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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to leave the house while cooking a chicken in the oven?

40 replies

allthecarbs · 23/08/2016 14:22

Sorry this is so dull.

I've just put a chicken in the oven but ds is bugging me to take him to the park. I can see our house very clearly from the park so feel ok about being able to react to a fire etc.
Mentioned it to dh and he thinks I'm crazy and need to be in the house to supervise the chicken.

Who is BU?

OP posts:
Somerville · 23/08/2016 14:23

Umm, you really don't need to supervise a dead animal.

Somerville · 23/08/2016 14:24

Does your oven have a timer?

If not, just make sure you come back in time to turn it off.

I'm properly bemused by how anyone would ever get anything done if they think they have to watch their oven the whole time food is in it.

EveOnline2016 · 23/08/2016 14:25

I often put meat in the oven then do the school run.

EveOnline2016 · 23/08/2016 14:26

Plus if the chicken combust into a raging fire your safer at the park :)

Original poster
allthecarbs · 23/08/2016 14:27

The oven turns itself off when the timer is finished and I wouldn't be that long anyway.

I don't want to upset him when he's so adamant but really...How on earth would he know anyway? I've cooked a chicken thousands of times and never had it blow up.

OP posts:
Mirandawest · 23/08/2016 14:27

I would leave it in the oven and go to the park.

starsinyourpies · 23/08/2016 14:28

Please do not worry about this!!!!!

YorkieDorkie · 23/08/2016 14:29

YANBU. Sounds like my DH. I've left the oven on so CLEARLY the house will burn down Hmm.

Somerville · 23/08/2016 14:29

When someone is being adamant but is wrong then it's really not good to get into a habit of indulging them.

Everyone is wrong sometimes and he is on this occasion.

thepenguinsrock · 23/08/2016 14:32

I always leave meat in the oven to pop out to the shop, school run or park. Just keep an eye on the time and will be fine.

RatherBeRiding · 23/08/2016 14:33

As your DH is so adamant that you cannot leave the house whilst the oven is on Hmm despite it having a turn-off mechanism, maybe HE could sit and watch the chicken??

EmzDisco · 23/08/2016 14:34

As Eve says if the chicken does catch fire you're better off in the park! Why would your DH want you and your DS hanging around a combusting chicken?! Sounds like he needs a rethink on his safety procedures.

dementedpixie · 23/08/2016 14:36

I do it all the time with meat that cooks for ages. I have an electric oven so don't know if I would do it with a gas oven

flanjabelle · 23/08/2016 14:37

I know your dh is being crazy, but I'm the same. I can't leave the oven on and leave the house. I also can't leave the tumble drier on either as it will certainly catch fire.

I have lost everything in a fire before though, so that explains why I am extra cautious. Has your dh had a fire before?

youngestisapsycho · 23/08/2016 14:37

I've left mine on with a casserole inside for up to 7 hours a day when we are all out work/school.

Boogers · 23/08/2016 14:38

Your husband is being a little bit unreasonable. The oven doesn't need supervising if it's cooking something like a chicken or any other roast that takes a while to cook. If you were grilling cheese on toast or baking a cake I wouldn't leave it, but you're fine with a chicken.

I dread to think what he imagines you do with a slow cooker!

Mix56 · 23/08/2016 14:47

This is what slow cookers & oven timers are for..... SO YOU CAN BE OUT WHILE THE FOOD COOKS

Happyhippy45 · 23/08/2016 14:53

I don't go out and leave the oven on. Just something I've never done. We had a gas cooker growing up and I suppose that's a bit more dangerous than an electric one.
DH won't go out and leave washing machine, dishwasher or tumble dryer on either. He'd prefer if I didn't as well. Pffft. Tumble dryer I can understand but I'd never leave the house if I had to wait until all the appliances had finished! He took a bit of persuading about leaving the slow cooker on too.

beela · 23/08/2016 15:00

What??

One of the best things about a roast is that you can bung it in the oven and forget about it.

Go to the park.

AlpacaLypse · 23/08/2016 15:04

If it's that unsafe, why does my cooker have a timer to switch it on mid afternoon so that whatever I put in there ready in the morning is cooked when I get home?

tinyterrors · 23/08/2016 15:06

I wouldn't go out with the oven on because ours is gas so has more potential to go wrong, I'd maybe leave it if I had an electric oven with a timer.

I don't leave the washing machine or dryer on and go out either, I used to until the motor went on the dryer in the middle of a load and would have set the house on fire if I hadn't been there, luckily I just lost a few towels and the dryer. Statistically speaking washing machines are the most likely appliance to malfunction and cause a house fire and it's not worth the risk to me after the dryer incident.

RepentAtLeisure · 23/08/2016 15:07

Just double check everything. The only time I ever did this was also the only time I ever accidentally trapped half the oven glove inside the cooker and came home to the smoke alarms blaring, a house full of smoke and panicked neighbours.

FoxesOnSocks · 23/08/2016 15:08

My only concern at leaving the oven on when out the house is not being back in time abs dinner burning. One day I'll figure out the timer!!

AcrossthePond55 · 23/08/2016 15:10

My mum did it just about every Sunday. Slap the roast in the oven and off we'd go to church. Back home around noon and it'd be ready.

I've left things in the oven a few times to run an errand, but I'm never completely comfortable with it.

Yukduck · 23/08/2016 15:25

I saw this and just had to respond.
I have always put the meat in and gone out to the park, in the garden, or popped out to walk the dog until it was time to put the potatoes and veg on.
It helps build the anticipation!

However, one time our collie jumped up on the cooker whilst I was out and managed to turn the oven to full blast! The meat was not too bad, just a bit too browned but salvageable.

Never again. The dog always comes with me now if I leave meat in the oven. I still put the meat on and go out. Life is too short to watch dinner cook. Just be warned if you are the owner of a nosey leggy collie.