Cooking techniques

Use the app for a guided cook to temperature. Otherwise, just turn Cinder on and turn the knob to set the desired temperature.

Cooking to temperature - this is sous vide style cooking where the entire food is brought to a specific temperature, held until ready, and typically seared afterwards. Use the app to set up this kind of cooking and be notified when the temperature is reached.

Searing - Typically done at maximum temperature to reduce the amount of time needed, which means less heat gets into the center of the meat. Creates various flavor reactions such as maillard browning, caramelize sweetening, and pyrolysis char. Using oil will result in a deeper, more even effect as the oil fills in the crevices of the food and aids in heat transfer - chefs say the oil can be wiped off after if healthy eating is a goal. Care should be taken to use a high temperature oil with a smoke point above the searing temperature.

Cinder's searing function runs at 450° and has a 45-second timer when the knob is pressed down. Crank the temp all the way up to maximum to start this mode.

Frying - 350° seems to be the magic temperature. If Cinder is placed on a flat surface, it is possible to pour enough cooking oil in the center to pan fry, for example battered dover sole. The top can be lowered to reduce splatter.

Browning/Caramelizing - the range of 275° to 350° can be used to set and forget vegetables. For example, sliced onions will brown, and brown more, but not burn, around 300°. Eggplant, brushed with olive oil, responds nicely at the higher end of the spectrum.

Griddle - Cooking with the top open allows Cinder to function like a precision griddle, a cooking surface just at the right temperature for you. This is great for frying eggs, for example.