Simmer On A Cooktop

mike said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house. We have
a glass cooktop electric stove. Everything seems to work well with it
but she has a lot of problems with simmering. She is unable to get any
of the burners to a low enough heat to accomplish this. She would like
to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they solved it
Thanks for any and all help.

Sounds like a job for some kind of flame tamer or heat diffuser.
Here's one for $2.75.
http://www.hearmore.com/store/prodview.asp?idstore=3&idproduct=3674&product=Flame_Tamer/Simmer_Ring

aem said:

mike said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house. We have
a glass cooktop electric stove. Everything seems to work well with it
but she has a lot of problems with simmering. She is unable to get any
of the burners to a low enough heat to accomplish this. She would like
to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they solved it
Thanks for any and all help.

Sounds like a job for some kind of flame tamer or heat diffuser.
Here's one for $2.75.
http://www.hearmore.com/store/prodview.asp?idstore=3&idproduct=3674&product=Flame_Tamer/Simmer_Ring

That's a diffuser for a gas burner. For an electric element there's a
thin wire spacer to lift the pot about 3/32" above the element. But I
don't think they make anything similar for a smooth top... perhaps call
the manufacturer to ask if there's an electronic adjustment that can be
made.

Sheldon

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

mike said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house. We have
a glass cooktop electric stove. Everything seems to work well with it
but she has a lot of problems with simmering. She is unable to get any
of the burners to a low enough heat to accomplish this. She would like
to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they solved it
Thanks for any and all help.

Sounds like a job for some kind of flame tamer or heat diffuser.
Here's one for $2.75.
http://www.hearmore.com/store/prodview.asp?idstore=3&idproduct=3674&product=Flame_Tamer/Simmer_Ring

BTW they are a staple at BIG LOTS for $1.00 IIRC.

Dimitri

Sheldon said:

That's a diffuser for a gas burner. For an electric element there's a
thin wire spacer to lift the pot about 3/32" above the element. But I
don't think they make anything similar for a smooth top... perhaps call
the manufacturer to ask if there's an electronic adjustment that can be
made.

True, but it's also usable on an electric burner. Whether it would
work on a flat glasstop depends on the design--whether it would lie
flat or the handle would make it sit at an angle. Can't hurt to take a
look at one.... I once cut and bent a wire coat hanger into a diamond
shape to sit between an electric burner and my rice pot. It more or
less worked, until I found a 'real' one at the store. -aem

mike said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house.

Tell him to put the pot half on the element. Works wonders.

"mike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house. We have
a glass cooktop electric stove. Everything seems to work well with it
but she has a lot of problems with simmering. She is unable to get any
of the burners to a low enough heat to accomplish this. She would like
to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they solved it
Thanks for any and all help.

We have a glass cooktop and it simmers beautifully. It is not a problem with
glass cooktops in general, it is a problem with your cooktop. Try a heat
diffuser - a metal disk that goes between the burner and the pot.

--
Peter Aitken

mike said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house. We have
a glass cooktop electric stove. Everything seems to work well with it
but she has a lot of problems with simmering. She is unable to get any
of the burners to a low enough heat to accomplish this. She would like
to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they solved it
Thanks for any and all help.

I've cooked with electric most of my life. Gas flame is easier to
control, but I don't have any problem.

Some things to consider:

Add more liquid to the pot

Use heavier pots and pans

Have the stove checked for a problem

Good luck,

Elaine, too

On Thu 17 Nov 2005 09:02:39p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Elaine
Parrish?

Quoted message said:

mike said:

I am asking this at the request of the main cook in the house. We have
a glass cooktop electric stove. Everything seems to work well with it
but she has a lot of problems with simmering. She is unable to get any
of the burners to a low enough heat to accomplish this. She would like
to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they solved it
Thanks for any and all help.

I've cooked with electric most of my life. Gas flame is easier to
control, but I don't have any problem.

Some things to consider:

Add more liquid to the pot

Use heavier pots and pans

Have the stove checked for a problem

Good luck,

Elaine, too

Another idea, when you're cooking at minimal temperature, is putting a
larger pot on a smaller burner. The wattage on the smaller burner is lower
and should allow a perfect simmer. This works on both coil-top and
smoothtop ranges. Never do this except on very low heat. At low heat it
is perfectly safe, but on higher heat it can damage the burner.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

Wayne Boatwright said:

Another idea, when you're cooking at minimal temperature, is putting a
larger pot on a smaller burner. The wattage on the smaller burner is lower
and should allow a perfect simmer. This works on both coil-top and
smoothtop ranges. Never do this except on very low heat. At low heat it
is perfectly safe, but on higher heat it can damage the burner.

Curious. How does a pot damage a burner? -aem