Transcript Choosing Kitchen Equipment - Family and Consumer Sciences

Choosing Kitchen Equipment
and
Equipment for Cooking
FACS Standards 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3
Kowtaluk, Helen and Orphanos Kopan, Alice. Food For Today. McGraw Hill-Glencoe. 2004.
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Appliances can take a major portion of
kitchen equipment budget
Shop carefully
Refrigerator-Freezer
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Freezer may be: side, top, or bottom
Some defrost automatically; others
manually – remove food, thaw, clean
regularly
Some features add to cost although
convenient
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Features include:
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Adjustable shelves
Temperature and humidity controlled
compartments
Automatic ice makers
Doors with chilled water and ice on outside
Ranges, Cooktops, and Ovens
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Gas or electric
All-in-one; separate built-in cooktop and
oven units
Gas Range
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Oven and broiler often separate
Broiler below oven; close door
Burners heated with flame, easily regulated
Heat level change almost immediate
Air flow needed for burning gas – don’t
block vents
Electric Range
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Elements – heating units
Oven and broiler – same compartment
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2 heating elements – top and bottom
Bottom for all cooking except broiling
Top for broiling only; leave door slightly open
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2 main cooktops
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Coil elements – elements heat up and cool down
relatively quickly – slower than gas; coils vary
in size to fit smaller and larger cooking
containers
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Induction cooktops – glass-ceramic top covering
heating elements; easy to clean; magnetic
attraction of pan and heating element produce
heat; cooktop stays cool except for heat
transferred from pan
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Cooktops
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Sealed gas burners – no visible flame or pilot
light; adds safety; aids cleanup
Smooth cooktops- easy to clean
Modules – allow greater flexibility; grill, griddle,
or other accessory substituted for standard
surface units
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Ovens
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Conventional, convection, microwave
Separate unit or part of range
One oven below cooktop and smaller one at eye
level
Oven with 2 or more cooking methods in single
unit
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Conventional and convection
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Self-clean – special cleaning cycle that uses high
heat to burn off food stains
Continuous clean – special rough interior walls
that absorb spills and splatters; soil residue
easily wiped off
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Oven temperature ranges from warm 200o F
– broil 500o F
Broiler cooks food by direct heat in top of
compartment
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Convection Ovens
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Similar to convention except fan circulates
heated air – speeds cooking time and keeps
temperature even
Food browns more evenly
Food cooks more quickly
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Microwave ovens – many features
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Equipped with turntable
Contain rack increasing capacity of oven
Browning unit
Temperature probes
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Form of energy traveling like radio waves
Turn electricity into microwaves
Bounce off walls and floor and absorbed by
the food
Passes through glass, paper, and plastic
Food molecules bounce off one another
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Friction produces heat which cooks food
Cook in 1/4th the time of conventional
method – energy efficient
Small Appliances
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Can save money, time, and energy
Too many causes storage problem
Promote safety, comfort, ease of cleaning,
easy of care
Toaster
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Browns bread products – both sides at once
2 and 4 slice models
Set dial for degree of browning
Toaster Oven
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Toasts bread, heats foods, bakes small
amounts of many foods
Can broil food
Electric Skillet
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Thermostat controls temperature of skillet
Useful for frying, roasting, steaming, baking
Portable Electric Burner
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Works like a cooktop on a range
Slow Cooker
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Deep pot with heating element in base
allowing food to cook slowly; convenient for
cooking one-dish meals
Broiler/Grill
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Small portable electric grill use to broil or
grill foods indoors
Rice Cooker/Steamer
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Used for large quantities of rice or for
steaming vegetables; controlled heat cooks
all types of rice perfectly
Cookware and Bakeware
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Available as sets or individually
Major investment lasting for years
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Consider purchasing guidelines:
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Strong and durable materials and finishes;
smooth edges; heat-resistant handles
High quality items; seamless construction;
metal heavy enough to resist warping
Flat bottoms and secure lids
Saucepans
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One long handle and come with a lid/cover
Usually made of metal or heatproof glass
Pots
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Larger and heavier than saucepans – 3-20
quarts
Two small handles on opposite sides
Most often come with covers/lids
Skillets
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“Frypans” of “frying pans” used for
browning meat and frying foods
Vary in size and often have lids/covers
Double Boiler
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2 saucepans – one fitting on top of the other
and with a lid/cover
Boiling water in the bottom pan gently
heating food in upper pan; used to heat
foods that scorch easily – milk, chocolate,
sauces, cereal
Dutch Oven
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Heavy gauge pot with close-fitting lid; used
on range top or in oven; some have racks to
keep meat from sticking to bottom
Steamer
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Basketlike container placed in a saucepan
containing a little boiling water; holes in
steamer allow steam to pass through and
cook food
Pressure Cooker
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Heavy pot with locked-cover and steam
gauge
Steam builds inside causing very high
cooking temperature cooking food more
quickly than in ordinary pot
Loaf Pan
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Deep, narrow rectangular pan for baking
breads and meatloaf
Cookie Sheet
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Flat, rectangular pan for baking cookies and
biscuits
Baking Sheet
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Similar to cookie sheet, but has 1” sides
used for cakes, chicken pieces, and fish
Cake Pans
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Assorted sizes and shapes for baking cakes
Tube Pans
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Variation of cake pan with central tube to
trap added air
Pie Pans
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Shallow, round pans with slanted edges
used for pies, tarts, quiches
Muffin Pans
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Used for baking muffins, rolls, cupcakes
these pans are available with 6 or 12 cups
Roasting Pans
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Large, heavy pans – oval or rectangular used
for roasting meats and poultry – may be
covered or uncovered
Casserole
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Covered or uncovered pan used for baking
and serving main dishes and desserts
Aluminum Foil Pans
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Disposable pans useful for special, one-of-akind occasions; can be recycled
Tools
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Designed for specific tasks
Dozens available to make food preparation
faster and more convenient
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Consider purchasing guidelines:
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Fit a real need; avoid ones that will get seldom
use
Well-designed, high-quality tool easy to clean
and last a long time; sturdy handles
Heat-resistant
Store in convenient place
Turner
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Used to lift and turn flat foods – hamburgers
and pancakes
Tongs
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Used to grip and lift hot, bulky foods –
broccoli spears
Basting Spoon
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Used to stir and baste foods during cooking
Baster
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Long tube with a bulb used for suctioning
juices
Ladle
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Small bowl, long handle for dipping liquids
from a pan
Pastry Brush
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Used to brush hot foods with sauce or
pastry with a glaze
Skewers
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Long rods of metal or bamboo with food
threaded onto for cooking or serving
Oven Meat Thermometer
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Measures internal temperature of meat and
poultry; cannot be used with thin food or in
a microwave
Instant-Read Thermometer
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Used to measure internal temperature of
food at end of cooking time, including foods
cooked in microwave or conventional oven;
cannot be used while food is cooking; insert
sideways for thin foods
Wire Cooling Racks
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Used to hold baked goods during cooling or
hot pans from oven
Potholders and Oven Mitts
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Thick cloth pads used to protect hands
when handling hot containers
Tableware
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Any item used for serving and eating food –
dinnerware, flatware, glassware, linens
Amount, type, and formality varies – some
have one set; others have 2 or more
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Available in many designs/patterns – do not
have to match; could complement each other
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Most sold in place setting – pieces used by
one person; sometimes sets for multiple
people
Prices vary widely depending on brand and
quality
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Fine china, crystal glassware, and silver
flatware – most formal and expensive
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Often for special occasions
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Everyday set – less costly; easy-to-care for,
but attractive
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Include stainless steel flatware, informal
glassware, dishes made of stoneware, glassceramic, or plastic
Microwave-safe. Dishwasher-safe also
available