What happens to the steam in a self-contained kettle after it heats the product?

In a self-contained kettle, steam plays a critical role in efficiently transferring heat to the product being cooked. Once the steam has delivered its heat to the food, it begins to cool down and condense. This condensation occurs on the inner jacket wall of the kettle, where it releases its stored heat to the product.

As the steam turns back into water, it typically returns to the boiler or the water reservoir within the system, allowing for a closed-loop process. This ensures that the kettle maintains an efficient heating cycle without the loss of valuable heat energy. The design of the kettle and its steam system maximizes energy efficiency by reusing this condensed water, which is crucial in maintaining consistent cooking temperatures and minimizing energy waste.

This process highlights the importance of steam in a self-contained kettle and illustrates why the steam condenses and returns to the water rather than escaping or turning to ice.