13 mistakes you should not make with the oven
You love this section more than anything, you’ve been waiting for something new and… YESIII the new peak of “mistakes not to make” is finally here! Yo, don’t cry. I understand your emotion and the anxiety of seeing all your habits uprooted again. It’s not easy, but we do it for you. Today we’re talking convection heat, baking paper, and oven mitts… Yeah, well! It’s time to fix all the mistakes you shouldn’t make with your oven!
1. Don’t wash it
It seems obvious, but admit it… Can you swear to my face that you do this often? As soon as some of your food gets on your plate, you should clean it up immediately (just wait for it to cool, don’t be nervous).
Also, make it a habit to clean the buttons (temperature, program and timer buttons) after each use. Touching food, then a surface, without sanitizing, clearly hosts an open house of germs. ugh.
2. … Or clean with aggressive products
You have to find the right balance between the great dirt that leaves your burnt food moldy and the maniac who polishes everything with ultra-exfoliating products. Choose natural products (such as white vinegar and baking soda) and avoid those with too many chemicals. They can emit toxic fumes and contaminate your dishes.
3. Allow food scraps to fall to the bottom of the oven
The easiest way to minimize damage is to place a container (such as a bowl or plate) under the grid/plate to catch any splashes, drips or scraps that try to escape.
4. Ventilate it
After use, do not forget to ventilate the oven for several ten minutes to remove bad odors. So, yes, it will embalm your kitchen a little more at this point. If it’s a fish, open the windows. If it’s chocolate cake, close your eyes and let yourself be soothed by its utterly subtle scents.
5. Do not preheat it
I know: lazy. But actually, it’s a great time saver! Turn on the oven while cooking. Once your recipe is finished, the oven will be ready to welcome it and cook faster. Conversely, if your oven is not already at temperature, it will take longer to cook.
6. Opening the door in the middle of cooking
RED FLAG. NEVER DO THIS (AGAIN). NEVER. It’s tempting to check on cooking, but this small gesture brings outside air into the appliance and disrupts the heat. Results: your cakes and bread come out straight. So, if you don’t want to ruin all your efforts, you should watch through the glass.
7. Use baking paper
Okay, this is not a “mistake” that will change anything in your diet. It’s just a matter of ecology and trying to save the planet. Among the small habits that can easily be replaced: the use of baking paper. It can be replaced with silicone baking mats, which are reusable, easy to clean and perfect for heating. Positive point: no more wheels.
8. Cook food directly on the grill
No more baking paper means no more! On the contrary! Never cook any food directly on the grill. First, we know better in terms of hygiene. Second, you will screw things up. Finally, you run the risk of finding your 4-cheese pizza literally stuck to the plate or worse… It’s gone through the net. WE WILL GET HER SINGLE BLADE MAT SOON!
9. Do not change the temperature of the oven when using a black metal pan
wow? Yes, you read well! Black or dark, metal or Pyrex pans absorb heat and brown dishes more quickly. If this type of mold is used, the specified temperature should be reduced by 15°C.
10. Start cooking frozen food without taking time to thaw it
Well, you’re going to call me “waaaaw lazy” again. Honestly…I understand you. But this is still not an accepted technique! According to Frank Proton, chef instructor at the Culinary Education Institute, “If you put frozen or partially frozen food in the oven, it will affect the cooking time because it has to thaw before cooking. » If you don’t eat enough in foods like meat or chicken, you can clearly poison your guests. Lazy, good, but not when it can seriously affect health!
11. Increase the temperature to save time
Hello impatient team! This is a very bad idea. If you don’t like wasting time, you’ll be very upset if you have to start over your entire recipe because your yogurt cake is burnt on the outside and runny on the inside. Losing a little time, paradoxically, saves. I leave this sentence to you to ponder.
12. Don’t let your food rest
Cookies stink and we just want to pounce on them while they’re hot! Be a little patient. The ideal is to let them rest for about 5 minutes before removing them to avoid any thermal shock. 5 small minutes and you can fill it yourself.
13. Respect cooking times to the letter
Contrary to what you might think, it’s a bad idea to follow mealtimes to the letter. All ovens are different and molds affect baking differently. Therefore, it is more prudent to rely on the look and feel of your book than the time shown in your book.
