Think about the last time you sautéed your favorite vegetable. You probably washed, peeled and chopped your produce, pulled out your handiest pan, and turned the knob on your cooktop to start the flame. Sounds simple enough. But, what if we told you that one of the hottest cooking movements (pun intended) doesn’t even require the use of a flame? What if we told you this cooking method can make it even easier and faster to prepare a meal that you’re proud to serve to your family and friends?
Beloved by both professional chefs, like Chef Curtis Stone, and home cooks for its accuracy, speed, and efficiency, induction cooking is transforming the way people approach making a meal. If you’ve ever wondered, “what is induction cooking?,” we’re excited to share with you a little a bit more about why Americans are quickly falling in love with this cooking method.
First, let’s start with a lesson in cooking science.
Traditionally, an electric cooktop or a gas cooktop uses thermal heat to apply heat to a pot or pan. In turn, the food inside the cookware—from a fresh fillet of fish to a pot full of chicken noodle soup—cooks to perfection. However, induction cooktops work a little differently—induction uses the cookware to create the heat.
When a pot or pan is placed on an induction cooktop and the cooktop is turned on, an electric current travels through a coiled copper wire, which creates a magnetic current to produce heat and apply the heat to the pot or pan. Heating the cookware directly prevents both heat loss and the cooking surface from being heated in the process. Why is this important? Well, induction cooking can help make it easier to get dinner on the table faster and more efficiently.