Don’t Burn Your Biscuits! Make Sure Your Oven Temperature is Accurate
Many of us adjust our ovens to the desired temperature and assume they will heat correctly. With the holidays fast approaching, your kitchen is going to be a busy place and your appliances are going to get a workout, especially your oven. Even if it seemed to be operating properly all year long, when you start the holiday baking, you may run into some trouble. An oven temperature that is off by a mere 25 degrees might not make much of a difference if you’re cooking a casserole but baked goods, especially cakes can be ruined. Whether you’re baking a turkey or holiday cookies, the oven temperature needs to be accurate. Otherwise, the turkey could take a lot longer to cook or those cookies could end up well done and as hard as hockey pucks.
How to Check Your Oven Temperature
When in doubt about the accuracy of their oven temperature, most people reach for an oven thermometer. While this may seem like a simple and easy way to check the temperature, oven thermometers are not always accurate and could be off as much as 50 degrees. When choosing a thermometer from the store look at all of them and choose the one that reads the same as the majority. When your oven is working properly, you should be able just set the temperature and the timer, then walk away. If your oven is not heating properly, it’s a good idea to have it inspected by a professional appliance technician.
Why isn’t My Oven Temperature Correct?
If your oven isn’t heating properly, it may need to be calibrated. If it is a gas oven and makes a small pop on ignition you will need a professional service technician to identify the problem and make the repair. This is an unsafe condition and should be looked at as soon as possible.
Helpful Holiday Hints
Pan Selection: The finish of the pan determines the amount of browning that will occur. Dark or dull pans will absorb heat which results in a browner finish. Shiny pans reflect heat which results in lighter browning..
Preheating your oven: When baking cookies, cakes, pies, and biscuits, be sure to preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes prior to putting the goodies in. When roasting, no preheating is necessary.
Self-Cleaning Your Oven: Don’t wait until the eve of the big day to self-clean your oven. Because self-cleaning is done at such high temperatures, often ovens can fail to work after the process. Clean your oven at least two weeks prior to the big event. This will provide enough time should any repairs need to be made.
Need Professional Appliance Repair?
When you’re preparing for the holidays the last thing you need is a problem with your oven or any of your household appliances. If you want to double check the accuracy of your oven temperature, stop into Jersey Coast Appliance and pick up one of our free testing kits. If you find that your oven is not heating properly, we can help with that and all your appliance repair and replacement needs.
We have the expertise and customer service that you can rely on as well as a wide variety of replacement parts in stock, including Kenmore parts. We offer a variety of services, including 24/7 emergency service for issues that need immediate assistance. Also, with our night owl service available anytime between 4 P.M. and 8 P.M. during the week, we can conveniently work around your schedule.
As a nationally approved certified service center, we’ve undergone an extensive review of our management and customer service policies, dress code, adherence to Federal and local regulations, insurance coverage, and technician qualifications to assure that you, our customer, receive the best quality of service that is available today. If your appliances are in need of repairs, don’t hesitate, give us a call!
