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8.0 STEAM COOKING GUIDELINES
A. Cooking with atmospheric / pressureless steam:
Atmospheric or pressureless steaming is perfect for a la carte cooking. The door
can always be opened during cooking to add or remove pans of food, to season
food or to check on its progress.
Multiple products can be cooked at one time because there is no crossover of
cooking flavors in atmospheric steam. Large and small portions of food can be
cooked at the same time.
Less attention is required to cooking foods and over-cooking is rare.
B. Recommended Uses:
a la carte
blanching
thawing
poaching
simmering
stewing
preserving
rethermalizing
C. Typical Foods:
casseroles, fresh or frozen
cereals
desserts
eggs
fruits
meats
pasta
poultry
potatoes
prepared foods
rice
sauces
vegetables, fresh or frozen
seafood, fresh or frozen
and much more
D. Tips on cooking frozen product
1) Preheat cooking compartment.
2) Break up frozen vegetables or product, if possible.
3) If product is an ice block, set it in the pan on its narrowest side. This allows the steam
to contact a greater surface area.
4) Thawing is faster and better for the food in atmospheric steaming.
5) Make sure frozen product is uniform in size to get best results.
6) Season vegetables AFTER steaming.
7) Less seasoning is required because steaming preserves natural flavors.
8) When reheating prepared foods, stir occasionally to speed heating.
9) Shallower pans will allow faster cooking times.
E. Blanching:
Many foods can be blanched in atmospheric steam before being finished in ovens, fryers, or on
grills and griddles. This reduces total cooking time, helps ensure complete cooking and a moist
product. Potatoes, poultry and seafood are excellent examples. Blanching before frying reduces
grease absorption by food products.
F. Tips on pan use
1) For faster cook times, 2 ½” deep perforated pans are recommended.
2) It is not necessary and we do not recommend covering most pans of product. When
cooking with only one pan, place it in the center of the cooking chamber.
