Patience Is Key When Stir-Frying On A Weak Electric Stove

There are few things as frustrating as trying to cook a stir-fry when your stovetop seems to simply not want to fry anything. Cooking a stir-fry on a weak electric stove can often lead to lackluster results and potentially mushy ingredients. The easiest way to beat this common problem is patience. You might need to work with your stir-fry on the stove a little longer than normal to get the results you're looking for. You can set yourself up for success by figuring out which of your burners heats up the best and committing to using that one for cooking.

If you aren't making your stir-fries with a wok, you might want to consider investing in one. Woks are specifically designed to retain heat and evenly distribute it. This will help your cooking process since even if your stove fluctuates in temperature, your wok will still be hot and evenly cook your food. 

Once you've chosen the ideal burner, preheat your pan. You can do this by coating your pan in a small amount of oil and letting it heat for a short period of time. This lets your meal start cooking as soon as it hits the pan. Try not to overcrowd your pan when you start cooking. Do your best to arrange ingredients in a single layer, allowing for maximum contact between your hot pan and the food, speeding up the cooking time. Remember that cooking your meal a little longer than you normally would will lead to the results you want.

Once your ingredients are in the pan and cooking, leave them alone until your meats and veggies are halfway cooked through, and don't stick to the bottom of your pan. If your ingredients are getting stuck on the pan it means they haven't achieved the crispy texture you're looking for yet and need more time.

That crispiness is what makes a stir-fry so delectable. A higher moisture content in the ingredients can often lead to a mushy stir-fry. This can be avoided by lightly salting certain vegetables like zucchini or eggplant before cooking to gently draw out any excess moisture. Just be sure to wipe them down before cooking to avoid making your stir-fry overly salty. Before cooking meat, be sure to pat your pieces dry. This lets your meat get a better sear and cook faster. If you plan on using a sauce in your stir-fry, avoid adding this in until your other components have cooked the majority of the way through. Adding a sauce too early won't allow for the rest of your ingredients to develop a nice crust.

With a little patience, and these helpful tips, you'll be able to cook a delicious stir-fry on your electric stove.