Page 30 - cRc Pesach Guide 2021

STOVETOPS AND OVENS SELF-CLEANING OVEN
Stovetops (ranges) and ovens can be kashered for Pesach use, A complete high-temperature self-clean cycle should be run
and the process for doing so is as follows: with the racks inside the oven, and then the oven may be
used for Pesach without covering the racks. This kashering
may be done even if the oven was not left unused for 24
STOVETOPS hours. If the racks are not inside the oven while the self-clean
The most common type of stovetop is a metal grate over an cycle is run, the racks should be kashered separately.
open flame, which is situated on a porcelain enamel surface. Note: Low-temperature self-clean cycles (e.g. AquaLift,
Others have electric coils in the place of an open flame or Steam Clean) do not qualify as kashering.
have a glass (a.k.a. glass-ceramic) surface covering electric
coils; the most popular brands for this last type of stovetop
are Corning and Ceran. WARMING DRAWER

The kashering of stovetops – including glass ones – is done Light one can of chafing-dish fuel (e.g. Sterno cans) in the
as follows: All parts of the stovetop should be thoroughly warming drawer, being sure to use a can fueled with ethanol
cleaned, including scraping residual food from the surface or methanol. [Wicked cans that use diethylene glycol as a
and catch-tray, and not used for 24 hours. Then the fire or coil fuel should not be used for kashering.] Make sure to leave the
should be turned to its maximum temperature for at least 30 door of the warming drawer slightly ajar, so that there will be
minutes. [For electric stovetops with exposed coils (i.e., not enough air to allow for combustion and allow the can to burn
covered with glass), leave the coils on for just 15 minutes. It is for two hours. As with all kashering, before you begin, the
acceptable to kasher burners one at a time.] An alternative for warming drawer must be thoroughly cleaned and not used
a glass stovetop is to not kasher it at all, and instead place all for 24 hours.
pots onto metal discs so that the pots have no contact with
the stovetop.
MICROWAVE OVEN
Afterwards, cover the following areas with foil: (a) the knobs,
catch trays, and all areas between the burners, and (b) areas The glass plate cannot be
behind the burners where pots might touch. If there is food kashered (or used) and should SEPHARDIC
residue on the underside of the stove’s hood, it should be be removed before kashering APPLICATIONS
thoroughly cleaned before Pesach. begins. Some microwaves Microwave oven
have a porcelain enamel
interior; these cannot be Regarding the glass
NON SELF-CLEANING OVEN kashered. plate, refer to Point 1
above that glass does
All surfaces of the oven and To kasher the microwave not require anything
racks must be thoroughly SEPHARDIC appliance, clean it thoroughly, more than being
cleaned, the oven and racks APPLICATIONS and do not use it for 24 hours. washed and cleaned to
should not be used for a Ovens Then a cup of water should be usable on Pesach.
full 24 hours, and then the be boiled in the chamber This assumes, though,
oven should be turned on Rav Ovadia Yosef for an extended amount of that the plate does not
to 500-550°F for one hour. (Chazon Ovadia – Pesach time, until the chamber fills contain even a small
As an added precaution for 2003 edition page 132) with steam and the water amount of un-kasherable
Pesach, once this process is does not require the overflows from the cup. For materials (see Point 2
complete, some cover the additional stringencies Pesach, it is a commendable above).
racks and grates on both of covering the racks extra precaution to cover all
sides with aluminum foil etc. and preventing foods in the microwave, even after performing the above
food from coming into
(which should be perforated contact with the oven kashering. If a microwave has a metal grate, it should be
for air circulation), and do not walls. kashered in a pot of hot water as described in the Flatware
allow food to touch the side, section above.
bottom or top of the oven on For convection microwave ovens, the same kashering process
Pesach.
as a conventional oven should be followed, paying particular
attention to cleaning out the chamber and fan assembly.

28 www.ASKcRc.org / www.cRcweb.org cRc Pesach Guide Preparation For Pesach