Electric Stoves and Ovens

Updated on October 21, 2010
D.S. asks from Katy, TX
11 answers

I have only had gas stove in my life. we moved into an apartment that has a electric stove. my problem is cooking time is shorter in an electic oven and I am burning or dark browning everything. how do I vary my cooking time for an electric oven????? my other problem I was making french fries on the stove and I started a grease fire. threw half a bag of flour on it and had to use the fire extinguisher and had one bad mess to clean affter. what did I do wrong to start the grease fire and why did the flour not work? what do I need to do diffrent.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

I am trying ribs tonight so we will see how it works. as for the grease fire I could have sworn in high school home ec. they told us flour. it did put our 97%of it. The grease fire was on the burner so a lid would not have worked. I had to vacumn my whole stove which sucked. Thanks for all of the suggestions and now I have an idea of where to start.

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

had gas until I was 30.....& now absolutely LOVE my electric!

& the other two responders are right.....

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.O.

answers from Dallas on

i used gas for the last several years and when we moved, switched to electric. I have found that electric tends to run high. My oven heats to about 25 degrees hotter than what i set it to. the best way to detect this is to get an over thermometer and check your temp. I knew mine was heating too high because everything was burning in less time than the lowest suggested baking time! I just set mine 25 degrees lower the next time i cooked and I haven't had any problems.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.P.

answers from Little Rock on

I read or saw on tv at one time about electric stoves I have an electric plate ( like a stove it has the coils) and Either way I believe it was told that you should turn the stove or oven off like 5 minutes or so before the food is done. The food will finish cooking as the stove cools.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.E.

answers from Tulsa on

You can reduce grease mess from pan frying by using a spatter screen, which you can find in Wal-mart and even in some grocery stores. To put out a grease fire, you simply cover the pan with a fitted lid, which cuts off the air supply.

Electric ovens all vary. You will have to learn through trial and error what works in your oven. You may need to change the position of the rack, or you may need to reduce the time by 5 or 10 minutes from what you expect, and keep a record of what you are doing. That way, when it turns out right, you know what you did and can repeat it.

I grew up using electric stoves and I only started cooking with gas 5 years ago. It's taken some time to gauge oven baking times, and to gauge the flame on the stove, but I'm more confident now!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I feel you - I grew up with a gas stove and infinitely prefer it to electric. But electric is what my house came with and refitting the kitchen isn't in the budget.
If you're noticing that your cooking times are shorter, try adjusting the cooking temp down slightly. Play with it in small increments until you find what works for you and make a note of your adjusted temps so that you don't forget.

NEVER throw flour on a fire - you're lucky it didn't explode. Flour is nothing but starch - highly flammable. Kitchen fires should be doused with baking soda, or covered with a pot lid.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.W.

answers from Biloxi on

You can adjust the dial on the electric oven, so what we have done in the past (I don't seem to have a problem with my current oven --I love love love my KitchenAid range!) is get a thermometer and then take the dial off of the oven and there is usually a way to adjust it so that the temp on the dial matches the actual temperature. Electric doesn't necessarily run hot, it just might be that noone has ever adjusted the dial to match the actual oven temperature. If you have the paperwork for the stove, it will tell you how.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.G.

answers from Hattiesburg on

I had an electric stove all my life until I grew up. I made sure that this last stove I bought was electric because they are so much easier to control and heat more evenly. instead of one little flame in the middle burning everything, you have even heat distributed throughout. Deep frying I usually do at about 3/4 hot and never throw everything in at once, especially if it is frozen with lots of ice crystals. Causes the grease to react and overflow and too much heat causes greae fires. Test with one fry at a time, if it just sinks and doesn't bubble, more heat, if it explodes in bubbles and cracks and pops, less heat. Iron skillets distribute heat even more and since I started using one, I use it for everything I can. Holds heat longer too.

Flour is very flammable, especially in dust cloud format...You were probably thinking Baking Soda, or were told wrong to begin with...NEVER water...makes it worse.

1 mom found this helpful

T.M.

answers from Bakersfield on

haha, oh to be a fly on your kitchen wall ;)
Well, baking soda is what you are supposed to throw, not flour.
If there was grease on the bottom of your pan/skillet it will ignite on the hot element. Always wipe the burners down after you've fried something. And make sure there is no grease on the outside of your pans. Thats what those little decorative tin covers are for too... to keep the elements clean when not in use.
Electric does cook hotter and faster, you WILL figure it out after some practice. I had gas all my life and have been using electric for 4 years now and now I like it better. Gas is always a worry to me, pilot lights and leaks and such....
The more you use your oven the more you will know how to adjust it.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Montgomery on

I think its what you are use to. I had always cooked with an electric oven and when we move our house came with a gas oven. I too would burn things in the oven but now I love my gas stove. If we ever move I will have a gas stove again.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

Electric stoves are very different from gas. I discovered that when I first got married our apartment had the electric range/oven. To cook I would turn the burner on high and just as it started to change color I would turn it back to the setting I wanted. I did it this way because the element was going to continue to get hotter and would met in the middle where I wanted it to be.

Electric ovens cook but they tend to dry my items more and have to adjust the temps for that. Gas keeps the moisture in the food.

As the other poster mentioned no flour on fires. Let that be a lesson learned that did not cause the complete place to burn.

Experiment with the range and get used to it and you will enjoy your end products. I still prefer the gas but can do a dynamite job on an electric range. Just remember to cook with a lower heat.

To the poster that mentioned the small heat ring to cook with, the new pots and pans with the heavier bottoms distribute the heat so that there is no uneven heat spots and you can cook with a lower temp.

Enjoy and become the next Rachel Ray.

The other S.

PS When we bought our home we have the option to have either in the kitchen so my 220 plug is not in use right now. I may convert that to another location for a kiln for crafts. My laundry room also has a stem for a gas dryer but I have an electric the same one for 37 years.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Fort Smith on

hello D.
I know electric stoves are so much quicker what I would do with cookies if the directions say ten I would check them at eight minutes also I purchased a timer if you don't have one I got one of those wind up ones it cost about five dollars. When you are frying try to turn the fire down instead of high flame try medium flame .or low especially if you are frying chicken then keep your lid on until you need to turn your chicken that is odd that flour didn't put the fire out it usually works I hope that I have helped A. C

1 mom found this helpful
For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions