How to use the oven

Hot ruddy pastries are the pride of every housewife. This will require not only skill, but also a well-adjusted oven. With its help, you can create real masterpieces of culinary art not only from dough, but also from meat, fish and vegetables.

Features of the oven in the kitchen

Before buying, you need to decide which oven you want to see in the kitchen - electric or gas. The second option is more budgetary and classic - the burner is located at the bottom.

More expensive models are equipped with a grill - a special burner on top. This way the dishes turn out to be baked, but almost never burn. The most expensive are gas ovens with a cooler that evenly distributes hot air over an enclosed space.

An electric oven is considered a modern solution for housewives, which has received a huge number of advantages:

• the space inside is evenly heated at all points, so you can cook several dishes at the same time;
• it became real to precisely adjust the temperature required for cooking;
• the oven has a large number of options for baking, preparing second courses, snacks;
• the ability to select the heating mode and the direction of heat supply.

But, this innovation has its drawbacks:

• high power consumption;
• the wiring in the house may not withstand the load;
• the power can be cut off at the most inopportune moment, when the dish is still being prepared.

How to light the oven

Any equipment is supplied by the manufacturer with instructions, with prescribed operating rules. Before starting work, it is better to spend a few minutes studying than to repair equipment later. It is important to note that gas and electric ovens have different switching principles, heat up at different speeds and require far from the same time for cooking.

In a gas stove

There are two types of ignition in a gas oven - electric and manual. In the first case, the flame appears without human intervention, which is more convenient and safer. Electric ignition can be automatic (using one button) and mechanical, when gas is started and ignited by different control mechanisms.

A distinctive feature of all modern stoves is the presence of the "gas control" function - the gas supply is automatically shut off if the flame goes out.

In an electric stove

An electric oven is considered safer and easier to use - to "start" it is enough to insert the plug into the socket and set the required temperature mode with the regulator. After cooking, the regulator must be returned to the "0" position and the oven must be disconnected from the mains. The inner surface can only be cleaned by de-energizing the device!

It should be borne in mind that during operation the oven heats up very much, therefore it is not recommended to touch it - you can easily get a thermal burn.

Methods for lighting a fire in the oven

Ovens are available with automatic and electric ignition. It is difficult to say which option is better, because housewives get used to both equally quickly. In the case of electric ignition, the procedure is considered safer, because the person does not come into contact with direct fire. Otherwise, there are no fundamental differences.

Electric ignition of the oven

How to use electric ignition gas stove ovens:

1. set the gas supply regulator to the maximum position;
2. press the ignition key and wait 2-5 seconds;
3. after the flame is established, the ignition button can be released.

Manual ignition of the flame

How to turn on the oven:

1. open the oven and leave it to air for a couple of minutes;
2. find the gas outlet;
3. light a match and bring it to the igniter;
4. turn the throttle handle and hold it for about 10-15 seconds.

After the flame is established, the oven door can be closed and set to the set temperature. A significant disadvantage of gas appliances is their instability. The temperature can fluctuate, depending on the quality of the gas, the power of its supply, etc.

Important! If it was not possible to light the oven the first time, you need to try again only after the remaining gas has disappeared.

Features of the first launch

When starting up both a gas and an electric oven for the first time, you need to carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations. This will save you from many mistakes and prevent damage to the device.

All internal surfaces and components must be thoroughly washed, and the utensils used must be placed inside for annealing. This will remove any residues of packaging materials, shipping oils and other substances that can give off unpleasant odors and toxins from the surfaces.

To ignite the oven, it must be turned on at the maximum temperature for about 1-1.5 hours. During the procedure, unpleasant aromas may appear in the kitchen, which should not cause concern. The exception is persistent burning and smoke odors. In this case, calcination must be stopped and the reason must be understood. In other cases, calcination must be carried out several times until the unpleasant odors completely disappear.

After such cleaning, the oven must be wiped with a damp cloth and left to ventilate.

Immediately before preparing food for the first time, you should try to adapt to the new oven:

1. choose the optimal temperature regime;
2. understand what position of the lattice in height is necessary;
3. calculate the heating speed of the oven.

Additional functions

Budget models can boast of only one option - to cook food. It is good if the heating in them is carried out evenly and the dish does not have to be periodically turned in different directions.

More expensive and modern models will become real helpers to the hostess, because they have very useful oven modes:

Microwave function

Found only in electric ovens. The function will save space and money - you do not have to buy an additional microwave oven. The electric heater in both devices works identically.

Double boiler

This function is specific to electric stoves only.A steam generator is installed inside the oven, thanks to which you can use wet, hot or intense steam. The dishes cooked on it are dietary and healthy.

Skewer

This function has been perfected in gas ovens. An elongated metal rod is inserted inside, on which the meat is strung. This allows it to cook evenly from all sides, acquiring its characteristic softness, juiciness and golden crust.

Grill

The function is realized thanks to the upper heating element present in electric ovens. You can cook meat, fish, vegetables, which in their appearance and taste are in no way inferior to those cooked on a professional grill. You just need to figure out how to use the grill in an electric oven.

Self-cleaning

It is present in almost all ovens and includes several methods for removing dirt: hydrolysis, catalytic, pyrolytic. In the first case, detergent is poured into a special tank and the oven is turned on. Under the influence of vapors, the dirt softens and can be easily removed with a regular soft cloth.

The catalytic method is based on the reaction of a special oven door enamel to high temperatures: fatty deposits simply break down into water and carbon.

Pyrolytic self-cleaning is present only in expensive models - after the end of cooking, the device turns on the temperature of 500 ° C, at which all contaminants burn out. The hostess can only remove the ashes.

Safety regulations

Both the gas cabinet and the electrical cabinet are fire hazardous items that require utmost care in their operation. You should definitely not let small children near them or leave them unattended for a long time.

Safety rules when working with an electric stove:

• Availability of grounding. In apartment buildings without gas, the security system is thought out initially, even when the house is put into operation. If the house is gasified, but the residents intend to install an electric furnace, it is necessary to take a grounding scheme in the housing office and simply connect the stove to it.
• Do not turn on both the oven and the burners at the same time, because this can overload the network. This is especially true in houses with old or weak wiring.
• The stove should not be used as a heating device.
• It is forbidden to use plastic utensils for cooking - under the influence of high temperatures, they will melt, ruin the surface and may cause a fire.
• When using the stove in microwave mode, do not use dishes with shiny elements - they will sparkle and can cause a short circuit.

Safety rules when using a gas oven:

• The oven is not designed to heat the room, so it does not need to be used in place of a space heater.
• After cooking, you need to ventilate both the oven and the kitchen from combustion products.
• It is necessary to ensure that the flame burns evenly and has a bluish color. If its shade is red or yellow, you need to urgently turn off the device and ventilate the room. This means that the gas does not burn out completely. There may be several reasons: low-quality fuel or device malfunction. If the problem manifests itself more than once, you need to call the inspector of the gas service.
• In the event of a breakdown, it is strictly forbidden to disassemble the oven and try to repair it yourself - for these purposes it is necessary to involve specialists. They will not only eliminate the breakdown, but also connect the device correctly, ensuring the complete tightness of the gas supply system.

Oven care rules

The oven will last for one year if it is properly cared for:

1. The inner surface must be wiped clean after every cooking. It is best not to let the oven cool completely, so the stains will wipe off faster. Once every 1.5-2 weeks, the cabinet must be steamed with detergents to remove greasy deposits. After such cleaning, the oven will have to be washed again, but with clean running water, in order to remove the remnants of the product and plaque.
2. If you need to remove old stains, you need to slightly warm up the cabinet - just set the temperature to 50 ° C and leave it to warm up for 10-15 minutes. After that, even heavy carbon deposits will begin to move away faster.
3. It is strongly not recommended to use metal scrapers for cleaning - they will most likely damage the enamel / ceramic surface. It is better to use sponges or soft rags. Intense dirt must be pre-filled with a cleaning agent and left for 15-20 minutes.
4. Before cleaning, it is better to disassemble the oven as much as possible: remove the grates and baking sheets, any other removable elements. If possible, you need to remove the door as well - it is much more convenient to wash all the components separately.
5. It is strictly forbidden to use cleaning agents on heating elements and the cooler! When exposed to high temperatures (the next time you use the oven), they can begin to release toxic substances that will enter food and cause severe poisoning.
6. After cleaning, leave the oven door open for a few hours. This will allow surfaces to dry completely and excess odors to leave.
7. If the unpleasant amber persists, you need to use activated charcoal: dissolve 10-15 tablets in a glass (250 g) of water and put in a barely warm oven overnight. This powerful absorbent will absorb all unpleasant odors.

Oven operation can be enjoyable if you take care of the appliance in a timely manner and follow safety precautions. Which cabinet is better - electric or gas, each housewife chooses for herself. With proper care, any oven will work properly for years.

Video: how to light a gas oven