Electric vs. Gas Cooking?

[norgeway]

I guess im strange

But MY ideal setup would be a gas wall oven, one old enough to have a modulating thermostat AND PILOT LIGHT, and a electric cooktop, if space was no consideration 2 gas burners WITH PILOT LIGHTS ..I WILL NOT use a gas range with electric ignition...of course I despise anything unless its 50 years or more old..LOL I don't like new gas ovens, but the old modulating flame models bake much more evenly than anything else.

 

[jerrod6]

I grew up with gas,then we switched to electric. Over the years I've had both. I prefer electric,so I would go electric induction,with an electric convection oven.

 

[stan]

Bill

Wish I had a difinative answer concerning cooking of gas vs electric.
I live in a old house and have no experience with modern ranges. I have a very old gas Wedgewood that requires manual lighting of each burner as well as the oven.. no pilot lights, or thermometer for the oven.
I'm use to it and don't have problems, but I also don't know anything different.
What I can say..is that between the old gas stove, and a old gas furnace, I find that I'm washing the walls down every year. There's a dinge that develops from one or both.
Others may weigh in on this but I think that electric may be cleaner.
With a 1910 kitchen that's intact, you have a blank slate as to how you feel the room should look (authentic) or creatively marring appliances with existing structure and architecture. Also, how much cooking you do.
Could be a fun project.

 

[abcomatic]

My Detroit Jewel has a carbon rod in the back of the oven for temp.control. This is from the 1930's. What were or were not the advantages of this type of gas oven control? Thanks, Gary

 

[sudsmaster]

Just my opinion, but the grunge that appears on kitchen surfaces is more than likely the result of flavor enhanced cooking emissions, like steam with tasty vitamins, and maybe some volatile oils. A properly adjusted gas burner flame will be blue and emit nearly all just CO2 and H2O. Just like people do.

One way to get away from the wall deposits when cooking is to use the fume hood over the range. Don't have one? Too bad, get out the sponge and Mr. Clean.

 

[stan]

My Lye Soap

Is what I've found works the best. Dosnt leave streaks or purfumey smell. Just spotless clean.

 

[toploader55]

I am a Chef for 40+ years. My comments on many of these threads are the same.

Gas for Commercial.

Electric (Open Coil... Radiant Tube, Corox, or Calrod) for the home for me anyway.

I did have the pleasure at Jon jetcone's house to cook on the GE Induction Cafe before it went south. I loved it and was amazed at the speed and response of the controls. Split seconds between searing heat and simmer.

I did see the Miele but have not had a chance to cook on it yet.

As John L(combo52) has said in other threads... the type of heat gas or electric will not make you a better cook or your food any better. (Or something pretty close to that). I believe it is the ingredients and the skill of the meal preparation. Heat is Heat. Controlling and understanding it's response is the key.

As far as baking goes... I have to say the calibration of the oven is the first thing to consider then insulation and quality of the build.

 

[sudsmaster]

As well as a separate accurate oven thermometer to confirm the temp is what the controls claim it is.

Also, like music, with cooking, sometimes the most important parts are the pauses (silences, no heat). As in letting cooked meat rest before carving, setting aside ingredients once cooked for later re-addition to the dish, allowing chilled ingredients to come to room temp before cooking... There's also the matter of knowing what various spices and ingredients do for the final effect, and what combinations work well and what are no so good. This means tasting before, after, and during. Sometimes when I'm "experimenting", I'll add a small amount of potential spice or ingredient addition to a ladle full and taste that, before dumping in more to the whole pot or pan. And often simplest is best.

 

[toploader55]

Agreed Rich !!!

If I want to try a flavor change to something, take a small portion out and mix it proportionately with the new flavor so not to ruin the whole batch.

Now... back to the thread... Gas or Electric... LOL

 

[norgeway]

Re Carbon Rod Thermostat

These are VERY accurate, they also modulate the flame, in other words the flame reduces in size as the temperature nears the dial setting, not a on and off flame like newer ranges.

 

[joeekaitis]

Cassette tape is, was, and always will be better than 8-track!

Oh. Sorry, wrong room.

 

[toploader55]

Oh, I almost forgot...

Those Glass Top Ranges... Horrible. I can never control the heat. Pain in the butt to clean and those ovens with no exposed elements... Can't understand that at all.

Call me old fashioned (I'm 61) but you can have them.

For the rest of my life I would rather pick up a clean vintage range and then another if need be.

 

[ea56]

I'll second that Eddie. And those glass top stoves are hard to keep clean too. The black glass that they seem to use on all of them now shows every fingerprint and speck of dust. Give me a good coil top electric stove any day, preferably white, unless its vintage, then I'd sure be open for one of the beautiful colors they used in the 50's and early 60's. And with a coil top if the burner wears out its and easy fix to replace it.
Eddie

 

[stan]

Anyone

Going this vintage

 

[askolover]

Stan I think that's just the neatest vintage kitchen!  Love the little match holder over the stove.

 

[stan]

Thank Greg

Can't take a lot of credit for it as I've just maintained existing.
I sometimes if anyone here is using anything like this. (Gas or electric)

 

[lordkenmore]

I sometimes if anyone here is using anything like this.

Oh, I can't imagine anyone using an old kitchen around here. We all hate old stuff. LOL

 

Seriously, though, nice kitchen. Even if only "maintained" it looks like you've done a good job.

 

About 10 years ago, I toured a property that was being redone. I can't remember the details, but as I best recall, there was a stove of that vintage. It apparently still worked, and, as far as I heard, it was being kept.

 

 

[sudsmaster]

8 track vs cassette

You forgot, VHS vs. Beta

 

[petek]

I'm glad I'm not the only one doesn't like glass top stoves.. it's a pain to keep ours clean,, so it doesn't get cleaned all that often.. I don't care really if it looks awful. I have other things to do than scrub away at that thing every day or two to keep it looking good.  Although my next stove will probably be an induction I guess I have no choice but a glass top again.

 

[norgeway]

That kitchen

in the above post is beautiful, I imagine baking with no thermostat takes getting used to, but until 1954 my Grandmother cooked on a big wood fired Majestic range, and according to my Mother and Aunt She could keep the oven exactly the temperature she wanted.