GE zgu384nsmss Owners Manual - Page 5

• Do not let cooking grease or other flammable materials accumulate on or near the cooktop. • Never leave surface burners unattended at high flame settings. Boilovers cause smoking and greasy spillovers that may catch on fire. • Adjust surface burner flame size so it does not extend beyond the edge of the cookware. Excessive flame is hazardous. • Use only dry pot holders-moist or damp pot holders on hot surfaces may result in burns from steam. Do not let pot holders come near open flames when lifting cookware. Do not use a towel or other bulky cloth in place of a pot holder. • To minimize the possibility of burns, ignition of flammable materials and spillage, turn cookware handles toward the side or center of the cooktop without extending over adjacent burner or vent area. • Always turn the surface burners to OFF before removing the cookware. • Foods for frying should be as dry as possible. Frost on frozen foods or moisture on fresh foods can cause hot fat to bubble up and over the sides of the pan. • Use least possible amount of fat for effective shallow or deep-fat frying. Filling the pan too full of fat can cause spillovers when food is added. • Carefully watch foods being fried at high flame setting. • If a combination of oils or fats will be used in frying, stir together before heating, or as fats melt slowly. • Do not use a wok on the cooking surface if the wok has a round metal ring that is placed over the burner grate to support the wok. This ring acts as a heat trap, which may damage the burner grate and burner head. Also, it may cause the burner to work improperly. This may cause a carbon monoxide level above that allowed by current standards, resulting in a health hazard. • Always heat fat slowly, and watch as it heats. • Use a deep-fat thermometer whenever possible to prevent overheating fat beyond the smoking point. • Do not flame foods on the cooktop. If you do flame foods under the hood, turn the fan on. • Use proper pan size-avoid pans that are unstable or easily tipped. Select cookware having flat bottoms large enough to properly contain food and avoid boilovers and spillovers, and large enough to cover burner grate. This will both save cleaning time and prevent hazardous accumulations of food, since heavy spattering or spillovers left on cooktop can ignite. Use pans with handles that can be easily grasped and remain cool. • Keep all plastics away from burners. • To avoid the possibility of a burn, always be certain that the controls for all burners are at the off position and all grates are cool before attempting to remove a grate. • If the cooktop is located near a window, do not use long curtains which could blow over the burners and create a fire hazard. • If you smell gas, turn off the gas to the cooktop and call a qualified service technician. Never use an open flame to locate a leak. • Do not cover or block the area around the cooktop knobs. This area must be kept clear for proper ventilation and burner performance. • Cook meat and poultry thoroughly-meat to at least an INTERNAL temperature of 160°F and poultry to at least an INTERNAL temperature of 180°F. Cooking to these temperatures usually protects against foodborne illness. SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS 5