Maytag MER5775RAS Use and Care Guide - Page 10

Surface Cooking Surface Controls Use to turn on the surface elements. An infinite choice of heat settings is available from Low to High. The knobs can be set on or between any of the settings. Setting the Controls 1. Place pan on surface element. 2. Push in and turn the knob in either direction to the desired heat setting. • The control panel is marked to identify which element the knob controls. For Front example, the graphic at right indicates left front element. 3. There is an element indicator light on the control panel. When any surface control knob is turned on, the light will turn on. The light will turn off when all the surface elements are turned off. When a control is turned on, a glow can be seen through the smoothtop surface. The element will cycle on and off to maintain the preset heat setting, even on High. 4. After cooking, turn knob to OFF. Remove pan. Suggested Heat Settings The size and type of cookware, type and amount of food being heated, and wattage of individual elements will determine where to set the knob for cooking operations. Some elements have a predetermined simmer and melt setting that will require only minor adjustment up or down depending on the food being prepared. The other elements have settings printed around the knobs that are also unique to those elements. Adjust the heat settings to the numbers that give the desired cooking results. For information on cookware and other factors affecting heat settings, refer to Cookware Recommendations on page 11. The following descriptions will aid in choosing the settings that will give optimum results. Hold or Warm: Food maintains a temperature above 140°F without continuing to cook. Food is initially hot and then heat is reduced. Never use a Hold or Warm setting to reheat cold food. Simmer: Food forms bubbles that barely break the surface. Foods are between 185° F and 200° F. A simmer setting can also be used to steam or poach foods or continue cooking covered foods. Slow Boil: Food forms bubbles at a moderate pace. A slow boil setting can also be used for most frying and for maintaining the cooking of large amounts of liquids. Boil: Liquid forms bubbles at a rapid pace. A fast boil setting can also be used to brown meat, stir fry, sauté, and heat oil for frying before turning to a lower setting. The highest 3 or 4 settings on the knob are used for these cooking operations. The highest setting is always used to bring water to a boil. Some elements offer an even higher speed for boiling liquids. Dual Element The cooking surface has a dual element located at the left front of the smoothtop. This allows you to change the size of this element. Press the switch to the left to use the large element or to the right to use the small element. The selection should be made before turning on the element. CAUTION BEFORE COOKING • Always place a pan on the surface unit before you turn it on. To prevent damage to range, never operate surface unit without a pan in place. • NEVER use the cooktop as a storage area for food or cookware. DURING COOKING • Be sure you know which knob controls which surface unit. Make sure you turned on the correct surface unit. • Begin cooking on a higher heat setting then reduce to a lower setting to complete the operation. Never use a high heat setting for extended cooking. • NEVER allow a pan to boil dry. This could damage the pan and the appliance. • NEVER touch cooktop until it has cooled. Expect some parts of the cooktop, especially around the surface units, to become warm or hot during cooking. Use potholders to protect hands. AFTER COOKING • Make sure surface unit is turned off. • Clean up messy spills as soon as possible. OTHER TIPS • If cabinet storage is provided directly above cooking surface, limit it to items that are infrequently used and can be safely stored in an area subjected to heat. Temperatures may be unsafe for items such as volatile liquids, cleaners or aerosol sprays. • NEVER leave any items, especially plastic items, on the cooktop. The hot air from the vent may ignite flammable items, melt or soften plastics, or increase pressure in closed containers causing them to burst. • NEVER allow aluminum foil, meat probes or any other metal object, other than a pan on a surface element, to contact heating elements. • NEVER store heavy items above the cooktop that could fall and damage it. 9