How is Steam Managed So Well Inside MEC Pots?
The steam leaving a cooking pot is essentially water soluble vitamins and minerals (9 out of the 13 vitamins and minerals are water soluble), and in most cases with conventional cookware almost all of it is lost during the cooking process.
With MEC however, the special design of the pot & lid uniquely allow steam to circulate inside and let food cook with its own steam pressure. The straight walls of the pot, the pot being made in concentric circles, the inner flute on the lid and a cool underside of knob allow for steam to rise, get condensed and drop right back into the pot.
Also, unlike metals that first transfer heat throughout the body of the metal, pure-clay pots transfer heat from the bottom of the pot to the food before the walls or lid can get hot. The heat emitting from the pot is extremely food-friendly — it first spreads out evenly to every grain of food and gently cooks the food to more than half done before steam can be released. So with this type of cooking it’s not a tight fitting lid that forces steam inside, rather, it is because of the features explained above that first delay the release of steam and then perfectly manage it by the process of condensation.
Steam only escapes from the pot if there is an excessive amount built up inside and it’s a good indicator to reduce the fire at that point so food can cook with its own steam pressure.
Tags: Steam locking, Steam management