Getting the Most Out Of Your Cooktop
Cooking Techniques (For Best Results)

Bring food to a boil; stir well to be sure all the food is boiling, then cover and reduce the setting to the XLO zone.

Use a lid to keep a more constant cooking temperature.

Use a higher XLO setting if the pan is uncovered.

Check the food occasionally to see if the control knob should be turned to a lower or higher setting.

If the control knob is set too low to maintain simmer, bring the food back to a boil before setting a higher simmer setting.

It is normal to stir food occasionally.

Simmer bubbles may not be seen when the flame has cycled OFF.

While the flame is ON, there may be bubbling.

There should be steam and slight quivering of the liquid’s surface while sim- mering.

Use proper cookware. (See section Proper Cookware below.)

Center the pan over the burner before turning the burner on.

Refer to the Cooking Chart below for suggested flame settings.

Proper Cookware

Cookware Characteristics

Aluminum or copper bottomed pans conduct heat evenly.

 

• Steel pans, if not combined with other metals, may cook unevenly.

 

Cast-iron cookware absorbs heat slowly and cooks more evenly at low-to-

 

 

medium settings.

 

• Flat, heavy bottom pans provide even heat and stability.

 

• DO NOT USE pans that are thin, warped, dented or ridged as they heat

 

 

unevenly.

Proper Cookware Practices

 

 

 

 

Table 2: Proper Cookware Practices

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Match Pan Diameter to Flame

 

 

 

Size

 

 

 

• The flame should be the

 

 

 

same size as the bottom of

 

 

 

the pan or smaller. Do not use

 

 

 

small pans with high flame

 

 

 

settings as the flames can lick

 

 

 

up the sides of the pan.

 

 

 

• Oversize pans that span two

 

 

 

burners are placed front to

 

 

 

rear, not side to side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

b)

Use Balanced Pans

 

 

 

• Pans must sit level on the

 

 

 

cooktop grate without rocking.

 

 

 

• Center pan over burner.

 

 

 

 

 

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