THE VAPOR SEAL METHOD
Mother Nature designed foods to give us everything we need, naturally. Food contains abundant flavor, vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, and color. However, many cooking methods can rob food of its natural qualities.
Fortunately, the Vapor Seal method of Health Craft waterless, greaseless cookware saves money, work, time, energy, flavor, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. “Waterless, Greaseless” cooking is possible because a vapor seal is created around the lid; and heat is distributed evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the cookware.
This process cooks food in its own natural liquids for nutrition, flavor-filled meals. Food shrinkage is greatly reduced, making waterless, greaseless cooking more economical than ordinary cooking methods. The seal is maintained by using low heat. Health Craft cookware is the most energy efficient cookware on the market.
The vapor seal method retains the nutritional value of your foods by eliminating the following process that drains food of its natural goodness. Peeling fruits and vegetables removes the vitamins and minerals directly beneath the skin. We do not recommend you peel these foods; a good scrub with a vegetable brush is all that is necessary.
Boiling sterilizes food, dissolves water soluble minerals, and destroys both the flavor and color. The vapor seal method cooks food completely in its own natural moisture, without added water and without boiling.
High temperature destroys vitamins and minerals and causes food to dehydrate and shrink. For example when you smell a roast cooking in the oven you’re really smelling the natural meat juices that have been transformed in to vapor. The high temperature combined with open cooking greatly adds to meat shrinkage. The Vapor Seal Method cooks meats on medium to low heat, retaining the natural juices which tenderize and flavor the meat. This method also retains the natural juices and flavor and decreases meat shrinkage dramatically.
Oxidation of food occurs when cooking without a cover exposing food to the air, and reduces the quality of the food significantly. These qualities are locked into the food when the vapor seal is formed, keeping the aroma and natural goodness in the pan. For example, you will not know if broccoli or cabbage is being cooked until the cover is removed from the pan.
Last but not least, adding fat and oil in food preparation make food seven times harder to digest, and it adds excessive calories. Using the vapor seal method, the natural properties of the food keeps it from sticking to the high quality stainless steel pan. Plus the vapor seal method retains natural flavors without the need to add salt, butter or oil after cooking to restore flavor.
The Vapor Seal Cooking Method is very different from traditional cooking methods because you do not need to add moisture or fats. Everything else you already know about cooking applies, once you know the Vapor Seal Method.
Simple Basic Rules
Always use the correct size pan, one that the food nearly fills. Cooking with a pan too large for the food can destroy vitamins and minerals, dry your foods, and possibly cause the food to burn.
Create a Vapor Seal
Fill a pan with fresh or frozen vegetables. Rinse in cold water and drain, the water that clings to the food combine with natural juices to cook the waterless way. Cover the pan, close the vent, and place the pan over low heat. When the cover is hot to the touch and the cover spins freely on a cushion of water, the vapor seal is formed. Continue cooking until done. This is the waterless part of this new cooking method.
TIP: If the heat is too low, the cover will not spin. If the heat is too high, the cover will spit moisture.
If you cook several vegetables together with little or no water there will be no interchange of flavor or colors. Each vegetable will be full of its own flavor and valuable nutrients.
Control the Heat
Waterless, greaseless cooking is a lower-temperature method that can be used on any type of range. Lower heat retains moisture and keeps food from burning. The following are general rules for heat use.
MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT
· For heating utensils to sear or brown meat.
· For re-moisturizing dried foods by steaming over water until the water boils.
· For pan broiling thick steaks or chops (1/4” or thicker)
MEDIUM HEAT
· For pan broiling thin steaks, chops, hamburger or chicken breast
· For quick starting fresh fruits and vegetables until vapor seal is forms
· To start direct top-of-the-range baking
LOW OR SIMMER
· For cooking roasts and meatloaf after browning
· For cooking fresh vegetables and fruits after the vapor seal forms
· For cooking less tender cuts of meat after browning all sides
· For finishing top-of-the-range baking after the pan cover is hot
Don’t Peek
Resist the urge to peek: When the cover is removed during the cooking period, head and moisture escape and the vapor seal is broken. This lengthens the cooking time.
Be Specific
Follow time charts, recipes and general instructions for meats, vegetables, fruits, etc., under their specific headings.
Cooking Meats without Grease
Begin with meat that is near room temperature. Pre-heat the pan on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. The pan is ready when you can sprinkle a few drops of water in the pan and the water “dances.” If the water just evaporates, the pan is not hot enough. Once the pan is hot, place the meat in the pan, pressing against the bottom of the pan, the meat will stick at first. After a short time, it will sear and then loosen from the pan. Turn and sear on the other side. If the meat is not done, or if it is a roast, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low until cooked.
TIP: Always roast meat in the smallest utensil into which it will fit. This will result in a tender, juicy cut, and it will shrink less, providing more servings per pound, and savings on food dollars.
Proper Temperature for Roasting: To obtain the proper cooking temperature for roasting, the cover must spin freely on a cushion of moisture emitting tiny bubbles. If the cover spits moisture, the temperature is too hot.
Top-of-the-Range Baking
Waterless greaseless cookware is designed to bake cakes and cornbreads in the pan on top of the range more efficiently than in the oven. For example, to bake a small cake, coat the inside of a small fry pan or 2-qt with non-stick cooking spray. Then pour the cake batter into the pan until the pan is half full, cover and close the vent. Set the pan on a burner and adjust the heat to medium. When the lid is hot to touch (about 5 minutes), reduce the heat to low and finish baking (about 10-12 minutes). NOTE: Higher altitudes require longer baking times.
