Saute, Simmer & Sear with Thermador 18,000 BTU Burners

Thermador has always been a leader is creating user-friendly professional appliances for the home but the features of their newest professional cooktops are simply stunning. Each of the star burners features an amazing 18,000 BTU's and while this firepower is amazing for high heat cooking the real joy is that each burner also simmers at an incredibly low rate.

The two left burners have the additional unique to Thermador, Extra-Low feature, that cycles the burner on and off in various timed phases. Extra-Low is ideal for slow cooking and holding food until you are ready to serve it. I have held mashed potatoes on the lowest setting for 1½ hours without scorching the pan or burning the potatoes and you can also melt chocolate without using a double boiler and cook perfect oatmeal and rice without any boil overs.

The design of the continuous cast iron grates easily supports large pans but also accommodates small pans safely without risk of tipping. The other amazing feature is the pedestal burners; the burners are raised about an inch off the of the cooktop so you can easily wipe around them and the porcelain black enamel top wipes clean with a damp cloth and some household cleanser.

Tips for cooking on 18,000 BTU burners.

Cookware - Good quality cookware that can handle the heat is the ideal choice for cooking with high heat but to avoid losing control of your cooking and to cut down on excessive splattering always heat the pan on moderate heat. This allows the metal to expand naturally and it gives you better control of the cooking process.

Utensils - Long handled silicone spatulas and tongs with silicone grips are good tools to use when cooking with powerful BTU's. Little silicone pads for removing lids or sleeves to cover handles are also extremely useful.