Have you been binge watching Food Network in search of a fabulous Valentine’s Day meal idea? A great recipe is certainly important, but how you cook it matters too, say professional chefs.
In a survey conducted among 100 professional chefs across the U.S., 96 reported that they prefer using a gas range for heir culinary creations. Walton Gas shares these five reasons the professionals love cooking with natural gas.
1. Fast Start
You can whip up a meal in a hurry because gas burners reach the correct temperature immediately when ignited. “Plus the change in heat levels is instantaneous,” says Christopher Kimball, founder and host of America’s Test Kitchen. Preparing a meal faster means you’ll use less energy, too.
2. Quick Cool
Gas burners cool quickly, allowing you to take a rolling boil down to a simmer in no time flat. This ensures that delicate dishes, like sauces, aren’t spoiled by a slow response time. A fast cool-down can mean the difference between a perfect, creamy consistency and a runny failure.
3. Greater Control
Seventy-two percent of the professional chefs surveyed cited greater control over temperature as one of the primary reasons for their preference. “Gas tends to have many settings, because you can turn the control knobs in tiny increments,” says chef Bruce Mattel, senior associate dean for culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America. Patterned after models prized by professional chefs, today’s residential gas ranges offer super-low simmer settings among many features.
4. Even Heat Distribution
The flames on a gas cooktop are central so they heat pans evenly. There are no cool spots that result in undercooking or hot spots to cause scorching.
5. Economical
Cooking with natural gas is economical. Most new models of natural gas cooking equipment use an electronic spark ignition, rather than a continuously burning pilot. This saves as much as 30 percent on energy costs.
You don’t have to be a professional to cook like one. This Valentine’s Day, whip up your famous beef Bourguignon or try out that new recipe for paella on a natural gas range — just like the pros.