1. What Falls Through the Holes: Oil and Moisture
When transferring a fried egg from a pan to a plate, a standard spatula often carries pooled oil onto the dish along with the food. With a slotted spatula, that oil and moisture fall through the holes and away from the food. [1]
Comparisons of cooking tools explain that because oil and juices drop through the holes, the plated food is less likely to become sticky or watery. [1] This makes the slotted turner suitable for dishes where you want to finish with less excess oil or water. This is its most obvious role.
But if you have holes, does the oil drain completely?
2. Do Holes Remove All the Oil?
Actually, the background description in a US patent document states that most spatulas have slots or holes to drop excess oil or fat from fried foods. However, it notes that under natural conditions without pressure, the amount of oil that falls is very small. [3]
This explanation comes from the applicant proposing a new tool with improved holes. It does not mean holes do not drain oil at all. It is natural to read this as meaning holes help drop oil and juices, but holes alone do not make oil drainage perfect. [3]
Therefore, when you want to remove oil thoroughly, tilting the spatula slightly after lifting or transferring food to kitchen paper may help. Holes are simply a feature that makes it easier for liquids to fall.
So when are tools without holes useful?
3. When to Use a Solid Spatula
For soft, fragile foods like pancakes or omelets, a solid spatula is said to work well. This is because the blade is thin and flexible, making it easier to slide under the food. [1]
An article introducing an explanation from America’s Test Kitchen states that slotted spatulas are used when you want to keep fried oil or meat juices, while solid spatulas are used when you want to prevent the lifted food from breaking. [2] Pancakes with loose batter are given as an example. [2]
A similar concern appears in announcements from Japanese manufacturers. Pearl Metal identified the difficulty of inserting a spatula into thin baking surfaces and supporting fragile fish flesh evenly as a problem. They released a turner with a triangular tip and flexible silicone. [7]
Thus, the presence or absence of holes is a guideline for choosing based on what you are flipping. By the way, a fish-serving utensil with holes was used at the dining table.
4. One Ancestor Was an 18th-Century Silver Fish Server
The encyclopedia Wikipedia notes that the first mention of a tool dedicated to serving fish was in 1730. It was originally a silver dining utensil for serving fish, decorated with fish shapes or images from the 1740s, and included in many cutlery sets by the early 1800s. [4] However, 1730 is the year of the "fish-specific" mention, not necessarily the start of the holed spatula itself.
A silver fish slice from 1796–97 at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has pierced work on the blade and is edged with leaf decorations. [5] A commentary notes that when eating whitebait became popular in the 1770s, many items were made with fish shapes and engraved fish designs. [5]
Another V&A explanation states that pierced patterns cut with a saw also served to drain juices, and silver was preferred because it was less likely to affect the delicate flavor of fish. It is also written that these derived from the triangular, pierced "pudding trowel." [6]
Looking at this, the holes were both a decorative feature and a practical tool for draining juices. Later, the term "fish slice" expanded to refer generally to tools with holes or slots used for turning fried foods. [4]
5. Comparing Hole Function with Water and Cherry Tomatoes
If you have both slotted and solid spatulas at home, try this experiment. Put washed cherry tomatoes in a bowl filled with water, scoop them up with each spatula, and hold them over the bowl for 3 seconds. You can compare how much water falls off. No fire is used, so it is safe to try.
The slotted one should let water fall easily, while the solid one should retain more water. As a separate observation, try tilting the spatula slightly. You might notice that water remains even in the slotted one. This is a separate observation after comparing slotted and solid tools.
If food gets stuck in the holes, it is said to be good to soak them in water to soften before washing. There is also commentary that slotted turners are suitable for mashing potatoes or onions while stir-frying. [1]
The search page for V&A collections has photos and descriptions of fish slices. It is a starting point for carefully looking at one of the ancestors of kitchen tools. [5]