Using the oven is pretty easy as long as you know the tips and tricks. Gas and electric ovens have slightly different ways of using them. So, make sure you use the right cooking utensils according to the type of oven. Regardless of the type, the oven should also be cleaned regularly. Make sure you clean the oven when you can see piles of food residue and dirt on the bottom and racks of the oven.
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Method 1 of 3: Using a Gas Oven
Step 1. Understand the basics about your oven
Before starting to use a gas oven or any type of oven, read the user manual. This guide will cover the basics of turning the oven on and off, how to remove the racks, and other aspects of how the oven works.
- Each oven has a shelf. Before using the oven, try removing and placing the rack in the oven. You may later need to adjust the rack position depending on what you are cooking. Therefore, it is important to know how.
- Learn how to turn on and set the oven temperature. Usually, you just have to turn the knob on the front to do this. Then, adjust the temperature by turning the knob until it reaches the desired temperature. Some types of ovens will give a signal, such as an indicator light that turns on and off or makes a sound to indicate that the oven is hot enough.
Step 2. Use an oven thermometer
Gas oven temperature tends to rise and fall. Even if you set it to a certain temperature, the heat may increase or decrease unexpectedly during the cooking process. Therefore, use a special oven thermometer to measure the temperature. You may need to adjust the temperature by increasing or decreasing it during the cooking process.
Use the oven light to monitor the oven temperature. Opening the oven too often during the cooking process can cause the temperature to drop suddenly
Step 3. Rotate the pan while cooking
The temperature in the gas oven tends to rise and fall. During the cooking process, the oven heat is also uneven, some parts will be hotter or colder. Therefore, occasionally opening the oven and turning the pan slightly so that the food cooks evenly.
- Cake, bread, and muffin pans should be turned 90 degrees halfway through cooking. If you use more than one pan for baking, such as baking cookies, swap the positions of the pans as well.
- Heat-resistant dishes should be turned slightly several times during cooking.
Step 4. Place the baking stone on the bottom of the oven
Grill stones can be used for baked goods or pizza. These grill stones also help regulate the temperature in the gas oven by evenly distributing the heat upwards. Place it on the bottom of the oven or on the lowest shelf that is not being used. Then, place whatever you cook on the grill stone so that the cooking process is more even.
Step 5. Transfer the dish to the top rack so that the top of the dish is more brown
Sometimes it's not easy to make the top of a dish, such as a pie, golden brown when using a gas oven. This can be worked around by moving the pan to the top rack. This way, the top of the dish will turn brown more quickly.
Step 6. Raise the temperature to make the dish crispier
Gas ovens tend to be more humid, which in turn will affect the crispness of the dish. Dishes like baked potatoes may not be as easy to get crunchy in a gas oven. This can be overcome by raising the oven temperature to about 3 degrees hotter than the recipe says. The end result of your cooking will be more crispy.
Step 7. Do not use dark metal cookware
Do not use dark metal cookware in a gas oven. The heat in the gas oven comes out of the bottom of the oven. Dark metal cookware will absorb heat more quickly, which will cause the bottom of the cookware to brown or burn.
Instead of dark metal cookware, choose light metal cookware or glass or silicone cookware
Method 2 of 3: Using an Electric Oven
Step 1. Understand the basics of using it
Make sure you read the basics guide to using an electric oven. This guide will tell you how to turn the oven on and off, as well as how to move the racks inside the oven up and down.
Make sure you know how to set the temperature. Usually you can adjust the temperature of the electric oven by pressing the desired temperature, then the oven will indicate when it is ready to use. When it's hot, the light in the oven may turn on or off, or the oven may make a sound
Step 2. Leave the oven for a while to heat it up
If you are using an electric oven, start preheating your oven before you use it, which is when you start preparing food. Gas ovens tend to heat up quickly, while electric ovens take longer to reach the desired temperature.
Use an oven thermometer to make sure your electric oven is at the right temperature
Step 3. Bake the dish on the middle rack
Always place food on the center rack of an electric oven unless the recipe says to bake it on the top or bottom rack. The heat on the middle rack tends to be more stable during the cooking process. Your food will cook more evenly.
Step 4. Add steam if necessary
Electric ovens tend to be a bit dry. This condition often makes bread or similar foods not expand quickly. If your pizza or bread is hard to rise, try adding steam to your electric oven. You can do this by pouring a cup of hot water into a baking sheet and placing it in the bottom of the oven. You can also slightly open the oven and squirt a little water in it.
Step 5. Choose the right cooking utensil according to your cooking
You can use various types of cooking utensils with an electric oven. However, different cooking utensils will give different results. Make sure to use the right type of cooking utensil for your cooking.
- If you want the dish to be brown on the sides and bottom, use a metal cookware.
- If you want to reduce the brown color, use a glass or silicone cookware.
Method 3 of 3: Cleaning the Oven
Step 1. Take advantage of the self-cleaning feature
The best way to clean the oven is to take advantage of the self-cleaning feature if you have one. You can find out how by reading the manual. Typically, the oven will take about two hours to self-clean. When you're done, you can simply wipe the remaining dirt with a tissue.
Step 2. Remove and clean the oven rack
If your oven doesn't have a self-cleaning feature, you'll need to clean it manually. Start by removing the oven rack and cleaning it.
- Place a rag in the sink and fill it with hot water. Add half a cup of powdered dishwashing detergent and stir.
- Soak the rack for about four hours. Then, remove any food residue or rust with a brush.
- Rinse the rack and air dry.
Step 3. Spread the baking soda and water mixture on the oven
Mix baking soda and water until it becomes like a paste. Then, grease the inside of the oven with the paste using a sponge or cloth. Spread evenly on each side, top and bottom.
Step 4. Add vinegar and rub baking soda
Pour the vinegar over the baking soda paste. Allow the vinegar to start foaming, it usually doesn't take long for the vinegar to foam. This will help remove dirt and food residue, making it easier for you to clean.
- Once the vinegar has foamed, use a sponge to scrub all the sides of the oven. Scrub until all dirt and food residue is clean.
- Scrub until all dirt and food residue is clean.
Step 5. Put the rack back in the oven
When you're done cleaning the inside of the oven, reassemble the rack. Now your oven is clean and ready to use again.
