Large Kitchen Appliances

My expertise regarding large kitchen appliances was slow in coming. But once you've spent enough time in and around kitchens, as I have, you'll discover you've picked up a lot of tidbits of knowledge about other aspects of cooking than just food preparation itself.

So, it is not unusual that I have some pertinant information regarding not only large kitchen appliances, but many of the other tools and gadgets one uses in everyday cooking.

Below is a short discussion of some of the larger appliances that are used as heat sources for cooking, reheating or holding foods.

Stove Tops

Stove tops, or ranges, are the most important cooking equipment in the kitchen. This large kitchen appliance is powered by gas or electricity. The burners may be open or covered with a cast-iron or steel plate. Open burners supply quick, direct heat. A steel plate, known as a flat top, supplies even, but less intense heat. Many stoves include both flat tops and open burners.

Chef's prefer a gas stove top because the food heats quickly and efficiently.

If you do not have a gas stove top let me give you a solution. When I was in chef school and all the stove tops were being used, we had portable gas tops. They are wonderful! I bought one of these for myself and used it a lot before installing a gas stove top in my home . . .

Ovens

Conventional ovens may be separate, freestanding units, or decks stacked one on top of the other. In stack ovens, pans are placed directly on the deck or floor and not on wire racks.

Convection ovens use an internal fan to circulate the hot air, which cooks foods more evenly and quickly. Convection ovens are large kitchen appliances that are powered either by gas or electricity. Convection oven temperatures may need to be reduced by 25 degrees to 50 degrees from those recommended for conventional ovens.

Wood Burning Ovens

These ovens have a curved interior chamber that is usually recessed into a wall. Wood burning ovens provide aromas and flavors associated with brick ovens. A wood fire is built inside the oven to heat the brick chamber. The ashes are swept out and the food is placed on the flat oven floor. This oven is a large appliance that provides distinct flavors to foods.

Microwave Ovens

Microwave ovens are available in a range of sizes and power settings. They are used to cook and reheat foods. They do not brown foods unless fitted with special browning elements.

Broilers and Grills

Broilers and grills are usually used to prepare meats, fish, and poultry. For a grill, the heat source is beneath the rack. For a broiler, the heat source is above the food. Most broilers are gas powered; grills may be electric, gas, or burn wood or charcoal.

A rotisserie is similar to a broiler except that the food is placed on a revolving spit in front of the heat source.

I would like to recommend two products here. The first is a stove top smoker. You don't have to have fire where there�s smoke. I have smoked everything from chicken and fish to olives and even cheese. This is a must! The second one is the All Clad Grill Pan. You can get the grill marks right on the stove top and then continue cooking by putting the grill pan into the oven. When it's cold outside, I can still grill on the inside . . .

Deep-Fat Fryers

Deep-fat fryers are used to cook foods in a large amount of hot fat. They usually come with steel wire baskets to hold the food during cooking. The most important factor when choosing a deep-fryer is recovery time. This is the length of time it takes the fat to return to the desired cooking temperature after food is submerged in it. If the temperature drops too much or does not return quickly, the food may become too greasy.

I hope you've found my information regarding large kitchen appliances useful and enlightening. As a cook, it is important that you appreciate the differences between all the various appliances and gadgets available in today's market, and which ones are best for which tasks.

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