Every oven comes with racks. Before using your oven, experiment with taking them in and out of the oven. Depending on what you’re cooking, you may have to adjust the oven racks. It’s a good idea to get a sense of how to do so. Determine how to turn the oven on and set the temperature. Usually, you have to turn a knob near the front to the appropriate heat setting. Some ovens give off a signal, such as light going on and off or a noise being made, indicating when the oven is adequately heated.
Use an oven thermometer for gas ovens, since these ovens preheat quickly and tend to fluctuate in temperature, and you may need to adjust the oven’s temperature accordingly. You may need to turn the heat slightly up or slightly down during the cooking process. [3] X Research source
Use a food thermometer to monitor your food’s internal temperature as it cooks. Avoid using dark metal cookware in a gas oven. In a gas oven, heat comes from the bottom of the oven. Dark metal cookware will absorb heat faster, which can burn the bottom of dark cookware[5] X Research source Opt for light-colored metal, glass, or silicone instead. Opening the oven too often during the cooking process can cause the temperature to drop suddenly.
Rotate your dish by 90 degrees occasionally to cook food evenly as temperatures inside your oven fluctuate. If you’re using more than one rack to bake something like cookies, switch the top and bottom trays about halfway through cooking to ensure even baking. In addition, place a pizza stone on the rack beneath your food to help regulate the temperature. While typically used for pizza, these stones store and distribute heat in a way that can help your food cook more evenly
Turn off the broiler once the dish is browned; avoid burning it! Many ovens have the broiler inside the oven itself. Some position the broiler in a heating drawer beneath the main chamber. Consult your oven’s manual to identify where the broiler is. Use the broiler on dishes like chicken breasts, fish filets, skirt steaks, or pork chops, for a nice brown color.
You should use an oven thermometer to make sure your electric oven is at the right temperature. An electric convection oven (one that moves hot air around with a fan for more even cooking) may preheat slightly faster than one that isn’t convection-capable, but wait about 20 minutes or until you hear the noise that indicates preheating is finished, anyway.
The broiler in electric ovens is most often located inside the oven itself, rather than the drawer beneath, like in some gas ovens. Use the broiler to brown your food to your taste. [11] X Research source Use the right bakeware for what you’re cooking. If you want browning around the sides and bottoms of your foods, go for metal bakeware. If you want to decrease browning, go for glass or silicone products. [12] X Research source
During this time, the oven will heat up to over 500 °F (260 °C). This will burn off any drippings, turning them into an ash that you can wipe away easily. [16] X Expert Source Lois WadewikiHow Crafts Expert Expert Interview. 8 June 2021.
Let the racks soak for about four hours. Then, wipe off any gunk and stains with a non-abrasive scrub brush. Rinse the racks completely and then allow them to air dry.
Once the vinegar is fizzling, use a sponge to scrub down the top, bottom, and sides of an oven. Scrub until you remove all loose dirt and debris. When you’re done, use a paper towel to remove any lingering baking soda, water, and loose dirt and bits of food.
To keep your oven clean, try putting an oven liner or basting pan in the bottom to catch any drips. [24] X Expert Source Lois WadewikiHow Crafts Expert Expert Interview. 8 June 2021.
