BEFORE SETTING SURFACE CONTROLS
Cookware material types
The most popular materials available are:
Aluminum - Excellent heat conductor. Some types of food will cause it to darken (Anodized aluminum cookware resists staining & pitting).
Copper - Excellent heat conductor but discolors easily.
Stainless - Slow heat conductor with uneven cooking results. Is durable, easy to clean and resists staining.
Cast Iron - A slow heat conductor however will retain heat very well. Cooks evenly once cooking temperature is reached.
Glass - Slow heat conductor.
Set proper burner flame size
The color of the flame is the key to proper burner adjustment. A good flame is clear, blue and hardly visible in a
For most cooking; start on the highest setting and then turn to a lower setting to complete the process. Use the recommendations below as a guide for determining proper flame size for various types of cooking (Fig. 2)
For deep fat frying; use a thermometer and adjust the surface knob accordingly. If the fat is too cool, the food will absorb the fat and be greasy. If the fat is too hot, the food will brown so quickly that the center will be undercooked. Do not attempt to deep fat fry too much food at once as the food will neither brown or cook properly.
Use quality cookware in good condition
For the best possible |
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cooking results when using |
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the cooktop, always use |
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quality cookware in good |
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condition. Pans should |
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have flat bottoms that sit |
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level on the burner grate. |
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Before using cookware, |
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check for flatness by |
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rotating a ruler across the |
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bottom of the cookware | Fig. 1 |
(Fig. 1). |
CAUTION
Do not place flammable items such as plastic wrappings, spoon holders or plastic salt and pepper shakers on the cooktop when it is in use. These items could melt or ignite. Potholders, towels or wooden spoons could catch fire if placed too close to the range cooktop.
Flame size* | Type of cooking |
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High flame | Start most foods; bring water to a boil; |
| pan broiling. |
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Medium flame | Maintain a slow boil; thicken sauces, |
| gravies; steaming. |
|
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Low flame | Keep foods cooking; poach; stewing. |
*These settings are based for
other types of pans.
Fig. 2
CAUTION
Never extend the flame beyond the outer edge of the cooking utensil. A higher flame wastes energy, and increases your risk of being burned by the flame.
IMPORTANT
Do not place aluminum foil, or ANY material that can melt on the range cooktop. If these items melt they may damage the cooktop.
NOTE
The size and type of utensil used, the amount and type of food being cooked will influence the settings needed to obtain the best cooking results.
Correct flame
setting
Incorrect
flame setting
10
