Why is it when you buy most frozen/chilled items (eg pizza), the cooking instructions always ask for the oven to be preheated? Does it make any difference if you put the food item in a cold oven and then switch it on to cook the product?
2006-10-14 08:58:54 · 15 answers · asked by Fun Guy 2 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
Because the timing of the cooking begins when the oven is up to the recommended temperature; it usually takes a few minutes, even with gas. It will cook more thoroughly when the oven is preheated, although putting it the cold oven isn't going to hurt it.
Think of cooking as chemistry. If you put a product on a pre-heated cookie sheet, for example, the dough will cook differently than if it is placed on a cold cookie sheet, into a pre-heated oven.
2006-10-14 09:04:48 · answer #1 · answered by Joya 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't need to be. When I'm baking bread, I'll often put it in to bake as the oven's heating. I do the same with any dough product (pizza, etc.) I am quite familiar with my oven's habits, however, and know how to adjust the baking time accordingly. It may be my imagination, but I think I get a nicer baking job if I don't put the dough into an oven that's already hot.
2006-10-14 16:27:45 · answer #2 · answered by thejanith 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so its the correct temperature to cook the food for the recommended cooking time.
it can alter how the food cooks if going into a cold oven and only takes about 10 mins
2006-10-14 18:03:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's to cover themselves so they can give an accurate cooking time. They can't guess how long it takes everyone's oven to reach the tempereature and they could be liable otherwise. Say you put the meal in your oven and time it exactly from when you turn the oven on to when you eat it. If it's undercooked, you get food poisoning and it didn't say pre-heated oven, you could sue.
2006-10-14 16:13:55 · answer #4 · answered by jleslie4585 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, as the oven heats up it is also starting to cook the food, so if you cook it for the amount of time on the packaging, the food will be overcooked.
2006-10-14 16:04:17 · answer #5 · answered by blondie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It helps the item you are baking cook thoroughly and consistently throughout if the oven is at a steady temperature.
2006-10-14 16:05:04 · answer #6 · answered by butterball 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its best to have a preheated oven because the cooking times vary when you have to heat it up. You could burn or undercook it. So, its probably best to just preheat it.
2006-10-14 16:07:56 · answer #7 · answered by Ha Ha! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is so that the food goes in at the right temperature to ensure that even cooking is distributed on the food and therefore cooks correctly, ensuring a perfectly hot meal/dish.
2006-10-14 17:46:01 · answer #8 · answered by Rob 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cold ovens make for dried up meals instant heat cooks more evenly
2006-10-15 17:16:06 · answer #9 · answered by Deedee 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the food will warm up slowly in an oven that hasnt been pre-heated, putting you at risk of developing food poisoning.
always pre-heat your oven!! xx
2006-10-15 06:38:57 · answer #10 · answered by Mrs Chicagosgirl!! 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋