Stan Horwitz wrote:

> About a year ago, my sister and her boyfriend (now husband) moved into a
> home with an electric range in their kitchen. So, last night (New Years
> Eve), I was up until around 1:30am making food for my dad's birthday
> party, which my sister and I made at her house tonight.
>
> I cook with gas appliances; always have. So, the meatballs turned out
> great. I tried a few for breakfast. Delicious! This afternoon, I loaded
> the pot of meatballs into my car along with numerous other food items
> and drove to Jan and Rob's house. I got there right on time.
>
> I proceeded to put the pot of meatballs on my sister's range to warm
> them up. I cranked up her electric range to about 75% of maximum. A few
> minutes later, meatballs are bubbling away, so I turned off the heat. I
> realized I was late picking up a friend from a nearby train station, so
> I asked my sister to check on the meatballs, then I drove over to pick
> up my friend. I also did the same thing with the pot of homemade mac &
> cheese I made this morning.
>
> My sister calls me on my cell phone just as I arrived at the train
> station. Jan told me the meatballs are incinerated! I asked Jan to taste
> one. She does. Disgusting. While I was looking for my friend at the
> train station, Jan and Rob tried to wash off the meatballs, thinking it
> was the sauce that was burnt. No go. Fortunately, the train station is
> adjacent to a nice supermarket. My friend Jen and I went into the
> supermarket and I picked up three of those roasted chickens, and a roll
> of paper towels (that my sister requested).
>
> I got back to Jan and Rob's a few minutes later and Jan showed me that I
> must have not turned off the burner, as I thought I had. It was still
> on, but not on the high setting. I had no idea because the red color of
> the burner element went off, so I thought it was reasonably cool. If it
> was gas, I could have easily seen that the burner was not off.
> Fortunately, I did not make that mistake with the pot of mac & cheese,
> so it came out fine and it was a big hit at the party.
>
> My sister consoled me and she said it took her a while to get used to
> her electric range. Rob, the philosophy teacher (literally), also tried
> to console me, by explaining that the outcome was the same either way,
> in that we all got to enjoy some great food and nice company and we all
> had a nice time. But I would have much preferred not to have to spend an
> extra $20 on dinner (which my sister thanked me for), and I would have
> preferred those meatballs go into the guests' tummies rather than a
> garbage disposal. I will deal with the burnt pot tomorrow!
>
> Did I mention, I hate electric ranges? Whomever thought up the idea of
> an electric range out to be slaughtered and forced to eat my burned
> meatballs!


I grew up using gas so it was a huge switch when we married and electric
was all that was available. In all these years we have bought 2 new
electric ranges with the newsest one being a real fancy Jenn Air. I'm
now used to electric for the majority of my cooking but use natural gas
for the bbq element, have extensively used propane and naptha fuel, as
well as wood. Barring any electric problems though, I use electric. So
to me it doesn't really matter all that much although it would have been
nice if the salesman said our Jenn Air also came in dual fuel - gas for
the burners and electric for the oven - BEFORE we bought our new range!
Anyway, I'm more than happy with our purchase. Once you get used to
electric, it really isn't all that bad. In your case, I would have
loaded the meatballs into a slow cooker, set it on low and then more
than likely been pleased with the results without leaving the stove on.