# What is simmering when it comes to induction stovetops and digital controls?



## peterm (Jan 6, 2017)

Until recently I had an old electric stove that had analogue controls for stovetop elements.  This meant I could precisely choose heat for simmering sauces and other liquids.  I bought a Samsung induction range about a year ago and since then have had an ongoing struggle to find a way to simmer liquids properly.  The control has a "Simmer" setting on it, "2" of 9 heat settings, but when I choose this setting, the liquid mostly just sits there. An occasional bubble comes to the surface.  If I move the heat up one to "3", after a minute or so the liquid will begin to lightly boil  A proper simmer should be in the middle of these two settings.  The temperature of the liquid is within the parameters for a simmer, 180-195, but the liquid hardly moves. 

So my questions are: Is this a common problem? And if so, how do you deal with the issue of having to constantly raising and lowering the temperature to get a liquid to simmer? Should I not expect to simmer as I did when I had analogue controls? Is a liquid simmering if the liquid isn't moving but is at the correct temperature?   

Any advice, observations, suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Yes, this is unfortunately very common. You can try using a ferrous flame-tamer to deflect excess heat, but it does seem ridiculous. What we need are IH burners that have rheostats to dial the temperature precisely, but they're not common.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

My experience is at 5000 feet so my boil and simmer temps will be 10 F lower than most of the people on this board. Still,my experience may prove helpful.

My induction has a 180 degree setting.  When making stock, I'll bring to a boil, and drop to this setting. I can skim from the first boil. Let it go 2 hours, bring back to a boil. Drop back to 180 and skim. Let finish on 180. Works pretty well with poultry, haven't done it with beef.  This isn't bubbling appreciably at all.

For a soup where I want more action, I'll usually use 500, maybe 800 watts settings. Those usually burst into a boil for a few seconds then subside Those are OK for large braises, but not smaller ones.  With smaller amounts, they boil too much.


----------



## jay lancaster (Aug 26, 2016)

You have 9 settings? My GE goes from 1-9 with half numbers, plus a low (140 I think) and a high...so 19 settings for each hob. (The 9 doesn't have a half)

I can simmer no problem.

I would hate to be without induction.


----------

