When cooking on an induction cooktop, can you leave a pot off-center or suspend it to slightly lower its temperature?
I like to cook using poaching and low simmering techniques (70°C to 85°C, about 160°F to 190°F). I want to get an induction cooktop, but the ones I can afford only have 10 temperature settings.
I worry that the gradations won't give me enough precision at low temperatures. Like, maybe at a 1 it'll heat the contents to 70°C, and at a 2 it'll heat them to 80°C - so I wouldn't be able to cook at 75°C if I wanted.
So I was wondering if it was possible to position the pot a little off center, or maybe put a few silicone mats under it or something, as a way of slightly reducing the heat. In the example above, Could I simply set it to a 2 and give it enough distance that the contents would stay near 75C?
Best Answer
I've had an induction cooktop before. The second method will work, I prefer to use a thin wooden coming board as the spacer. It's not perfect, but it is good enough for traditional applications like keeping soup at a simmer instead of a roiling boil. Putting it off-center won't work, induction stoves have a sensor and turn off if the pot doesn't cover the whole coil.
It becomes more difficult if you are cooking small amounts, if the temperature you need is higher (there is a risk the pan underside will get hot enough to damage the spacer after some time), or if your pan is thinner.
I have never tried to get a precision of 5 C, so I don't know how much fuss it will need. But there are two problems with that. First, the low settings of an induction stove are still quite hot. Second, the "low" setting is achieved by pulsing the coil to the "on" and "off" state over time. Since the heat transfer is so efficient, the water in the pot also constantly changes it's temperature, unless you get a rather large pot.
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Can you leave pots on induction cooktop?
Passing the magnet test is an easy indicator that you have induction-ready cookware, but you may be worried about damaging your cooktop or pots and pans. While induction cooking is gentle on your pots and pans, your cookware must contain magnetic iron or steel to work on an induction cooktop.What can damage Induction cooktops?
Induction cooktops are vulnerable due to a glass-ceramic surface on top which can break. It is strong but it is not metal. The surface is made up of durable glass-ceramic composite and doesn't normally break with regular day-to-day use. However, they can get scratched and even crack if used roughly.Does induction cookware need to be flat?
While an induction stove does not require flat bottomed vessels, the heating effect will reduce quite rapidly once the material starts to curve.Are there any health issues with induction cooking?
Electrical appliances such as an induction unit create Non-Ionizing or Low-Frequency EMF. According to the National Cancer Institute there are no current studies that have been able to provide a link that Non-Ionizing radiation causes any adverse health issues such as cancer.Is It Safe to Use Induction Cooktop ? | How does Induction Cooktop Work ?
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Answer 2
Your concerns are valid, it's very hard to get a precise temperature with an induction cooktop. The short answer to your question is no, neither of those methods will work. If you put your pot too far off-center it just won't heat at all, if you put silicone mats underneath it's not going to change the heat profile much and the heat of the pan could melt them and damage your cooktop.
If you want precision poaching rather than induction you should invest in an immersion circulator instead, they are not expensive, and they give you absolute precision.
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