Do you pre-heat the oven?

Samuel T. Cogley

I tend to just throw things in and keep an eye on them, unless I'm doing a roast dinner.

Sam Hain

Only when I'm putting a bun in.

freshpopcorn

Sometimes.
I’d only really be concerned about it for baking tough.

Only if cooking something where the pre-heat matters (yorkshire puddings for example!). Usually no.

for baking yeah

D3V!L

Yes of course. I'm not going in cold.

begbysback

All the time, I’ve never read instructions on the back of a package saying just throw it in, cmon dude how difficult is it to turn a switch.

mikhail

I had an elderly electric oven in a place I rented years ago. It took ages to get up to heat. I wouldn't have dared cook anything in it without pre-heating it because I had no idea what temperature it was at. The oven in my current place is up to heat in a few minutes, so it doesn't really matter for roasting. Baking, as others have said, is another matter: cooking is an art, but baking is a science.

jimgoose

Usually, yes.

Sardonicat

Of course. If you want to ensure your food is cooked through it has robe cooked at the right temperature for the right amount if time. Unless you want food poisoning....

Older, non-fan ovens especially take ages to heat, youd be mad to just throw a frozen pizza into that from cold.

RebelButtMunch

Sardonicat wrote: »

Of course. If you want to ensure your food is cooked through it has robe cooked at the right temperature for the right amount if time. Unless you want food poisoning....

Older, non-fan ovens especially take ages to heat, youd be mad to just throw a frozen pizza into that from cold.

Yes, if you stuck to the timing instructions.
No, if you had a look and made sure it was cooked.

_Kaiser_

Yep. Takes about 15 minutes to get it to 200. As said above, you are risking food poisoning otherwise

Feisar

Sam Hain wrote: »

Only when I'm putting a bun in.

Rule 3, go down before you go in.

Sardonicat

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Yes, if you stuck to the timing instructions.
No, if you had a look and made sure it was cooked.

You're not going to tell from just looking, though. It's far easier to turn a knob, wait for a light to go out and throw your food in for a set period of time than it is to stick it in for an indefinite period constantly taking it in and out to check the temperature.

Pre-heating is for cooks.

Chefs don't need to.

CelticRambler

It depends. I have a big oven that I'll usually pre-heat because what's going in there usually does need the oven to be pre-heated, in only because of the quantity; but that one had a fan option, so ten minutes would usually be enough. For my daily needs, though, I have a small oven and never pre-heat that for "oven ready" things like pizza, part-baked baguettes, shepherd's pie, crumble, etc. I do pre-heat it, though, for making brown soda bread, as that just doesn't turn out right if I don't. Scones are fine though.

Oh, and for my roast potatoes, but that's because I'm heating the oil in the roasting tin, rather than the oven.

GreeBo

spook_cook wrote: »

You wouldn't just jump in a bath when it's empty and turn on the taps. Pre-heat always.

Err, I've often done that...

Stevieluvsye

Yes. If it has pre-heat on instructions then why wouldn't you? Also, when using oil on pan, make sure it is hot before you start cooking your food. Bleedin jokers. Does me tits in

Gregor Samsa

Of course.

Would you throw frozen food into a room- temperature freezer and then turn it on?

Would you get into a dry bath and then turn on the taps?

Would you push your shrivelled mickey into your partner of choice and then wait for it to get hard?

Preparation is key.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Only when I’m using it.

Stevieluvsye

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Of course.

Would you throw frozen food into a room- temperature freezer and then turn it on?

Would you get into a dry bath and then turn on the taps?

Would you push your shrivelled mickey into your partner of choice and then wait for it to get hard?

Preparation is key.

rapul

No. Never.

Dubmany

Unless I'm just heating something up then I always pre-heat. It does make a difference to the finished dish especially pastries and meats.

PirateShampoo

Of course, she will only give out if I try to put my meat in to soon.

messrs

always

MarkR

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

I tend to just throw things in and keep an eye on them, unless I'm doing a roast dinner.

Is everything OK at home Samuel?

Your Face

spook_cook wrote: »

You wouldn't just jump in a bath when it's empty and turn on the taps. Pre-heat always.

That's an unusual way to bake.

GreeBo

spook_cook wrote: »

I've never seen you do it.

You were probably blinded by my big white arse.

3d4life

spook_cook wrote: »

I've never seen you do it.

So you keep an eye on poor Greebo when its bathtime then ?

ShatterAlan

"pre-heat"


There are two states that an oven can be in...heated or unheated.

Tig98

Does turning it on while I get the meat out of the fridge count?

Banana Republic 1

I found condensation started building on the glasses if I didn’t

meeeeh

Yes. Why would I want food to dry out first before it starts to crisp.

ShatterAlan

spook_cook wrote: »

If your oven only has an on/off button, I don't think that's an oven but rather a kettle

I'm paraphrasing George Carlin.


What does pre-heat mean? Heat before you heat?

Sardonicat

ShatterAlan wrote: »

I'm paraphrasing George Carlin.


What does pre-heat mean? Heat before you heat?

Heat it to the required temperature before you use it. But I think you knew that.

Samuel T. Cogley

ShatterAlan wrote: »

I'm paraphrasing George Carlin.


What does pre-heat mean? Heat before you heat?

I don't want to get on the plane I want to get in the plane!

Celmullet

Never, I'll add extra time at the end if it doesn't look done.

Larbre34

Quite a few things need to go in to an already hot oven or they won't cook as required, crispness or rising of certain bakes.

Not sure why that's a dilemma for people, just do it.

byhookorbycrook

Always heat the oven to the correct temperature, from food safety / retention of moisture / better taste .

Potential-Monke

Depends on what I'm making. I have one of my favourite (albeit terribly unhealthy) meals down to an art form without needing the pre-heat. I know that it takes 5 minutes longer without the pre-heat and comes out perfect every time. Once, the mother was using the oven and I used it straight away afterwards. I burned the thing by about 5 minutes because i'm now trained to include that on the time...

I would for baking though, but I don't bake because I don't want to be badly overweight again!

cannotlogin

Only for the good stuff, a roast or baking.

If it's just a shepherd's pie or a pizza, then tend not to bother.

Feisar

Baking - yes, it’s a science

Pizza - yes, you want her screaming hot

A roast, I do but does it really matter? The quality of the meat, the ageing, the fat and the bone are going to make up 99.9% of the end result

Frozen Chips - who cares

Only if there's preparation of the food as well. If it's ready to go in, it goes in.

I don't see how the food being heated along with the oven would lead to food poisoning or at least it's never happened to me anyway.

JustAThought

I used not, but now I do since being stuck in all day & having time on my side (lockdown & that).

Pre-heated for readymeal (!) today and left it 5 minutes longer - the tupperware had begun to melt !! First world problems!

Edgware

What the servants do is not my concern