How to Cook on an Electric Stove If You Are Used to Gas
Kitchen equipment is by far the most important factor in how your recipes turn out, and the stove is the most important piece of all. Knowing the specifics of your particular stove can be the difference between a perfectly cooked meal and a complete disaster, so if you’re used to gas and suddenly need to cook on an electric stove, it can really confuse you.
Once you understand how each type of oven works, switching between heat sources becomes much easier. Whether gas or electric, a stove is a stove; the only difference to keep in mind is that electric heating elements take much longer to heat up and cool down much longer than gas or induction burners. Therefore, it is not surprising that electric stoves require more care and attention when it comes to heat control. In practice, this doesn’t really matter; just follow these three rules and you’ll be cooking with electricity confidently in no time.
The heat is meant to boil water – and nothing else.
Because electric stoves take so long to heat up and cool down, the heat is almost never worth it. By the time your pan reaches the desired temperature, it’s too late to prevent it from overheating. Even if you reduce (or turn off) the burner, the residual heat will keep the pan hot for a while. Depending on your stove and cookware, this can take anywhere from two to three minutes – more than enough time to burn whatever you’re cooking. Unless you are literally boiling a pot of water, keep the heat level closer to medium. It will take longer, but it’s better than the alternative.
Thick bottom saves lives
Don’t use a light, thin pan on electric stoves unless you want it to be hot. The thinner the bottom of the pan, the less buffer between your food and the burner itself – and the more likely it is to burn when you’re not paying attention. There are exceptions because sometimes you really need a carbon steel steaming pan or wok, but generally speaking, thin pans and electric stoves don’t go together.
However, even massive and massive pans have their drawbacks. Cookware with a very thick bottom, especially those made from a material that actually retains heat, such as cast iron, can gradually overheat when used for an extended period of time. For example, if you are cooking pancakes on an electric stove, you may find that the later batches brown much faster than the first batches. Using a lower temperature to start definitely helps avoid burnt messes, but be prepared to adjust the temperature as you go.
be patient
Patience is the best electric stove hack. (Tragically, yes.) A properly preheated pan — the default starting point for just about every recipe — will take longer to cook on an electric stove than a gas or induction one, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. Try to resist the urge to warm up; instead, give your stove time to do its thing.