Modern ovens are equipped with so many functions that it seems they were prepared for a flight to Mars. Various modes, timers, sets of auto programs, grills, delayed start, automatic shutdown, heating from above, from the side, from below, etc.
Which of these modes is needed in real life? What hidden features do our ovens have? Let's figure it out.
Oven modes
Modern electric ovens have many modes: “Convection”, “Top heating”, “Bottom heating”, “Grill”, “Top and bottom heating plus convection”.
Be sure to read the instructions for your electric oven and select the appropriate mode when preparing dishes.
Some models of electric ovens have 2 fans installed at once: this is very convenient and allows you to cook two dishes at the same time at different levels, because the heat spreads constantly and evenly in the oven.
If you are just choosing an oven to buy, then I recommend choosing exactly this one, this will give you the opportunity to save time and energy on preparing two different dishes, for example, a golden brown pie and baked meat with vegetables.
“Grill” mode – it’s hard to imagine modern ovens and even some microwaves without it!
In order for grilled meat to cook well and remain juicy, the pieces must be of the same thickness, at least 2-3 cm.
Place the pieces directly on the grill. Additionally, place a universal pan on level 1. The roasting juices will drain into it and the oven will remain almost clean.
You can also bake meat, chicken, and fish using the “Convection ” mode, and 5 minutes before the end of cooking, turn on the “Grill” mode and the dish will get an appetizing golden brown crust.
Remember the smoke point of oils. If you set the temperature to high (above 240 degrees) and turn on the “Grill” mode, the oil may catch fire and black smoke will come out of the oven.
The automatic cooking program makes cooking very easy. You need to select a program and indicate the weight of the products.
For example, my oven has the following programs: defrosting, cooking vegetables, potatoes, fish, pizza, etc.
But you need to carefully study the instructions for your oven to understand which program number is responsible for what. For me it looks like this:
If the bottom burns, but the baked goods are not baked
One of the features of ovens is heating - it is difficult to regulate. In addition, improper heat distribution inside may occur, resulting in uneven cooking. This type of problem can be easily fixed on your own. There are several ways:
- a special baking stone is installed. It should be made of fireclay clay, which, due to its porous structure, absorbs the heat coming from the bottom of the cabinet and distributes it evenly throughout the oven. Some housewives, unable to find fireclay bricks, use regular red bricks. It has almost the same properties;
Correct heat distribution - regular rock salt can also be a great alternative to brick. Although it has slightly different properties, instead of absorbing heat and distributing it, salt lowers the temperature, allowing food to cook evenly. You only need one pack of rock salt, which is poured onto a baking sheet that is placed at the very bottom of the oven. Salt can be used for years, it does not deteriorate and does not absorb odors. Some housewives use ordinary quartz sand;
Salt for proper heat distribution - Water is also an excellent means of promoting proper heat distribution. However, this method is effective only in cases where the cooking time is short. Pour water into a baking tray or other large container and place the dish under baking. You need to keep an eye on the fumes.
Baking water
Timer
This is a very important and necessary function for your oven! Therefore, take your time and figure out all these clocks and numbers.
What can a timer do? Not only show the current time.
- You can use the timer like a regular household one . It works independently of the oven. The timer emits a characteristic sound, letting you know that the set cooking time or time on the timer has expired.
- You can set the cooking time in the oven . When the cooking time has expired, the oven switches off automatically. At this time, you may not even be at home; the timer will turn everything off.
- You can delay the start of cooking by specifying the time at which the dish should be ready. The oven will automatically turn on and the dish will be ready at the specified time. Products can be placed in the cooking chamber, for example, in the morning, so that the dish is ready in the afternoon.
Oven temperature
Before starting cooking, the oven must be preheated to the temperature required to prepare a particular dish. Most often it is 180-200 degrees.
Try not to use a high temperature, as a dish placed in an oven that is too hot will burn or stick to the baking sheet or baking pan faster.
It is better to keep the dish in the oven longer at the optimal temperature, controlling the process of baking or stewing the dish, than to overbake and then correct the consequences.
Freedom is the key to success
Parties and holidays always lead astray, and this even applies to the desire to fit as many dishes as possible into the oven at one time. Many people assume that this reduces cooking time and makes their life easier. Don't give in to this temptation! To ensure that air circulates around your food properly and it cooks evenly, you need to be sure to leave space between the dishes. And if you are baking something small or roasting, for example, chicken wings or vegetables, piling up is also harmful! If food comes into contact with the dishes or with each other, the contact areas do not brown or warm up as they should. Of course, we are not talking about dishes that are baked in heat-resistant forms - where contact with the walls of the form is inevitable.
Article on the topic: How to melt glass on a gas stove
TIP: Since gas ovens, as mentioned above, are full of more humid air, to brown the dish, move the baking sheet with it to the top of the chamber or place a second, empty one directly above the baking sheet. The high temperature will be reflected from the “ceiling” and help create a golden brown crust.
Oven position
The oven chamber has several guides for positioning baking sheets and racks at different levels. The most optimal position is to place the dish on the middle level, because this is where the product is cooked evenly and correctly.
During baking or stewing, the dish can be moved downward if the top is too browned or upward if you want a crispy crust.
Terms of use
Before cooking, you must read the operating instructions for the gas oven included with each equipment. If you take into account all the nuances, the equipment will serve for a very long time.
How to properly use a gas oven when baking? To do this, you need to follow a few simple recommendations:
- there should be no kitchen utensils inside the cabinet during cooking; only a wire rack can be in it;
- Before cooking, you need to set the required level, and then it should not be changed;
- you need to preheat the oven, and for this 10 minutes are enough, after which you can prepare the dish;
- During cooking, you should not open the door often so that a lot of heat does not escape.
Many homes use a gas oven. Simple instructions will help you on how to use it. Compliance with all rules will allow you to use the equipment safely.
Selection of cookware
Today there is a huge selection of baking dishes on sale. You don’t need to buy the entire arsenal; it’s enough to know only the bare minimum that you’ll need.
I recommend having in your arsenal a flat baking tray, a deep baking tray for preparing lasagna, casseroles, roasts, cast iron dishes for long-term stewing (duckling or goose pans), ceramic forms for portion serving and a glass dish for baking dishes.
The universal rule when choosing cookware is this: it must withstand heating up to 250 degrees.
Alas, some ceramic molds may not be heat-resistant enough and may crack if there is a strong temperature difference, so if there are no other options, they should be placed in a cold oven.
Additional accessories: parchment paper, foil, baking sleeve
All these means serve to make using the electric oven more comfortable, as well as to maintain a special temperature in the middle of the dish.
Parchment paper prevents the dish from sticking to the baking sheet or pan. Most often used for baking. I recommend using good quality parchment paper with a thin silicone coating. Nothing sticks to such paper and it does not need to be additionally lubricated with fat (vegetable oil or butter).
You can bake meat, fish, poultry in foil or cover baked goods with it so that the delicate dough does not bake too quickly. It should be remembered that food that contains acid (for example, tomatoes, dishes with lemon juice) cannot be cooked in foil.
It is very important to use the foil correctly: place the matte side outward and the shiny side in the middle.
The baking sleeve is used for quickly cooking dishes in their own juices, which makes them very juicy and soft. A constant temperature and humidity are maintained in the middle of the bag - this is very convenient, since you don’t need to stir anything or worry that the dish will burn.
By the way, the baking sleeve can withstand temperatures up to 250 degrees, which means that you can quickly cook chicken, fish or meat for dinner in it.
Pie size
The exact temperature is determined by the size of the baked goods.
Of course, small pies cook faster than their larger counterparts. A large pie with filling inside is baked at 180-220 degrees. It is advisable to set the indicator to medium so that the filling has time to warm up evenly. If the dough begins to burn on top, but remains raw inside, cover it with a wet paper sheet. The surface will become saturated with moisture and will stop burning. Small pies are also cooked at 180-220 degrees. However, reduce the cooking time slightly, otherwise the baked goods will turn out too hard. As for buns, kulebyak, kalachi - for their preparation you can set 220-270 degrees. If you move the temperature knob to a lower or medium value, the dough will not rise. It will remain dry. The finished flour product will not please you with its taste.
