INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE STEAM RELEASE VALVE
WATERLESS COOKWARE SETS
The first thing you'll want to do before using your new cookware is to wash each piece thoroughly in hot soapy water, rinse with hot water and dry completely with a towel. This will remove any oils that may have been collected during the manufacturing process. To make it less likely for your food to stick, rub vinegar into the cookware after each cleaning. Doing this also aids in cleaning the utensils after use.
General Information:
There are some foods that should not be prepared using the waterless or greaseless method of cooking, but you can still use your new cookware to cook these foods using the regular method of cooking.
The foods are:
Rice
All forms of pasta
Dried Beans
Eggs -- We have placed eggs last because, unless some type of oil is used, most people find it very difficult to scramble or fry an egg using the waterless method of cooking because there is often a problem with eggs sticking to any type of stainless steel. Therefore, on a normal basis, you will need to use some sort of spray or perhaps olive oil, especially when scrambling eggs.
You will need to prepare rice as you always have by boiling it in water or using a rice steamer. The same goes for pasta and any type of dried beans.
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS:
QUESTION: How do I use the egg poacher? (Poached-egg cups come with the KT17 & KT17ULTRA Set, but not with the other sets) What pan does it go in and what lid do I use or do I use a lid? How do I poach an egg? Can I use the egg poacher for anything other than eggs?
ANSWER: The holder for the egg poacher cups will fit on the rim of the large skillet OR the roaster with either the dome lid placed over the egg cups (optional). Some of our customers have told us that they've used the egg cups for cooking puddings and custards.
POACHED EGG RECIPE
Needed:
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
5 teaspoons butter or margarine
5 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Pour water into the large skillet. Put egg rack onto skillet and add 1 teaspoon of butter into each egg cup.
Cover and place over medium to medium-high heat until water begins to boil.
Using a fork as your handle, tilt each egg cup to coat entire cup with melted butter.
Break one egg into each cup. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan with lid and reduce heat to low.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes depending on desired texture.
To serve, run a knife around each egg, lift the cup with a fork and turn the egg onto a plate, toast, or English muffin. Herbs or sauces may be added to the cups at the same time as the butter was added.
QUESTION: How do I make scrambled eggs in waterless cookware?
ANSWER: Normally, you will need to use some type of oil or spray to keep a scrambled egg from sticking to stainless steel. Cook them the same way you normally do.
The exception to cooking eggs is to fry the eggs in water. You would use one tablespoon of water per egg. Preheat the skillet over medium-low or low heat and add the water to the pan. Immediately add the eggs to the pan. Place the cover on the pan and reduce the heat to low and cook until done; season as desired. Two minutes will produce an egg that is firmly set with a soft yolk; six minutes will cause the yoke to be firm.
QUESTION: Is there a chart or other information that gives a general idea of what each pan is recommended for? For instance, I know that you can make a cake on the stove top, but in what pan?
ANSWER: Cakes are normally cooked in the large skillet. Just as with all other cookware sets, a good rule of thumb is to use the pan or pot that fits the 'size' of the food you are preparing. Always try to use the correct sized pot for the amount of food that's going into it.
QUESTION: Can I use the large dome lid for anything other than a lid or for stack cooking?
ANSWER: Yes, you can use the stainless steel dome lid as an extra frying or heating pan because the top may be placed on your stove-top. It is not a waterless pan, nevertheless, it may be used to cook foods.
QUESTION: Is there any other use for the double boiler other than melting candy? That's all I've ever used a double boiler for. Can the double boiler insert be used as a separate pan on the stove or does it have to be used inside a pan?
ANSWER: The double-boiler unit may be used on your stove-top only as a heating pan. For example, if you are heating a left-over, or heating a canned vegetable, you can use the double-boiler unit. This unit is thinner than the other pots because it fits inside another sauce pan, therefore, it is not a waterless cooking utensil, but may be used for heating foods at low temperatures.
QUESTION: How do I steam vegetables if I did not order a set with the steamer basket?
ANSWER: During “waterless” cooking, you sometimes use water to cook with, but if so, very little. The cookware converts the small amount of water into steam and your food is steam-cooked inside the utensil -- as long as the lid is left on the utensil. This can be done without a steamer basket, again, as long as the lid is left on the utensil. This method of cooking takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you'll never go back to the conventional way of cooking.
You can steam vegetables without using water. The vegetables will cook in their natural juices and the water that is left on after rinsing. There’s no straining, so no loss of nutrients. This method preserves the natural nutrients, flavor and colors of your food.
How to steam-cook vegetables:
Rinse your vegetables thoroughly. For the sake of safety, and until you are accustomed to this form of cooking, you can add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water to vegetables in the pan. Start cooking with the lid on and the valve open. Start on medium heat until the whistle sounds or until steam begins to rush out of the valve. Turn the burner down to low, close the valve and finish cooking to desired tenderness. Seasonings are optional.
Examples of steamed vegetables:
CARROTS
Place 2 pounds fresh cut carrots in 1.5 quart sauce pan. Add 1/2 of an egg poaching cup of water, or about 1.5 oz. Start on medium heat. When the valve whistles or steam comes out of the valve, turn the burner to low. If after several minutes steam is still 'rushing' out, turn to warm. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of heat your stove generates. When done, if desired, add 1 tablespoon of margarine.
CABBAGE
Place some of the larger cabbage leaves in the bottom of mid-sized sauce pan. This is to protect the cabbage you will be cooking from scorching. Pack about 2 - 3 pounds of cut cabbage on top of the leaves. Add 1 egg poaching cup of water (3 oz).
Start on medium heat. when the valve whistles or steam comes out of the valve, turn the burner to low. If after several minutes steam is still coming out, turn the heat lower. Cook for 20 minutes. When done, if desired, add 1 tablespoon of 100% corn oil margarine.
OTHER HELPFUL RECIPES ARE SHOWN BELOW
OMELET
Beat eggs together
Melt some butter or place oil in the skillet or omelet pan
Add desired toppings* to pan (except cheese) and sauté for one to two minutes
Pour enough eggs into the pan for one omelet
Toppings may range from ham bits, chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms, sausage bits, bacon bits, and cheese. The cheese should be placed directly onto the eggs during the final moments of cooking.
PAN FRIED CHICKEN
Preheat large skillet on medium heat. Wash chicken and blot dry with paper towels. The skillet is hot enough to cook the chicken if a drop of water beads up and bounces around the pan. Place chicken in pan meaty side down. Season with salt and pepper. Fry with lid tilted for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chicken is browned, you will be able to lift the chicken without it sticking to see if done. Turn chicken, season again, and cook for 5 minutes with lid tilted. Place cover completely on the pan and turn heat to low or simmer for approximately 5 to 10 minutes depending on size of chicken.
PORK CHOP CASSEROLE
In cold skillet add the following:
1 layer sliced potatoes
1 layer sliced onions
Salt, pepper, dot with 100% corn oil margarine, and lightly cover with sifted flour.
REPEAT LAYER
Mix 1 can Campbell's Cream of Celery soup and 1/2 cup of milk. Pour over potato layers. Place 4 to 6 pork chops on top of soup and potatoes. Cover with lid and set temperature to approximately 375 degrees, or medium to medium low. When steam escapes valve, reduce temperature gradually until steam no longer escapes. Close valve and cook approximately one hour or until pork chops are tender.
ROAST
Preheat the large Dutch Oven or 'roaster' on medium to medium-high heat. Test temperature by dropping a drop of water in the pan. When the pan is hot enough, the water beads up. Place roast in the pan and brown for 4 to 5 minutes - turn roast and add potatoes, carrots, and onions (all optional). Place flat cover on Dutch Oven and cook on medium heat until steam comes out of the valve. Then turn heat to low and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Go back to medium heat until steam comes out - cook 20 minutes per pound of meat.
If you have an 'extra' large roast, you may need to wait a while before adding the vegetables so you will not overcook the vegetables. You can cook a large ham, hen or turkey in this same manner.
PAN BROILED STEAK
Preheat large skillet until a drop of water in the pan will dance and bead.
Add steak - brown for 2 minutes. Turn steak and brown another 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let steak cook in covered skillet 2 to 4 minutes. Cooking time depends on cut and thickness of steak and the desired degree of doneness.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE (For waterless cookware)
Ingredients:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix, 2 layer
2 eggs
Juice from canned pineapple
4 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 20 oz. Can Pineapple Slices
8 Maraschino Cherries
11 inch skillet & cover
4 quart mixing bowl
Skillet method:
In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and juice from the pineapple. Beat well.
Melt butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar to the hot butter and mix as it dissolves. Place pineapple rings in the sugar and butter mixture. Cut any leftover pineapple rings into small pieces and cover as much of the skillet bottom as possible. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring if desired.
Pour batter into the skillet over pineapple. Cover, and leave heat at medium or medium-low until cover is hot to touch. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool with the cover off. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of cake and turn cake onto a large plate.
Note: When using a cake mix, you can add extra real vanilla to offset the artificial vanilla taste. May be served with ice cream or whip cream.
General Information:
There are some foods that should not be prepared using the waterless or greaseless method of cooking, but you can still use your new cookware to cook these foods using the regular method of cooking.
The foods are:
Rice
All forms of pasta
Dried Beans
Eggs -- We have placed eggs last because, unless some type of oil is used, most people find it very difficult to scramble or fry an egg using the waterless method of cooking because there is often a problem with eggs sticking to any type of stainless steel. Therefore, on a normal basis, you will need to use some sort of spray or perhaps olive oil, especially when scrambling eggs.
You will need to prepare rice as you always have by boiling it in water or using a rice steamer. The same goes for pasta and any type of dried beans.
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS:
QUESTION: How do I use the egg poacher? (Poached-egg cups come with the KT17 & KT17ULTRA Set, but not with the other sets) What pan does it go in and what lid do I use or do I use a lid? How do I poach an egg? Can I use the egg poacher for anything other than eggs?
ANSWER: The holder for the egg poacher cups will fit on the rim of the large skillet OR the roaster with either the dome lid placed over the egg cups (optional). Some of our customers have told us that they've used the egg cups for cooking puddings and custards.
POACHED EGG RECIPE
Needed:
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
5 teaspoons butter or margarine
5 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Pour water into the large skillet. Put egg rack onto skillet and add 1 teaspoon of butter into each egg cup.
Cover and place over medium to medium-high heat until water begins to boil.
Using a fork as your handle, tilt each egg cup to coat entire cup with melted butter.
Break one egg into each cup. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan with lid and reduce heat to low.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes depending on desired texture.
To serve, run a knife around each egg, lift the cup with a fork and turn the egg onto a plate, toast, or English muffin. Herbs or sauces may be added to the cups at the same time as the butter was added.
QUESTION: How do I make scrambled eggs in waterless cookware?
ANSWER: Normally, you will need to use some type of oil or spray to keep a scrambled egg from sticking to stainless steel. Cook them the same way you normally do.
The exception to cooking eggs is to fry the eggs in water. You would use one tablespoon of water per egg. Preheat the skillet over medium-low or low heat and add the water to the pan. Immediately add the eggs to the pan. Place the cover on the pan and reduce the heat to low and cook until done; season as desired. Two minutes will produce an egg that is firmly set with a soft yolk; six minutes will cause the yoke to be firm.
QUESTION: Is there a chart or other information that gives a general idea of what each pan is recommended for? For instance, I know that you can make a cake on the stove top, but in what pan?
ANSWER: Cakes are normally cooked in the large skillet. Just as with all other cookware sets, a good rule of thumb is to use the pan or pot that fits the 'size' of the food you are preparing. Always try to use the correct sized pot for the amount of food that's going into it.
QUESTION: Can I use the large dome lid for anything other than a lid or for stack cooking?
ANSWER: Yes, you can use the stainless steel dome lid as an extra frying or heating pan because the top may be placed on your stove-top. It is not a waterless pan, nevertheless, it may be used to cook foods.
QUESTION: Is there any other use for the double boiler other than melting candy? That's all I've ever used a double boiler for. Can the double boiler insert be used as a separate pan on the stove or does it have to be used inside a pan?
ANSWER: The double-boiler unit may be used on your stove-top only as a heating pan. For example, if you are heating a left-over, or heating a canned vegetable, you can use the double-boiler unit. This unit is thinner than the other pots because it fits inside another sauce pan, therefore, it is not a waterless cooking utensil, but may be used for heating foods at low temperatures.
QUESTION: How do I steam vegetables if I did not order a set with the steamer basket?
ANSWER: During “waterless” cooking, you sometimes use water to cook with, but if so, very little. The cookware converts the small amount of water into steam and your food is steam-cooked inside the utensil -- as long as the lid is left on the utensil. This can be done without a steamer basket, again, as long as the lid is left on the utensil. This method of cooking takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you'll never go back to the conventional way of cooking.
You can steam vegetables without using water. The vegetables will cook in their natural juices and the water that is left on after rinsing. There’s no straining, so no loss of nutrients. This method preserves the natural nutrients, flavor and colors of your food.
How to steam-cook vegetables:
Rinse your vegetables thoroughly. For the sake of safety, and until you are accustomed to this form of cooking, you can add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water to vegetables in the pan. Start cooking with the lid on and the valve open. Start on medium heat until the whistle sounds or until steam begins to rush out of the valve. Turn the burner down to low, close the valve and finish cooking to desired tenderness. Seasonings are optional.
Examples of steamed vegetables:
CARROTS
Place 2 pounds fresh cut carrots in 1.5 quart sauce pan. Add 1/2 of an egg poaching cup of water, or about 1.5 oz. Start on medium heat. When the valve whistles or steam comes out of the valve, turn the burner to low. If after several minutes steam is still 'rushing' out, turn to warm. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of heat your stove generates. When done, if desired, add 1 tablespoon of margarine.
CABBAGE
Place some of the larger cabbage leaves in the bottom of mid-sized sauce pan. This is to protect the cabbage you will be cooking from scorching. Pack about 2 - 3 pounds of cut cabbage on top of the leaves. Add 1 egg poaching cup of water (3 oz).
Start on medium heat. when the valve whistles or steam comes out of the valve, turn the burner to low. If after several minutes steam is still coming out, turn the heat lower. Cook for 20 minutes. When done, if desired, add 1 tablespoon of 100% corn oil margarine.
OTHER HELPFUL RECIPES ARE SHOWN BELOW
OMELET
Beat eggs together
Melt some butter or place oil in the skillet or omelet pan
Add desired toppings* to pan (except cheese) and sauté for one to two minutes
Pour enough eggs into the pan for one omelet
Toppings may range from ham bits, chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms, sausage bits, bacon bits, and cheese. The cheese should be placed directly onto the eggs during the final moments of cooking.
PAN FRIED CHICKEN
Preheat large skillet on medium heat. Wash chicken and blot dry with paper towels. The skillet is hot enough to cook the chicken if a drop of water beads up and bounces around the pan. Place chicken in pan meaty side down. Season with salt and pepper. Fry with lid tilted for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chicken is browned, you will be able to lift the chicken without it sticking to see if done. Turn chicken, season again, and cook for 5 minutes with lid tilted. Place cover completely on the pan and turn heat to low or simmer for approximately 5 to 10 minutes depending on size of chicken.
PORK CHOP CASSEROLE
In cold skillet add the following:
1 layer sliced potatoes
1 layer sliced onions
Salt, pepper, dot with 100% corn oil margarine, and lightly cover with sifted flour.
REPEAT LAYER
Mix 1 can Campbell's Cream of Celery soup and 1/2 cup of milk. Pour over potato layers. Place 4 to 6 pork chops on top of soup and potatoes. Cover with lid and set temperature to approximately 375 degrees, or medium to medium low. When steam escapes valve, reduce temperature gradually until steam no longer escapes. Close valve and cook approximately one hour or until pork chops are tender.
ROAST
Preheat the large Dutch Oven or 'roaster' on medium to medium-high heat. Test temperature by dropping a drop of water in the pan. When the pan is hot enough, the water beads up. Place roast in the pan and brown for 4 to 5 minutes - turn roast and add potatoes, carrots, and onions (all optional). Place flat cover on Dutch Oven and cook on medium heat until steam comes out of the valve. Then turn heat to low and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Go back to medium heat until steam comes out - cook 20 minutes per pound of meat.
If you have an 'extra' large roast, you may need to wait a while before adding the vegetables so you will not overcook the vegetables. You can cook a large ham, hen or turkey in this same manner.
PAN BROILED STEAK
Preheat large skillet until a drop of water in the pan will dance and bead.
Add steak - brown for 2 minutes. Turn steak and brown another 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let steak cook in covered skillet 2 to 4 minutes. Cooking time depends on cut and thickness of steak and the desired degree of doneness.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE (For waterless cookware)
Ingredients:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix, 2 layer
2 eggs
Juice from canned pineapple
4 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 20 oz. Can Pineapple Slices
8 Maraschino Cherries
11 inch skillet & cover
4 quart mixing bowl
Skillet method:
In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and juice from the pineapple. Beat well.
Melt butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar to the hot butter and mix as it dissolves. Place pineapple rings in the sugar and butter mixture. Cut any leftover pineapple rings into small pieces and cover as much of the skillet bottom as possible. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring if desired.
Pour batter into the skillet over pineapple. Cover, and leave heat at medium or medium-low until cover is hot to touch. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool with the cover off. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of cake and turn cake onto a large plate.
Note: When using a cake mix, you can add extra real vanilla to offset the artificial vanilla taste. May be served with ice cream or whip cream.
