STEAM COOKING
Preparation
Vegetables, fruits, meats, seafood and poultry should be prepared normally by cleaning, separating, cutting, removing stems, etc. Root vegetables should be cooked in a perforated pan. Other vegetables may be cooked in a perforated pan unless juices are being saved. Liquids can be collected in a solid 12" x 20" (30.5 x 50.8 cm) pan placed under a perforated pan. Perforated pans are used for frankfurters, hot dogs and similar items when preserving the juices is unnecessary. Solid pans are good for cooking puddings, rice and hot breakfast cereals. Vegetables and fruits are cooked in solid pans in their own juices to retain broth. Canned foods can be heated in their opened cans placed in 12" x 20" (30.5 x 50.8 cm) solid pans, or the contents may be poured into solid pans.
Frozen Food Items
Frozen foods should be separated into smaller pieces to allow more efficient cooking.
Precooked frozen dishes that cannot be cooked in the covered containers in which they are packed should use a pan cover if they require more than 15 minutes of cooking time. When a cover is used, approximately 1/3 additional cooking time is necessary.
The cooking time for frozen foods depends on the amount of defrosting required. If time permits, allow the frozen foods to partially thaw overnight in a refrigerator. This will reduce their cooking time.
ACCEPTABLE PAN SIZES
The steamer compartment is designed to accept combinations of the following size 12" x 20"
(30.5 x 50.8 cm) pans (either solid or perforated):
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| INCHES | 1 | 2.5 | 4 | 6 | |
MODEL | PAN DEPTH |
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mm | 25 | 64 | 102 | 152 | |||
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HPX3 |
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| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
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HPX5 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | |||
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COOKING TIPS
Keep hot food holding time to a minimum to produce the most appetizing results.
After steaming, sausage, chicken or fish may be browned in a radiant broiler.
Save juice from fish, chicken, turkey or vegetables to make soups, sauces or casserole dishes.
Vegetables retain their color and are more nutritious if you schedule cooking of fresh vegetables so they will be served soon after cooking. If they are prepared in advance, plunge into cold water (with ice is recommended), drain thoroughly and refrigerate until needed. Reheating will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes, depending on amount and variety.
Prepare small batches. Cook only enough to start serving, then cook additional amounts to meet demand.
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