Q: What is "Waterless Cooking"
A: To cook without water use fresh and seasonal vegetables whenever possible. Rinse the vegetables after they are cut and place them in the pan (do not preheat the pan). Rinsing makes up for the moisture lost between the time the vegetables were harvested and the time you cook them. Be sure to drain off excess water before cooking. The cookware you are using should be one half to three quarters full. This helps give the proper amount of moisture and decreases cooking time. Make sure there is no food or anything on the rim. The cover must fit snugly to form the necessary water/vapor seal.
Start on medium heat using the burner that most closely matches the size of your pan. In about 5 to 10 minutes the audible knob will signal you. When this happens, turn the heat down to low (or one notch above the lowest setting) to finish cooking. If your stove or burner is on the hot side, you may need to start your cooking at a lower setting such as medium low. Then turn it down accordingly. In other words, lower the temperature if you experience scorching.
Trust the cookware to work without lifting the cover until the food is done. It is not uncommon for cooks in their eagerness to want to “see what’s happening” and lift the cover too many times. When the cover is removed during the cooking process, heat and moisture are allowed to escape. This lengthens the cooking time and dries out the food. Most fruits and vegetables are tender within 10-20 minutes depending on your preference.
Q: Sometimes I take the pan off the stove and let it cool with cooked food in it. Then I can't get the cover off. What's wrong?
A: The vacuum seal created by cooking with waterless methods is so strong that when you lower or turn off the heat, the pressure inside the pan is reduced and may create a suction. This is normal. Simply open the audible control knob to release the suction and remove the lid.
Q: My Audible Lid Knob whistle does not sound anymore. What can I do?
A: First, check for food or any other obstruction lodged in the control knob. The knob can be taken apart to clean. Be sure the knob is screwed tightly back on the cover.
Q: My stove seems too hot for cooking with the waterless method. What am I doing wrong?
A: You may not be doing anything wrong. Your stove may be hotter or cooler than the average range top. The normal rule is to start your heat setting on medium until the vapor seal cooking temperature is achieved. This is when the audible tone is heard from the lid. Then you reduce the heat to low. You may also try adding an additional 1/4 cup of water in the beginning of the cooking process.
Q: Can I use my pans under the broiler?
A: NO. The American Gourmet cooking system was designed for stovetop cooking. Although the utinsels can be used in the oven at temperatures lower than 350 degrees. You should never put a temp tone knob with thermometer in the oven !
Q: One of my pans has developed a blue tint on the bottom. Is there any way to remove it ?
A: When too much heat is used, heat tints of blue or golden brown or white hard water spots may appear. They can be removed with a cleanser made for stainless steel. See section below on how to clean your cookware.
Q: How Do I Clean My American Gourmet Cookware?
A: First wash all your cookware prior to initial use. The cookware may still contain manufacturing oils that should be removed. If these are not removed the cookware may discolor when heated. To remove the oils WASH EACH UTENSIL IN HOT, SOAPY WATER WITH 1 CUP OF VINEGAR ADDED TO THE WATER and then rinse thoroughly. Your cookware is now ready to be used!
CLEANING AND STAINS
For general day to day cleaning we suggest using a lemon based soap for the best results to maintain the attractive appearance. You may experience golden brown or blue heating stains on the cookware after use. If this occurs the result is from over heating on your stove. Try not to use excessive heat or leave the utensil on the stove empty. If this occurs, repeat the “initial wash” with hot water, dish soap and vinegar. White stains may occur from time to time inside the cookware. This is generally caused by mineral deposits that are present in the food or water. To remove these stains, use one of the non-abrasive stainless steel cleaners listed below. Do not use anything that may be abrasive on the exterior surface of your cookware other than your dish cloth, sponge and dish soap. If food particles become burned in your pan, fill the pan with hot water (if the pan is hot) or cold water (if the pan is cold). Let it soak for 15-20 minutes. The scorched particles should easily lift off. If a stubborn burn has been created, partly fill the pan with water and bring to a boil. Use a wooden spoon to remove stubborn particles. If a stain still remains it can be removed with a good stainless steel cleaner and a damp paper towel..
NOTE: Vinegar is a natural bleach for stainless steel and helps reduce coloring or tinting that may appear after washing. Feel free to add 1/2 cup of vinegar to your dishwater to maintain the fine finish.
RECOMMENDED STAINLESS STEEL CLEANERS
Some name brand steel cleaners are: Kleen King, Steel Brite, Cameo, Copper Brite, Bon Ami, or any other non-abrasive cleaner. A variety of these cleaners are available at most grocery stores. Make sure it is a non-abrasive cleaner (i.e., NOT COMET)
THE INTERIOR OF THE COOKWARE
The first few times you use your cookware you may notice bright metal marks on the interior from various kitchen tools. These can be removed with a non-abrasive steel cleaner. Scratches do not affect the performance of the cookware. Remember, the interior is your “work surface”, however, we do not suggest using electric mixers or knives on the interior as these items will needlessly scratch the interior. We suggest for best results during cooking to use stainless steel tools rather than plastic or teflon coated tools, which are not as durable.
Q: WHAT IS T304 SURGICAL STAINLESS STEEL?
American Gourmet cookware is made from the finest T304S Surgical Stainless Steel. The nickel and chromium content of this special steel is important in the manufacturing of a quality product.
There is almost no product that can’t be made more attractive, useful and durable with generous use of nickel stainless. Beauty, corrosion resistance, and strength make a hard combination to beat. But the main reason for its use is the high quality it gives to a product. Its many superior properties give a new dimension to products for the home --- permanence.
Q: WHY DO WE USE T304S SURGICAL STAINLESS STEEL?
Before discussing this it is appropriate to consider what T304S (18Cr10Ni) surgical stainless steel is. Stainless steel is not one alloy but actually a family of iron base alloys made up of more than 50 different compositions. They are the elite of the world of commonly used alloys. Each member of this family has one thing in common: it contains at least 11-1/2% chromium.
The T304S (18Cr10Ni) surgical stainless steel contains about 18% chromium and 8% nickel in addition to the iron.
The popularity of T304S (18Cr10Ni) surgical stainless steel is due to its gleaming appearance that lasts for the life of
the products with just an occasional cleaning. Its excellent corrosion resistance is due to an invisible, passive oxide film that forms on the metal’s surface in air.
In addition to its outstanding corrosion resistance, T304S (18Cr10Ni) surgical stainless steel possesses the strength and toughness to stand up under hard usage in a wide variety of applications.
T304S (18Cr10Ni) surgical stainless steel spells quality in any product in which it is used.