Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fibre that grows around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fibre is almost pure cellulose; and is most often spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile. This twisted twine is a 100% natural cotton yarn, and is great for stationery, packaging, handicrafts, upholstery and toys.
Butcher’s twine is an inexpensive tool used all the time in our Test Kitchen. It helps roasts and chicken cook evenly, and it’s also handy if you need to attach a bacon weave to a meatloaf. But what exactly is butcher’s twine? And what do you do if you don’t have any on hand?
Butcher’s twine (also called cooking string or kitchen twine) is an oven-safe string made from 100% cotton. It’s most commonly used when cooking meat. Tying an irregular-shaped roast or trussing a chicken creates a uniform shape that helps the meat cook evenly. Butcher’s twine can also be used to roll up stuffed meat like mushroom-stuffed flank steak, hang salami for curing and bundle herbs for freezing or making stock.
When cooking, it’s important to use a twine that’s made from a natural fiber so it won’t melt when cooked at high temperatures. Cotton is the go-to material because it doesn’t impart flavors, aromas or colors into the food as it cooks. Linen twine is also acceptable, and some people find it easier to tie, but it’s also harder to find.
Twine can be made from several different types of natural fibers and synthetic materials, but not all of them are suitable for baking. Butcher’s twine is made from cotton, a food-safe, oven-safe material that’s strong enough to pull into tight knots. Some natural-fiber twines are oven-safe (like linen) while others are made with food-safe materials but burn easily, so they’re best for decorative purposes (like jute or hemp).