Cooking on Induction Stoves
One of the biggest challenges for cooking demos is the equipment. It is not our own, so it is unfamiliar. We are also limited if we are in a meeting room versus a real kitchen.
In the case of a meeting room, it can be good to use an air fryer or microwave to cook. Or forgo cooking and just make a salad. You can also bring a precooked item.
But there is nothing like cooking an authentic dish. The audience loves watching raw food convert into a beautiful meal with all the aromas. Plus, they love to learn.
One option is an induction cooktop. It has a few significant benefits as well as a few drawbacks.
What is induction? Frigidaire defines it so well, “Induction cooking uses electric currents to heat pots and pans through magnetic induction. Instead of thermal conduction (a gas or electric element transferring heat from a burner to a pot or pan), induction heats the cooking vessel almost instantly.”
Let me share my experience cooking on an induction cooktop after making an omelet video using a portable one in my studio. I have also used an induction range in my kitchen for a few months.
The pros of a portable induction burner for a cooking demo:
It is faster than gas. A pot of water can come to a boil in a minute.
The temperature adjusts immediately up or down like a gas stove.
The cooktop itself does not get hot.
The cooktop is easier to clean.
You don’t need to carry gas cans or worry about ordering them for a portable burner.
Induction cooktops are sturdy and look more professional than electrical coils or tops.
Portable induction burners are inexpensive on Amazon or in local stores
The cons:
Only iron or stainless steel pans work on induction.
Aluminum, glass, and most nonstick pans won’t work unless they have a stainless steel bottom made for induction. If a magnet sticks to the pan, it means it will work. Larger pans tend to heat faster than smaller ones.
The portable induction stove needs 20 amps, or it will blow a circuit. We had that problem in my studio and had to run a long cord to the kitchen. But that worked!
The stove can make the pan hotter than you think, so keep the setting slightly lower at first.
I have found that the enamel-clad iron pans work so well on my stove. I could buy induction-ready non-stick skillets from local cooking stores. I also found a ready supply of cheaper iron pans from Target.
I love using my cast iron skillet on the induction top. It heats evenly and goes from stovetop to oven without a worry!
Tips
Using a scale of 1 through 10 is easier than trying to set the temperature because the stove acts more like a gas or electric stove this way. 9 or 10 is full blast, and I prefer 8 to get it to a boil, then lower it to 2 or 3.
The induction stove will shut off if a pan is not placed on it within a minute or two.
If the pan gets too hot, don’t add oil or food. Remove it from the fire until it cools.
Happy cooking!
Here is the omelette being made on the induction burner:
