The Only Times You Should Use The Highest Heat Setting On An Electric Stove - Tasting Table

"Without the visual cues of a gas stove's flame, it can be a bit tough to gauge just how hot an electric stove gets - and you might be tempted to turn the dial on high for good measure. However, whether your stove's gas or electric, it's best to proceed with caution. According to Chef Randy Feltis, date night cookbook author and co-creator of husband-and-wife duo, @KatherineWants, there are certainly times when you need to bring the heat - on high, that is. But overall, it depends on the cooking application. "You should use the highest setting when you are bringing pasta water to a boil, searing off a steak in a cast iron pan, reducing a sauce, and/or getting the moisture out of mushrooms," the cooking expert told Tasting Table."

"The high setting is ideal for fast cooking times or boiling, where you'll be watching the pot or pan as the stove heats its components vigorously. For most other occasions, though, you'll want to turn the dial down. "Anytime you walk away from the pan, you want it on low heat, just to be safe," Feltis explains. Compared to gas stovetops, electric stoves are quite convenient and energy-efficient. But they can take longer to cool down if used on high, increasing the risk of burning food if you're not careful to only use the setting for a good char on your mahi mahi or boiling water for a hearty homemade tofu pesto pasta."

""Some risks include burning your product or pan," he says, noting that nonstick pans can be susceptible to damage under high heat. So instead, reverse sear steak in a cast-iron (a pan known for its high heat retention capacity) using the highest stovetop setting, after you've cooked the steak in the oven."

Electric stoves lack a visible flame, which can make judging heat harder and tempt users to turn the dial to high. High heat is appropriate for bringing pasta water to a boil, searing in cast iron, reducing sauces, and removing moisture from mushrooms because it provides fast cooking and vigorous heat. Users should lower the dial for most tasks and set the burner to low whenever stepping away. Electric cooktops cool more slowly than gas, increasing burn risk after high use. Nonstick pans can be damaged by very high heat; use cast iron for searing.

Read at Tasting Table