STEAMERS Questions to Ask
1. Is a gas or electric steamer needed? • If gas, please specify LP or natural gas • If electric, please specify voltage
5. What type of product will be steamed? • Boilerless steamers are not recommended for seafood 6. Are there power or energy saving concerns? • A generator or boiler unit will use 35-45 gallons of water per cavity per hour These units have very fast recovery times and will keep up anywhere » Ideal for military bases, prisons and high volume restaurants • An Energy Star steamer will use less than ten gallons of water per cavity per hour. The recovery times will not be as fast as a generator or boiler unit. » Ideal for schools and nursing homes
2. How much product will be held per hour per day? • A 2-1/2" deep pan will hold between 8-11 pounds of product • Most Steamers come in three-, five- and ten-pan capacity 3. Which cooking method will be used? • A la Carte - in and out of the steamer throughout the day • Batch-style - product is inserted and removed simultaneously. This is the most common method used in the market 4. What type of footprint has been requested? • Counter top unit or floor model?
Types of Steamers
Pressure Steamers
Convection Steamers
• Feature well-sealed cabinets that undergo a rise in pressure when they're filled with steam. The increased pressure causes temperatures to rise above 212° F, leading to faster cook times • Advantages: » Faster cook times than equivalent convection steamers » Good for preparing large batches of food such as those in cafeterias, universities and hospitals » Works especially well with tough or starchy foods such as potatoes and meat • Disadvantages: » Higher initial costs than equivalent convection steamers » Larger and less user-friendly » Increased risk of flavor transfer between food batches » Increased difficulty cooking delicate foods such as vegetables » Cannot be opened to check cooking progress during operation
• Circulate steam at normal pressure by convection with a fan, making it ideal for steaming, poaching, thawing, stewing, reheating and par-cooking. They are far more flexible and forgiving, making overcooking nearly impossible • Advantages: » Lower cooking temperature better preserves more of the nutrients, moisture and texture of the food » No flavor transfer » Can be opened during operation to check cooking progress, allowing greater adaptability » Lower initial costs • Disadvantages: » Longer cook times
Single, shown with pans
Single, on stand
Stacked
EQUIPMENT GUIDE
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