How do you know if your oven temperature is accurate?

Before we dig into the accuracy of the temperature in your oven, let’s talk a little bit about the 2 different types of ovens and how they are used.

The 2 most common types of ovens I’m referring to are convection and convectional.

Conventional ovens have 2 heat elements that heat the air inside the oven. The bottom element is the main heating source. The top element is used for intense stronger heat like broiling.

The main difference between conventional and convection cooking is that convection ovens also have a fan to circulate the air gas or steam around the food.

These days convection is a feature included with ovens. They have the fan to circulate the air and are known for a faster, more even way to bake.

Although my oven has a convection setting, I do not use it. Here are 2 main reasons why.

1. The convection setting is a “feature” on ovens and although it is becoming more and more popular, not everyone has it, so I don’t want this to be a setback when it comes to baking my recipes.

2. Baking on the convection setting also requires you to lower the temperature 25 degrees or cut the cooking time by 25%. I don’t know about you, but I would hate to forget to do this and then ruin the recipe. In addition, there are already so many unknowns with gluten free baking, I would hate to waste expensive ingredients when testing new recipes.

Last summer, I started to see a slight change in my baked goods. I was leaving things in the oven a minute or 2 longer than normal. I began wondering what was happening to my trusty oven. It wasn’t keeping temperature. I was turning it off and on again and without opening the oven door the temperature was about 20 degrees lower.

Then one day I felt ambitious and did a self-clean cycle and my oven never turned on again. It was officially broke.

For a baker, this is tragic. Finding and getting to know a new oven is hard. But I had to buy a new one and it was so much harder than I thought. I had owned my other oven for almost 20 years. I ended up getting an LG and it’s slowly growing on me. And when I say slowly, I mean S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Years ago, I learned how using an oven thermometer could change my baking. It took me some time to get used to it, but I wholeheartedly agree with this now. I think having an oven thermometer is a game changer when it comes to baking and especially gluten free baking.

If you have been struggling with your gluten free baking, the way your oven keeps temperature could be the culprit. An oven thermometer can be purchased for under $10. The accurate temperature of your oven is something you need to know.

When you have to buy a new oven, the biggest thing you will need to learn is if you can trust it to keep the correct temperature.

When I first got my new oven, I immediately placed 2 oven thermometers in it, one on each side. I found that when my oven said it was preheated, it wasn’t quite at the temperature I was seeking. I had to wait about 10 more minutes before it got there.

Before I learned this, I could see some things were coming out undercooked and underbaked. Having an oven thermometer has helped me get the successful results I was used to getting before.

I believe that your oven is the heart of your kitchen, just like your kitchen is the heart of your home. Knowing it inside and out and what settings work best is so important.

And lastly, the best way to keep the temperature the same for the entire bake is to never open the oven door. The only time you can open the oven door safely is when the thing you are baking says to bake it for 20-25 minutes and you want to check it with a toothpick after 20 minutes have passed to check for doneness. By this time, the baking is 98% complete so you don’t run the risk of deflating your baked goods.

I can’t wait to see how an oven thermometer changes baking for you. If you do not have one, go order one on Amazon. Then, let me know if your oven has been keeping the right temperature. I’d love to know.

Stay tuned for another lesson or recipe next week. This has been so fun!