As much as we want our ovens could consistently deliver picture-perfect results, we cannot promise this, especially if you have one of those super-extra-fancy appliances.
Please do not be alarmed; this is not the end of the world. Rather of mourning our ovens and wishing we could make them perfect, it’s best to accept them for what they are and learn to live with their flaws.
If you haven’t noticed, I have an emotional connection with my oven. I use it constantly, and you can sure that if you go into my home on any given day during baking season, you will notice mine working overtime.
Regardless of how frequently you use yours, it’s critical to understand the ins and outs of its distinct quirks. Understanding how to identify hot spots and determining the optimal rack location are the two most effective strategies to master your oven.
ARE YOU GOING TO USE GAS, ELECTRICITY, OR CONVECTION?
Let us begin with the fundamentals, shall we? To begin, you must understand the specifics of the item you have at home. There are several distinctions between gas, electric, and convection heating that you should be aware of.
Electric ovens heat the appliance with metal heating elements that glow red-hot while they function. These elements are typically located on the appliance’s floor, with another broiling element located on top.
When working with electric, you will notice that it heats up faster than gas and has a narrower temperature range.
In a gas oven, the gas is burned via a tube burner that is ignited by a spark. Generally, the heating elements are located beneath the floor, with the broil burner located at the top, as is the case with electric.
Some models include broilers in a drawer at the bottom, whereas others merely feature drawers for storage.
Because the burner switches on and off while the appliance heats and maintains temperature, gas ovens have a greater degree of temperature fluctuation than other models. Mechanically, this is identical to electric, except the heat elements take longer to heat up.
This is why it’s critical to not only locate hot regions, but also to have an oven thermometer on hand to monitor any deviations. However, more on this later.
The good news is that gas is generally less expensive to use than electricity, and the heat generated is more natural, as it is more consistent and provides moisture to the oven’s air via the combustion process. As a result, it often produces excellent results when used in baking. However, the increased interior humidity levels might cause some browning issues with some recipes and hot spots, particularly with older models.
If it is a best oven for baking , you will see a third element that is circular and wraps around the rear fan. This sort of oven is frequently seen in restaurant kitchens, and if you have two ovens, chances are that one of them will be convection.
When it comes to convection, keep in mind that these often generate more heat and that heat is rotated by the fan for more equal cooking. This is not to say they will not have hotspots as well. Make certain to do tests with convection models, as they may still produce heat that is not uniformly distributed across the baking space.