• 
• 

• 

• 

cooking

Cooking is the process of adding heat to food to cause a chemical reaction within the food so it’s more acceptable to eat. This may be to tenderise food, kill bacteria, preserve it, help digestion, and enhance flavours or to thicken.

Many types of cookers are available on the market, but it’s important to choose the best one for your family needs. Different parts of a cooker heat food in different ways. For example, a grill uses radiant heat, an oven uses convection heat and a hob uses conduction heat. These different types of heat are used for different purposes in cooking.
Cookers may be stand alone with an oven, hob and grill or they may have two ovens, one of which houses a grill. Alternatively, you may buy an oven with grill and hob separately.

Have a look through the sections above for more information on each type of cooker.
Other methods of cooking exist like steamers, deep fat fryers and tabletop grills. You will find information on these in the small electrical section on this site.

Cleaning Gas and Electric Ovens

For Aga and Rayburns, see the relevant section as they needs very little cleaning.

Always make sure the electricity or gas is turned off first.
On a daily basis, after the hob has cooled, give it a wipe with a damp cloth and use a liquid cleaner to remove stubborn marks. Scouring pads and powder cleaners can scratch glass and enamel. Always follow manufacturer’s guidelines. When cool, it’s easy to remove the gas burners and wash in hot soapy water, dry and return to the hob.

 

Gas Cookers

Gas cookers are fuelled by either mains or bottled (LPG) gas.

Gas hobs are very fast and responsive - some even have very high output wok burners.

A gas oven has different heat zones, created as the heat rises from the burners up towards the flue. The middle of the oven equates to the relevant temperature or “Gas Mark”. Generally, the top shelf is one Gas Mark higher in temperature and the lower shelf is one Gas Mark lower in temperature. This gives the different heat zones. Some models have a fan which ensures even heat distribution on all shelves in the oven.

Most ovens have a choice of 4-6 shelf positions, although ovens generally come with two shelves. Always ensure there is at least one set of runners free above and below the food cooked to allow the hot air to circulate around the food for it to cook.

Making use of the different heat zones in a gas oven means you can cook a complete meal in one go, thereby saving on fuel costs, or use it for a large baking session. When doing this, ensure you choose dishes with the same cooking times.  Set your oven to the middle Gas mark of the dishes being cooked and remember the rule of above is 1Gas Mark higher and below is 1Gas Mark lower. Denser foods like potatoes will take longer to cook than items like pastry and shallow dishes of food will cook quicker than deeper ones. Dishes covered in foil or enamel conduct heat more quickly than glass or earthenware, so adjust cooking times accordingly.

Covering food with foil will lengthen the cooking time, but will prevent browning.

Automatic ovens

Many ovens now have an automatic function which means that food can be prepared for the oven but the cook is able to do other things while the food takes care of itself. A clock control is set to switch the oven on or off (or both) at the chosen time.

With completely automatic cooking the oven switches itself on and off. You can turn the oven on yourself and go out and leave the oven to switch off at a chosen time. You can set the control so that the oven switches itself on while you are out and food is cooked by the time you get back. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines as every oven differs. From experience it’s always best to have a trial run while at home with an automatic timer.

Electric Cookers

An electric has different heat zones, created as the heat rises from the elements. Some ovens have side, top and base elements to give different variations of heat the middle of the oven equates to the relevant temperature. Generally, the top shelf is higher in temperature and the lower shelf is lower in temperature. This gives the different heat zones. Some models have a fan which ensures even heat distribution on all shelves in the oven.

Most ovens have a choice of 4-6 shelf positions, although ovens generally come with two shelves. Always ensure there is at least one set of runners free above and below the food cooked to allow the hot air to circulate around the food for it to cook.

Making use of the different heat zones in an electric oven means you can cook a complete meal in one go, thereby saving on fuel costs, or use it for a large baking session. When doing this, ensure you choose dishes with the same cooking times.  Set your oven to the middle temperature of the dishes being cooked and remember the rule of above hotter and below is slightly cooler. Denser foods like potatoes will take longer to cook than items like pastry, and shallow dishes of food will cook quicker than deeper ones. Dishes covered in foil or enamel conduct heat more quickly than glass or earthenware, so adjust cooking times accordingly.

Covering food with foil will lengthen the cooking time, but will prevent browning.

Electric Hobs

Various types of electric hobs exist:

Induction
These hobs heat the pan directly via a spiral copper coil under the surface. The coil is not activated until a magnetic pan is placed on top. Therefore, aluminium pans will not work on these hobs. The easiest way to check if a pan works on an induction hob is to ensure a magnet sticks to it. Always lift pots and pans, never drag them or the surface may scratch.
Halogen
Halogen hobs produce a bright light under a glass surface. They are very easy to wipe clean. Always lift pots and pans, never drag them or the surface may scratch.
Radiant
Again, like the types above these have an element under the glass surface in a coil shape. Some elements may have two heat zones for faster heating. Always lift pots and pans, never drag them or the surface may scratch.

Automatic ovens

Many ovens now have an automatic function which means that food can be prepared for the oven and the cook is able to do other things while the food takes care of itself. A clock control is set to switch the oven on or off (or both) at the chosen time.

With completely automatic cooking the oven switches itself on and off. You can turn the oven on yourself and go out and leave the oven to switch off at a chosen time. You can set the control so that the oven switches itself on while you are out and food is cooked by the time you get back. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines as every oven differs. From experience it’s always best to have a trial run at home with an automatic timer.

Microwaves

A vast array of microwaves is available on the market, form cheaper models in the supermarket to very expensive built-in models.

Energy is transmitted to the food in the form of electromagnetic waves known as radiation. Microwaves move at the speed of light - that’s about 200,000,000 meters per second! In very high frequencies these are absorbed into the food which makes the molecules vibrate; this produces heat which in turn cooks the food.

Basically, all microwaves cook work in a similar way, and the various parts are:

 

image required

Cavity This is where the food is placed, some models have turntables. Magnetron This is the device that generates the microwaves themselves. Guide This determines the length of the waves and guides them into the cavity. Mode stirrer This distributes the microwaves evenly in the cavity. Door The door has a safety seal to prevent microwaves leaking from the unit. Power supply This converts mains electricity to the correct voltage for the magnetron. Safety device This ensures the microwaves cease to be emitted once the door is opened. Timer This controls the time and power of the microwave during cooking. Indicator panel This may include a time chart for different foods as well as operating instructions.

 

Even though all microwaves work on similar principles, make sure you read the instruction booklet before using! The microwaves will bounce off metal and can cause sparks known as “arking”. The microwaves can be redirected back to the magnetron and this can damage the unit, so never use metal containers or foil in a microwave. Likewise, polystyrene will melt and give off strong odours when heated.

Some models may have a grill attachment and others known as combination ovens can also bake cakes, roast meat etc. Some have a rotisserie.

Different microwaves have different wattages and this reflects when cooking, as some microwaves may be more powerful than others.

Aga and Rayburn Cookers

If you have an Aga or a Rayburn, there are a few things you need to know. I cook on these a lot and I find them easier than an ordinary cooker. If you think of any other cooker that you have to control as a manual car where you have to change gear to operate it, well, an Aga or Rayburn is equivalent to an automatic car: controls are preset and so much easier to use. General rule of thumb: a Rayburn temperature is equivalent to a Gas Mark, but with an Aga you don’t set the heat, you find it by using different shelf positions and combinations.

An Aga (depending on the model) has 2, 3 or 4 ovens. A Rayburn will always have 2.

4 oven Aga Boiling Plate Simmering Plate Roasting Oven Baking Oven Warming Oven Warming Plate

A 4 oven Aga

3 oven Aga Boiling Plate Simmering Plate Roasting Oven Baking Oven Simmering Oven

A 3 oven Aga

2 oven Aga Boiling Plate Simmering Plate Roasting Oven Simmering Oven

A 2 oven Aga

Rayburn Hotplate Main Oven Lower Oven, in some models this may be a Warming Oven rather than a cooking oven.

A Rayburn

Aga Temperature Indicator To ensure an Aga is at the correct temperature, make sure the mercury is at the black line as in the diagram.

An Aga temperature indicator

Rayburn Thermodial The Rayburn has a Thermodial. This gives an indication of temperature for Simmer, Bake or Roast. Ensure the door is closed for a few moments to guarantee an accurate reading.

Grid Shelves Both the Aga and Rayburn have oven shelves, known as “Grid Shelves”. The Aga has four sets of runners in the Roasting Oven numbered 1 to 4 from the top down, while the Rayburn has five in the Main Oven. To get the shelf out of either oven, lift it up at the front and pull out.

A Grid Shelf

 

Cold Plain Shelves Both the Aga and Rayburn cook by a moist radiant heat coming from the oven walls. For this reason, a cake or lasagne may be nice and golden on top but a bit wobbly in the middle. If you were to continue cooking, the top would burn so, at this point, slide the “cold plain shelf” above the food – this stops the heat coming from above. Store this shelf out of the cooker when not in use - as the name suggests, it must be cold!

A Cold Plain Shelf

Aga and Rayburn Cooking Times

Don’t increase or decrease cooking times in an Aga or Rayburn, they cook at the same rate as most other cookers.
The other shelf for these cookers is called the grid shelf. That's Aga and Rayburn terminology complete!
As a general guide, the following table shows how to convert recipes to an Aga or Rayburn.

 

Cooking Temperature
°C	Gas Mark / Rayburn	Aga
		2 Oven	3 Oven	4 Oven
250	H	Top of Roasting Oven with cold plain shelf on second set of runners
240	9	Roasting Oven
230	8	Middle Roasting Oven
220	7	Lower Roasting Oven
200	6	Grid shelf on floor of Roasting Oven
190	5	Grid shelf on floor of Roasting Oven	Top of Baking Oven
180	4	Grid shelf on floor of Roasting Oven with cold plain shelf on second set of runners	Middle of Baking Oven
160	3	Grid shelf on floor of Roasting Oven with cold plain shelf on third set of runners	Grid shelf on floor of Baking Oven
150	2	Simmering Oven
140	1
120	½	Simmering Oven with cold plain shelf		Warming Oven
110
100	¼

Where to cook?

Agas and Rayburns are very similar in the way they cook: by using stored heat and cast iron ovens.  Always keep the hotplate lids down as much as possible; the general rule is that 80% should be cooked in the oven and 20% on top. If cooking time is longer than seven minutes, use the oven rather than the hotplates.

Grilling

The Roasting and Baking Ovens of the Aga have four sets of runners. To grill, slide either the large or ½ size roasting tray on to the top set of runners and grill from the top of the Roasting Oven. For a more moderate temperature, to grill fish for example, you can grill from the top of the Baking Oven. You can also grill in the same way at the top of the Main Oven in the Rayburn.

Frying

As Aga and Rayburn ovens are vented, all smells, steam and smoke go out of the flue. The ovens are self cleaning, so frying on the floor of the Roasting Oven ensures no fat splashes on your tiled splash back. That means less housework! Again, the Rayburn is the same and you can fry on the floor of the Main Oven.

Roasts and gravy

To cook a roast, be it beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey or whatever, always place the meat uncovered in a roasting tray and slide it into the Roasting Oven.  After 30 minutes, when the meat is nicely browned to the desired colour, remove from the Roasting Oven and place in the Simmering Oven to finish cooking. Remember meat will not shrink as much in an Aga, so you will get much more flavour and juicy meat. There is no need to cover meat with foil.
For a Rayburn, ensure the Thermodial is on Roast and then treat in the same way as an Aga, starting the meat in the Main Oven and then moving to the Lower Oven to finish cooking. (For solid fuel models and those with lower Warming Ovens, keep meat in Main Oven.)

To get great crackling on pork, dry the skin with kitchen paper and place the meat as high up in the Roasting Oven as possible for one hour until the skin crackles, then move to the Simmering Oven for the remainder of the cooking time. The crackling will stay crisp. Always allow all meat to rest for at least 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle before serving on the Warming Plate on the four Oven or on top of the Simmering Plate on a two and three Oven Aga.

In her book Relaxed Aga Cooking, Aga demonstrator Sarah Whitaker tells us how easy it is to use the Aga Roasting Oven to make gravy:

“Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the roasting tin. Stir in 2 tbsp plain flour and blend in 500ml / 1pint of stock, and a tbsp of red wine (or a good glug). Stir well and put the tin on to the floor of the Roasting Oven for 5 minutes. Stir and return to the oven for 5 more minutes and the gravy will be boiling and thickened, ready to stir and serve”

Roast potatoes

Another of Sarah’s tips is for roast potatoes that can be prepared 1 hour ahead or frozen: “Melt either 25g (1oz) of goose fat or dripping in a bowl at the back of the Aga. Put 450g (1 lb) peeled potatoes that are cut into even sized pieces into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil on the Boiling Plate. Simmer for a minute then drain. Add 1 tbsp flour, shake well, and pour in melted fat or 1 tbsp olive oil. Shake again. Tip the coated potatoes into the tin and hang from the top set of runners. Cook for about an hour, until crisp and golden.” It’s exactly the same in the Rayburn.

Steaks and chops

First, take a grill pan. I find the cast iron ones best, red is a good colour to buy if you’re not a confident cook as the colour deepens when it’s hot enough to cook on. Heat it in the Roasting Oven of the Aga or Main Oven in the Rayburn for 15 minutes. Place a piece of meat on to the pan and heat for half the cooking time, then turn to cook the other side for the remainder of the cooking time.

Meat	Rare	Medium	Well – done
Sirloin Steak	6-7 minutes	10-12 minutes	15 minutes
Fillet Steak	10-12 minutes	15-17 minutes	20 minutes
Duck Breasts		8-10 minutes	15 minutes
Lamb Cutlets		7-9 minutes	12 minutes

Stews, casseroles and hotpots

To make a stew, casserole or hotpot, it’s best to brown off any meat before adding the remaining ingredients and cooking liquid. Bring everything to the boil and place in the Aga’s Simmering Oven to cook through. With the Rayburn, prepare everything in exactly the same way but have the Thermodial on Roast and cook in the Lower Oven. For a solid fuel Rayburn and those with a lower Warming Oven, drop the Thermodial to simmer and cook in the Main Oven.

Vegetables

The most important rule to remember is “if it grows below the ground, cook it in the oven”. So, for carrots or potatoes, for example, bring to a rapid boil, drain off all the water and place the lid tightly on top. Place in the Simmering Oven and allow to cook. That way, the residual water steams the vegetables beautifully. If the vegetables grow above the ground, just cook on top as you would on a hob. Remember cooking times on the Aga are similar to those of a conventional cooker. If vegetables are left longer than intended in the Simmering Oven, don’t worry as the Simmering Oven is very forgiving and they won’t overcook (max 1 hour).

If it grows above the ground, boil it on top.
All vegetables can be boiled on the Rayburn hotplate.

Rice and pasta

When cooking rice, if you remember the simple formula of one cup of rice to 2 cups of water you can easily produce perfect fluffy rice that hasn’t stuck together and has absorbed all of the water. Measure rice and water into a saucepan, give it a little stir, and place on the Boiling Plate to come to the boil. Ensuring the lid is tightly on top, place pan in the Simmering Oven for 20 minutes.

When cooking pasta, there are two methods. For fresh pasta, bring a large pan full of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. When it floats, it’s done. If using dried pasta, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta, place the lid on top and pop into the Simmering Oven until the pasta is cooked according to the timings on the packet.

Rice and pasta can be boiled on the hotplate in a Rayburn.

Cooking fish

For a 3 and 4 Oven Aga, cook fish in the Baking Oven. Don’t worry about having a cake in there at the same time, there will be no flavour transfer.  For a 2 Oven Aga, cover the dish in tinfoil and cook in the Roasting Oven on the 4th set of runners.
Have the Thermodial on the Rayburn on Bake and cook fish in the Main Oven.

Bread

To bake bread, make the dough and allow to rise on top of the Aga. The Warming Plate on the 4 Oven is good for this or place the bowl on top of the Simmering Plate lid on a 2 and 3 Oven Aga. Bake bread on the floor of the Roasting Oven.

To bake bread in a Rayburn, set the Thermodial to Roast and cook on the floor of the Main Oven.

Pizza, oven chips and ready meals

Cook a pizza on the floor of the Roasting Oven.  For oven chips, scatter these evenly on to a baking tray and cook in the Roasting Oven for the time stated on the pack. Stand ready meals on a baking tray, place in the Roasting Oven and cook for the time given on the packaging for a conventional oven. Don’t worry, plastic trays which are suitable for use in a standard cooker should also be fine in an Aga or Rayburn.

For more information about Aga and Rayburn cooking...

You can find more information if you need it by contacting your local Aga Cook Shop, by visiting www.aga-web.co.uk or www.agalinks.com by attending one of Aga’s regular cookery demonstrations which are held throughout the UK. You may even see me if you come to one of these demonstrations - have a look here to find out where I am.