wondered for years if it actually works, so we had to try it out.
We were skeptical, despite the fact that the heat in a typical dishwasher is 170°F.
We followed Blumer's "Dishwasher Salmon" recipe, and prepared salmon and potatoes the way we normally would: salt and pepper, some herbs and lemon slices on the fish; a drizzle of olive oil on the potatoes. The only tweak we made was to cut the potatoes into really small pieces, to ensure they'd cook through.
Once the ingredients were prepped, it was time for a key step: wrapping the fish and potatoes tightly in tin foil to make sure that no water gets in, and no steam (or fish juices!) get out. If you've ever cooked foods in parchment paper, the packing method is similar.
Our packets secured, we headed to the dishwasher. Blumer recommends using the top rack of the machine, and we've even heard of an incredibly efficient woman who places her salmon in the top rack, while the bottom rack is filled with dirty dishes. We didn't want to risk it, so our dishwasher was empty, save for the food-filled packs.
One normal, two-hour cycle later, we opened the packets to discover ... undercooked fish and almost raw potatoes.
If we were going to try it again, we'd try a longer, more intense cycle in the dishwasher. But let's be honest: why cook dinner in the dishwasher when you can just use an oven?
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