Use oven heat and rack position correctly

These steps assume

• As a rule of thumb, fan/convection is set about 20°C lower than conventional heat.
• The oven is fully preheated before food goes in.
• The middle rack is the default; the upper rack browns the top faster.
• Position the rack before preheating to avoid moving hot metal unnecessarily.

What you need

• Oven with fan/convection and/or conventional heat
• Oven rack
• Baking tray or ovenproof dish
• Recipe temperature and oven mode
• Oven thermometer if the oven is unreliable
• Dry oven mitts

Step by step

1. 1

   Read the recipe, choose fan/convection or conventional heat and position the rack before heating.

   • Equipment: Oven thermometer if the oven is unreliable + Dry oven mitts.
   • Heat: No heat during preparation.
   • Time: 2–5 minutes.
   • Looks like: Mode, temperature and rack match the heat distribution the food needs.
   • If it goes wrong: Changing mode without adjusting temperature cooks too fast or too slowly.
   • Done when: Mode, temperature and rack match the heat distribution the food needs.

2. 2

   Turn on the oven and wait for the temperature signal; allow a heavy oven extra time to stabilize.

   • Equipment: Recipe temperature and oven mode.
   • Heat: The stated working heat.
   • Time: 5–40 minutes depending on ingredient and method.
   • Looks like: The oven is steadily hot, not merely at the instant the thermostat switches.
   • If it goes wrong: Food in a cold oven dries or spreads before browning starts.
   • Done when: The oven is steadily hot, not merely at the instant the thermostat switches.

3. 3

   Place food on the middle rack and check after the first third of cooking that top and bottom are developing evenly.

   • Equipment: Recipe temperature and oven mode + Dry oven mitts.
   • Heat: Full recipe temperature.
   • Time: After the first third of cooking.
   • Looks like: The oven is steadily hot, not merely at the instant the thermostat switches.
   • If it goes wrong: Food in a cold oven dries or spreads before browning starts.
   • Done when: The oven is steadily hot, not merely at the instant the thermostat switches.

4. 4

   Start on the middle rack; move up for more top color and down for more bottom heat.

   • Equipment: Dry oven mitts.
   • Heat: Low heat or off during the final check.
   • Time: 1–5 minutes.
   • Looks like: Top and bottom develop at the same pace.
   • If it goes wrong: Too high gives a dark top and raw base; too low gives a dark base and pale top.
   • Done when: Top and bottom develop at the same pace.

If it doesn't turn out as expected

• Changing mode without adjusting temperature cooks too fast or too slowly.
• Food in a cold oven dries or spreads before browning starts.
• Too high gives a dark top and raw base; too low gives a dark base and pale top.

Food safety

Use dry oven mitts, keep your face clear of steam and place hot trays on a heatproof surface.