Tips on Cooking Multiple Items in an Oven

Filling your oven completely is common over the holidays, but cooking multiple items at once makes good sense at any time. Using your oven to its capacity can reduce your utility bills and it's a pragmatic way to prepare multiple meals for quick, easy dinners through the week. That will cut the time you spend cooking and leave room in your life for more fun.

Forward Planning

Whether you are preparing a holiday meal or just filling your freezer or taking the time to plan your work can save you a lot of misery. Make sure all the pans you are using will physically fit into the oven at the same time and that large items can fit on either the upper or lower shelf. Leave ample space between the pans for air to circulate, otherwise your foods won’t cook evenly.

The Main Event

If you are cooking a turkey or a roast, organise everything else around that. Usually a big entree starts at a high temperature to crisp and brown; the exterior and then the temperature is turned down to finish cooking. That’s the strategic time to start putting in other foods. Adding other items makes the main ingredient’s roasting time unpredictable, so use your oven’s probe thermometer or buy one separately to monitor its temperature.

Ins and Outs

Your main dish can take hours to cook, so there’s plenty of opportunity to rotate casseroles and side dishes in the oven. Cool them for later use, as they come out or keep them warm for tonight’s meal. Particularly helpful is the warming drawer. You can also reheat side dishes after your main dish comes out, while it is resting on the cutting board.

Advanced Features

Advanced oven features can simplify your cooking projects. By simply using the convection way, it reduces your cooking time and provides even cooking and browning. Dual-oven ranges are also handy, allowing separate temperatures for different foods. It takes a step further by offering a removable divider, making it to be single or dual oven when needed.