Three Energy-wasting Myths about Baking/Roasting

[helwen]

Interesting thoughts on unnecessary energy use when baking and roasting.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/10/three_myths_tha.php

Comments

Thanks!

[bytchearse.livejournal.com]

I never pre-heat. I also don't recall ever running a leaning cycle either. Cleaning means scrubbing with soap and water :-D

And I really like to leave the oven door open when the food is done to fill the house with heat and aromas!

Re: Thanks!

[helwen.livejournal.com]

I used to pre-heat, but got tired of waiting to put the food in, and figured it would cut down on cooking time a bit, which it does. I've used the residual heat for finishing up a dish before as well -- especially with pies, where I want just a little more brown, but not burnt -- having it get slightly cooler toward the end works perfectly. But I'd never made the connection between pre-heat instructions and wood-fired ovens before... makes perfect sense now. A lot of things get passed down that way, not always with the reason for it being passed along with them.

And yes, any residual heat gets used to heat the room in cold weather! In the summer I'm not so keen on that part, but loosecanon was telling me about a dehydrator you can put over the vent that's on the top of the oven, which sounds like a neat idea.

[flidaisairmid.livejournal.com]

I've never preheated the oven because I always saw it as a big waste of time and energy. I have always had gas ovens, and cleaning definitely improves their performance. Sadly it is the job I will drag my feet the longest to do because it involves something that reminds me of acrobatic contortions to get the gunk off ...my bad !

[bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com]

Preheating a gas oven IS a waste of time and energy-- and Treehugger should have learned that in elementary Home Ec. But preheating an electric oven when working with something where time/heat combinations are critical, is useful. For instance, Bread is meant to be started in a hot oven, then cooled down, not the other way around.

This person's ignorance about the history of cooking is evident in the statement that pre-heating is a vestige of wood and coal ovens-- these did NOT need to be pre-heated because they are already warm from the range running!

Nor does the author have a clue about temperature regulation in electric ovens; the burners DO turn off while the heat is at the predetermined temp, then go back on to bring it up to temp.

If he/she claimed to have done any scientific testing of this, I'd be more forgiving of the generalities thrown around.

Otherwise, he/she should write to Cook's illustrated and have them test this out, then I'll take them seriously.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Um, he _does_ say the preheating a gas oven is a waste of energy...

I won't say he has much knowledge of history of cooking, because I don't know what his knowledge is, although he did write that he's used wood-fired ovens as well as gas and electric.

He doesn't state what type of wood-fired oven he used however -- one that is solo (oven only) or is side partner to an open hearth is not going to be pre-warmed and will have to be pre-heated. I just went to a demo this summer of open hearth cooking, in which the cook also discussed the oven (it was July, so she was pretending she'd done the bread-baking the day before and save everyone the extra heat). They build a fire in there that goes down to coals, then the coals get put below and the oven, which has actually gotten over-hot during this time, is used as soon as the temperature is right. And there are probably other types of ovens besides this type and the rounded topped baking ovens, I'm sure.

Yes, it's true the burners turn off in an electric oven, and then turn on again when needed. Of course this will happen more often if the baker is impatient and opens the door a lot.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Sorry, meant to include in my response that I agree that some things really need to go in at the correct temperatures. But I don't bake bread or cake as often as I do pies, casseroles, chicken, etc. From his article, I'd say he probably doesn't either -- although he does give it grudging mention: "Conceivably, the baking of elegant soufflés or such may benefit from preheating the oven. Just maybe. Otherwise it's largely bunk and especially pointless for roasting of meats."

Preheating

[islenskr.livejournal.com]

Before the invention of electric and gas ovens/stoves, you had coal and wood fired ones. These were on most, if not all, of the time. It would be very silly indeed to let the fire go out in between meals because of the time and effort it takes to build a new fire and heat up the oven (cast iron). I would wager that the concept of 'preheating' came with the invention of gas and electric ovens.

I have read about this in my research in Regency and Victorian costume and living (I can dig up some references if you're interested) and also from my father, who remembers his grandmother using her coal/wood fired stove/oven. (Which I inherited! Yay!)

Re: Preheating

[fitzw.livejournal.com]

On the kitchen stove downstairs (cast iron), there's a lever to redirect the hot air from inside the firebox (read: smoke). Normally the hot air just goes under the range and up the flue. If you switch the lever, though, the hot air is directed around the oven for use in roasting/baking.

Since this means that the oven isn't always heated from the wood fire, you do need to spend some time bringing it up to temperature.

Re: Preheating

[islenskr.livejournal.com]

That makes sense. But 'back in the day' would you have to bring it up to temperature? I have read that there was pretty much always something cooking/baking.

Re: Preheating

[fitzw.livejournal.com]

You've got to sleep some time... ;-)

Re: Preheating

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Hm. I don't know much about cast iron, but in open hearth cooking, the answer is yes and no.

It can be a bother to get a fire started, but that doesn't mean the hearth or oven would always be at the correct temperature for cooking.

Baking for the week seems to have been done once a week, so there's no need (or capability) to keep the oven at baking temperatures constantly -- waste of fuel. What's more likely to happen, especially in hot summer weather, is that breakfast is some hot drinks and leftovers from the day before, as the cook gets to work on lunch and dinner. Some things get cooked over a hot fire, then the wood creates coals for things that require slower cooking. Coals, kept properly, can be banked overnight, and then poked up again in the morning to get the fresh firewood for the day burning.

In other words, they'd try to keep something hot, but not at peak temperatures. It's a waste of fuel and of human effort (cutting & transporting wood, and time spent maintaining the fire).