Reviews by PJ: Cuisinart Quesadilla Grilling Basket > CQM-195

PajamaGal came through the front door spitting and sputtering something about, “Your best buddy, the UPS driver, has been here again – what did you buy now?” Then she dragged two boxes in and threw them on the couch. I had no idea what was in them – I wasn’t expecting anything.

The first box contained the Cuisinart Quesadilla Grilling Basket - CQM-195 and the second, a Cuisinart Stuffed Grilled Pepper Rack – CPR-100

No note, no invoice, no packing slip. Ok, full disclosure – once I saw what the first box contained, I knew they were free-samples from Cuisinart. I’d posted a review of their “Cuisinart CSBP-100 3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press” on Amazon and my “Reviews by PJ” blog. Cuisinart liked my review so I sent them some pictures and additional comments (I use and like very much the burger press) – in return they said they’d send me some of their grilling accessories. Without a note, I’ll guess these are those! I’ll review these products but note that Cuisinart did not request that I do.

For the quesadilla recipe I used, check out “Absolute Best Chicken Quesadilla” recipe at Food.com.

PJ’s Review:

Cuisinart Quesadilla Grilling Basket > CQM-195 - $19.99

I wanted to like this tool – mostly because Cuisinart gave it to me for free. I don’t always get what I want. I’m glad it was free – if I’d paid $20 for it, I’d probably be looking for a refund.

The bottom line: The basket’s small-grid wire mesh easily traps oozing melted cheese and bits of food, allowing it to burn and making the tool very hard to clean. Soft Flour Tortillas can stick to both the mesh and the previous quesadilla’s melted cheese overflow.

The recipe calls for you to brush melted butter onto one side of the tortilla, then turn it over so that it’s the buttered side that contacts the basket/grill. For the first batch I did so on the first quesadilla. On the 2^nd one I buttered it, but forgot to turn it over – so the side touching the basket wasn’t buttered and it stuck – both to the mesh and to the cheese that had oozed out from the first one. (and mine were not as stuffed with cheese as are the ones in Cuisinart’s own promotional picture – {and there’s no way to get those grill marks using a mesh basket}

After making just 2 quesadillas, there was a fair amount of burned-on cheese and other bits of food.

I had to soak it for 30 minutes (and you need a BIG sink to soak it in) before I was able to clean it with a soft-bristle nylon brush.

So – when I made the 2^nd batch the next day, I was prepared to try to mitigate the issues.

I sprayed cooking-spray onto both sides of the basket. I sprayed cooking-spray onto the tortillas and made sure to turn the sprayed side over to face the basket. I tried to not spread cheese too close to the edges of the tortillas.

The 2^nd and 3^rd ones still stuck (albeit less than the previous batch) – even though I was very careful – certainly much more careful than if I was hosting a beer-swilling backyard grillfest.

If I ever contemplate hosting a backyard grillfest, I will have Amazon send me a Charcoal Companion’s “Non-Stick Wire Quesadilla Basket” for $18.67.