15
Surface Cooking
Surface cooking utensils
Flame size
RIGHT
WRONG
Note:
Always use a utensil for its intended
purpose. Follow manufacturer’s instructions. Some
utensils were not made to be used in the oven or
on the cooktop.
*GOOD
• Flat bottom
and
straight sides.
• Tight fitting lids.
• Weight of handle
does not tilt pan. Pan
is well balanced.
• Pan sizes match the
amount of food to be
prepared and the size
of burner.
• Made of material that
conducts heat well.
• Easy to clean.
POOR
• Curved and warped
pan bottoms.
• Pan overhangs unit
by more than 2.5 cm
(1”).
• Heavy handle tilts
pan.
• Flame extends beyond
unit.
Pans should have flat bottoms. Check for flatness by
rotating a ruler across the bottom. There should be
no gaps between the pan and ruler.
*
Specialty pans such as lobster pots, griddles and
pressure cookers may be used but must conform to
the above recommended cookware requirements.
For most cooking
, start on the highest control
setting and then turn to a lower one to complete
the process. Use the chart below as a guide for
determining proper flame size for various types
of cooking. The size and type of utensil used and
the amount of food being cooked will influence the
setting needed for cooking.
For deep fat frying
,
use a thermometer and adjust
the surface control 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 nor cook properly.
*Flame Size
Type of Cooking
High Flame
Start most foods; bring water to a
boil; pan broiling
Medium Flame Maintain a slow boil; thicken
sauces, gravies; steam
Low Flame
Keep foods cooking; poach; stew.
*These settings are based on using medium-
weight aluminum pans with lids. Settings may
vary when using other types of pans.
Never extend the flame beyond the outer edge of
the utensil. A higher flame simply wastes heat and
energy, and increases your risk of being burned by
the flame.