What To Consider Before Cooking Stir-Fry On An Electric Stove

Out of all the tips you need to know to make the perfect stir-fry, high heat is an essential component. The heat factor is important for the dish because it allows the bite-sized vegetables and meats to cook quickly without losing texture or color. Anyone who has an electric stove knows it can be tricky to master stir-fries. The trick is to know which burner is the hottest — and when it's ready to cook. That's why you might want to do some prep work to figure out which burner heats fastest. 

If you already know which burner on your electric stove heats the best, go with that one. However, if you don't know, an easy test to perform is to set all of the burners to high, then put a pot of water on each one and see which boils the fastest. The burner that makes the water boil first is the one to use to cook your stir-fry. It's all about the Maillard reaction to get that caramelization, and the strongest heat source is what achieves this best. 

Another useful tip for cooking stir-fries on electric stove tops is using the right pan. A traditional curve-bottomed wok, which is the usual vessel to make the Asian dish, isn't going to cut the mustard here as not enough of the pan will be in touch with the heat source. Ideally, you need a wok that's specifically designed for electric hobs, which will have a flat base in order to get as hot as possible on the burner. This HexClad hybrid pan will do a good job, but it's not cheap at nearly $120. Alternatively this flat-based Todlabe carbon steel wok for under $50 is designed for electric, induction, and gas hobs.

Once you know which burner on the electric stove is the hottest, there are a few other factors to consider when cooking stir-fry. That high heat requires a neutral oil with a high smoke point so it doesn't burn on that strong electric burner. Avocado, peanut, safflower, and vegetable oils will all stand up to the heat. Since you're working on an Asian-inspired dish, sesame oil, which also has a relatively-high smoke point, is another option. 

Another reason for the high heat is to reduce the cooking time, because a stir-fry can be ready in as little as 10 minutes. So be sure not to leave the food in the pan for longer than that (or what the recipe specifies), or the ingredients, especially veggies, will overcook and turn soggy.

You might want a stir-fry recipe to test this all out, and Tasting Table has you covered with plenty of options. To skip the meat, try out this vegetable stir-fry recipe that combines mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and carrots. Or for a more traditional stir-fry, cook our chicken almond gai ding recipe that uses vegetable oil to hold up to the high heat. We also have an article with many more stir-fry suggestions, so that you can really practice your skills. And to pull off the very best home-cooked stir-fry on the appliance, here are more tips when cooking with an electric stove.