Surface Cooking
Selecting Surface Cooking Cookware
Cookware should have flat bottoms that make good contact with the entire surface heating element. Check for flatness by rotating a ruler across the bottom of the cookware (See Figure 1). Be sure to follow the recommendations for using cookware as shown in Figure 2.
Note: The size
and type of cookware used
will influence the setting needed for
best cooking results.
Figure 1
CorrectJricorrect
11" | t | e Curved and warped pan |
bottoms. |
•Fiat bottom and straight sides.
® | Tight fitting lids. | 44 I_ |
| ||
• | Weight of handle does not |
| |||
• | Pan overhangs | element by | |||
| tilt pan. Pan is well | ||||
|
| more than | |||
| balanced. |
| |||
® | Pan sizes match the |
|
|
| |
| amount of food to be |
|
|
| |
| prepared and the size of | ÷1 | I,_ |
| |
| the surface element. |
| |||
• | Made of a material that | ® | Pan is smaller | than | |
| conducts heat well. |
| element. |
| |
e Easy to clean.
®Always match pot diameter to element surface
diameter. | e Heavy handle tilts pan. |
| |
| Figure 2 |
Cookware Material types
The cookware material determines how evenly and quickly heat is transferred from the surface element to the pan bottom. 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). If aluminum pans slide across the ceramic glass cooktop, they may leave metal marks which will resemble scratches. Remove these marks immediately.
COPPER - Excellent heat conductor but discolors easily. May leave metal marks on ceramic glass (see Aluminum above).
STAINLESS STEEL - Slow heat conductor with uneven cooking results. Is durable, easy to clean and resists staining.
CAST iRON - A poor heat conductor however will retain heat very well. Cooks evenly once cooking temperature is reached. Not recommended for use on ceramic cooktops.
PORCELAIN=ENAMEL on METAL - Heating characteristics will vary depending on base material.
GLASS - Slow heat conductor. Not recommended for ceramic cooktop surfaces because it may scratch the glass.
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