When a recipe calls to reduce oven temperature mid-cooking, should you leave the door ajar until the oven reaches said temperature?

When a recipe calls to reduce oven temperature mid-cooking, should you leave the door ajar until the oven reaches said temperature? - Stone pizza oven with stainless flue placed in lush summer garden for picnic

I have always wondered this. Many recipes will ask for 15-10 minutes browning at 450f and then continue cooking at 350f. But should you leave the door open until the oven hits said lower temperature, or just reduce the temperature mid cooking and be done with it?

What yields a better result?



Best Answer

No, don't leave your door ajar. The recipes have already factored in the time an oven needs to go lower. Also, as a very loose rule of thumb, many dishes tend to do better without very wild temperature swings during baking, and some of them (e.g. steam leavenend cakes) react really badly to them.




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Quick Answer about "When a recipe calls to reduce oven temperature mid-cooking, should you leave the door ajar until the oven reaches said temperature?"

1 Answer. Show activity on this post. No, don't leave your door ajar. The recipes have already factored in the time an oven needs to go lower.

How do I lower the temperature of my oven when baking?

To change the oven temperature while baking or broiling, you do not need to turn the oven off first. While the oven is in use, press Bake or Broil (as appropriate). Change the temperature using number pads or +/-, depending on model.

How do you adjust cooking time when temperature is lowered?

How to adjust cooking times for different temperatures.
  • Work out the percentage difference in temperature. Start Temperature / End Temp = % Difference. ...
  • Adjust Expected Time. Multiply initial time by the % Difference. ...
  • Add a safety margin. ...
  • Opening the oven. ...
  • Space around the food. ...
  • Shelf Height / Position in the Oven.


  • How do you adjust the temperature of a recipe?

    2. Reduce the original baking temperature by 25\xb0F. For example, if your recipe calls for baking the food in a 375\xb0F oven, set the dial to 350\xb0F. If it calls for 400\xb0F, set it to 375\xb0F.

    How many degrees do you lose when you open the oven door?

    Corriher, in her recently published book Bakewise, says that the oven temperature can drop 150\xb0 or more if the oven door is left open just thirty seconds! The oven can then take several minutes to come back up to full temperature.




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Lachlan Ross, Andrea Piacquadio, RODNAE Productions, RODNAE Productions