cooking with electric

[zeffer81]

I'm in the process of buying a wonderful house with many lovely features. To my despair, the stove has electric burners. I can't stand electric but will probably have to live with it for a couple years (or until I win the lottery!)

Any tips for an electric virgin?

Thanks!

[slbunge]

I'm definitely not a fan of electric burners but for the past year or so I've had to cook on them.

I think it is all about patience and being a bit proactive with heat control. You get far less immediate response so you are far better off managing gradual moves.

The other really easy thing that it took me forever to become second nature, is taking the pan off of the burner either at the end of cooking or for a rapid temperature change. So be sure you have room to set your pan down somewhere other than a hot burner.

[RDCollins]

I had to cook on electric for several years for the same reason as you -- bought a house, couldn't afford to replace the stove, and didn't get around to redoing the kitchen for about 20 years! Better late than never, I guess.

Anyway, the biggest change is learning to adjust the heat without the visual aid of the flame -- you just learn to do that by the setting on the dial.

Another big difference is the lack of instant on and off. When you turn electric on, it takes a minute to get to temperature, and if you tend to wander away during that time, you can have a small disaster on your hands. Similarly, when you turn it off, it stays hotter than gas for several seconds. It's therefore best to remove the pan from the heat rather than just turning it off.

That said, electric can be very efficient and very hot -- boiling water for a pot of pasta is often quicker than on a standard gas range.

HTH!

Edited September 9, 2006 by RDCollins (log)

[snowangel]

Don't hesitate to use two burners for one pan, either. One on high, one on medium or low.

Good luck. The best thing about our new house was that it had an electric stove that needed to be replaced immediately (only 1 burner worked, and it took the oven over 1.5 hours to heat to 350) and we found a nice capped off gas thing right below the oven -- it even had it's own turn off.

But, you will adjust. It just takes a lot of time.

[scubadoo97]

That said, electric can be very efficient and very hot -- boiling water for a pot of pasta is often quicker than on a standard gas range.

I've cooked on electric all my life until recently. Compaired to my Viking range top I think my old electric stove got hotter. Gas is great for the infinite ability to adjust but electric isn't that bad but will take you some time to get use to it. One tip that can help is if you use two burners. Let's say you have something like rice that you brought to a boil on high and then want to simmer you can have a second burner set to simmer and when the rice has come to a boil slide the pot onto the second burner. Now you didn't have to wait for it to cool down.

[mizducky]

I'm in the process of buying a wonderful house with many lovely features.  To my despair, the stove has electric burners.  I can't stand electric but will probably have to live with it for a couple years (or until I win the lottery!)

Any tips for an electric virgin?

←

I just posted about this about a week ago in another topic, but I'm too lazy to go find it just now ...

I grew up with all-gas ranges, and my biggest adjustment when confronted by my first all-electric range was not the burners, but the oven and broiler. Whereas with most home gas ranges, the broiler is in a drawer/slide-out contraption under the main oven compartment (so it can share the oven's heating unit), most home electric ranges have a second heating element in the roof of the oven just for broiling. You're supposed to fire up the broiler element, and position your pan full o' food under it on the topmost oven shelf. At least for all electrics I've seen, you also have to leave the oven door slightly ajar while broiling for proper air circulation.

This all may well be way-old news to lots of folks, but back then it was sure new news to me! I well remember going to broil something for the first time on my first electric range, pulling open the drawer underneath the oven, and going "Huh?? Where the hell did the broiler go?!?!?!?"

[chezcherie]

That said, electric can be very efficient and very hot -- boiling water for a pot of pasta is often quicker than on a standard gas range.

I've cooked on electric all my life until recently. Compaired to my Viking range top I think my old electric stove got hotter. Gas is great for the infinite ability to adjust but electric isn't that bad but will take you some time to get use to it. One tip that can help is if you use two burners. Let's say you have something like rice that you brought to a boil on high and then want to simmer you can have a second burner set to simmer and when the rice has come to a boil slide the pot onto the second burner. Now you didn't have to wait for it to cool down.

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i second this, and wish i had learned it waaaaaay before i did! when forced to cook on electric, the first thing i do is turn on two burners--one high and one either medium or low, depending upon the application. that way, i don't want for the burner, the burner is waiting for me.

[zeffer81]

Thanks for the tips, all. I'll keep you posted

[FistFullaRoux]

Be very very careful with glass or Corningware. The "eyes" stay hot for quite a while even with the switch off and the coils dark.

Another bit of trivia, beware of the exhaust heat from the oven. Many times (like on my current apartment stove) one or all of the burners can get quite hot, enough to melt plastic or burn hands at least. One of the many things I've learned in the kitchen the hard way.

If you live in an area that has electrical problems, consider getting a camp stove for a backup. It's rough to sit there in the dark and not be able to feed yourself. At least you can do eggs or a steak on a camp stove quite nicely.

[Shalmanese]

Another bit of trivia, beware of the exhaust heat from the oven. Many times (like on my current apartment stove) one or all of the burners can get quite hot, enough to melt plastic or burn hands at least. One of the many things I've learned in the kitchen the hard way.

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Oh yes... you definately don't want to do this. You especially don't want to do this with a $40 Magnum Pepper Grinder you bought just 9 HOURS AGO!!! .

NOT HAPPY!!!

[FistFullaRoux]

Another bit of trivia, beware of the exhaust heat from the oven. Many times (like on my current apartment stove) one or all of the burners can get quite hot, enough to melt plastic or burn hands at least. One of the many things I've learned in the kitchen the hard way.

←

Oh yes... you definately don't want to do this. You especially don't want to do this with a $40 Magnum Pepper Grinder you bought just 9 HOURS AGO!!! .

NOT HAPPY!!!

←

Well, if I would have been here 9 hours ago instead of a casino, I could have saved up both some money.

[jaynesb]

When we moved into our house, we also had no option for a gas cooktop. There are no gas lines in our neighborhood. (Some neighbors resolved the problem by having propane tanks mounted outside their kitchens.)

I think I burned everything I cooked for the first month we lived here. I have a better idea of what heat setting I need to use for certain things. (Even for my pancakes on the double griddle where I have a 2 different size zones and 2 different heat settings!)

I think that the only thing that really didn't suffer is rice. (My method: bring it to a boil then cover it and lower the heat setting almost to nothing. The slow decrease in the residual heat works ok.)

So I wish you luck and hope that you'll get used to the electric even if you never end up really liking it. I'm considering induction or part induction cooktop when I renovate my kitchen. I've been playing around with a countertop unit and it's been a wonderful help. I have a Sunpentown unit that was recommended by andiesenji in another thread. The only catch is that you need to have pans with magnetic bottoms and steam/smoke can be a problem if you don't have enough air circulation near your countertop.

good luck

jayne

[Mikeb19]

Electric gets very hot. You really don't ever need to set it higher than halfway... You've just gotta learn to cook with gradual heat... It's a good habit to get into anyway.