KotiChef

The terms "low," "medium," and "high" heat appear in virtually every recipe, yet they're remarkably imprecise. These designations don't correspond to specific temperatures but rather to ranges that vary depending on your cooking method, equipment, and what you're trying to achieve.

Low heat generally ranges from about 200-300°F (90-150°C) on most cooking surfaces. This gentle heat is ideal for delicate tasks like melting chocolate, simmering soups, or slowly cooking tough cuts of meat to tenderness. At low heat, food cooks gradually with minimal risk of burning or overcooking. You'll observe gentle bubbling in liquids, with occasional lazy bubbles breaking the surface rather than vigorous boiling. Oils will appear completely calm with no visual movement. This heat level excels at coaxing complex flavors out of foods over time and preserving delicate textures that might be damaged by higher temperatures.

Medium heat typically falls between 300-400°F (150-200°C) and represents the workhorse temperature range for everyday cooking. At medium heat, foods cook through at a reasonable pace while still developing flavor. You'll see steady bubbling in liquids, but not rapid boiling. Oil will show slight rippling or shimmering on the surface but won't smoke. This range works well for sautéing vegetables until tender, cooking pancakes, or gentle frying where you want to cook ingredients through while gradually developing color on the exterior.

High heat starts around 400°F (200°C) and can go up to 500°F (260°C) or higher in some cooking applications. This intense heat creates rapid cooking and pronounced browning through Maillard reactions. Oil will actively shimmer and may begin to smoke. Water droplets flicked onto the surface will dance and evaporate almost instantly. High heat is essential for searing meat, stir-frying, and creating the distinctive char on grilled foods. While powerful, it requires vigilant attention, as the line between beautifully browned and burnt becomes perilously thin.

The appropriate heat level depends not just on the cooking technique but also on what you're trying to accomplish. Consider eggs—cooking them slowly over low heat produces soft, tender scrambled eggs, while a quick cook over high heat creates eggs with more texture and potentially browned edges. Neither approach is inherently right or wrong; they simply create different results.

Understanding these heat levels conceptually is important, but recognizing them in practice is equally crucial. Your stove's "medium" setting might run hotter or cooler than average depending on your particular equipment. Learning to judge heat by observation rather than dial position will transform your cooking consistency.