Section Four: Using the Cooktop
PROPER COOKWARE
Use Flat Bottom Pans
Use flat, heavy bottom pans that stay flat when heated for the best
results. Avoid cookware that is
warped, dented, ridged or thin. A warped or ridged pan receives the most heat at the points that contact the flame. This can result in burning or scorching of the food being pre- pared.
Do not use an oversize utensil
Specialty pans such as woks, lobster
pots, pressure cookers, griddles, French fryers, etc. must meet similar
d esign requirements as regular cook- ware: flat bottom, balanced, correct
size, and proper cover (if applicable). Do not use utensils such as griddles, roasting pans, au gratin pans, fish
poachers or other cooking utensils that must fit across two burners. Use
of these products can result in dam- age to the glass cooktop and porce- lain burner pans.
Heat and cool pans gradually to help maintain a flat bottom on your cook- ware. Do not place pans under cold water while still hot, unless recom- mended by the manufacturer, as they may warp.
Use only a flat bottom wok. A round bottom wok cannot be used with or
without its support ring. The wok is unstable without the ring, and the ring may restrict air to the burners.
J
Large or Warped Utensils
Do not use unusually large or
warped utensils such as canners and stock pots on HI heat for an extended period of time. This may cause heat build up which can result in damage to the cooktop or the sur- rounding countertop. Once food has
reached temperature, turn the con- trol setting down to maintain the cooking heat.
Use canners and stock pots that have a flat bottom and extend no more
than 2 inches beyond the burner grate.
Canning Tips:
An oversize canning pot can be used
with success following these sugges- tions.
•Use a canner with a dark or dull
finish to reduce heat reflecting back to the cooktop surface.
•Select a canner with a flat bottom, rather than one with a concave, convex or rippled bottom.
•Allowatleast3!8inchofairspace between the canner overhang and the cooktop surface.
•Use the lowest heat setting pos-
sible to maintain a boil or pres- sure.
•Be sure to cover all containers.
Follow the canning instructions given in a standard cookbook or
manufacturer's instructions pro- vided with the canning jars.
•Use care to prevent burns from the large amount of steam gener- ated by the canning process.
Look for canners fitting this
description:
Water Bath Canner: Standard 21
to
inch depth.
Pressure Canner: Canners vary
in size from 8 to 22 quarts with 8 to
a
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