Settle an argument for me. Do you do this...

[PinkBalloon123]

When cooking frozen food, chips or a birds eye breaded chicken etc. I just whack it in the oven for half an hour job done. But...

do you heat the oven up first?

I preheat to 5 degrees above cooking temperature so that after I’ve opened oven door and put in the food the loss of heat is the correct temp. I then try to remember to turn down the temperature dial to correct temp as well.

Heating the oven makes a big difference, in my experience, even with a fan oven.

If baking I will always preheat to required temperature. Oven fries/party pies etc I will pop straight in. Roasts/casseroles I will preheat while prepping so dependant upon how quick I am.

I usually put the oven just before I start doing bathtime and then it's up to temperature for DH to stick something in while I'm settling DC.

On a related argument, does anyone believe their oven heats up more quickly if you set it to a higher temperature? I can't shake the belief that it will get to 180 quicker if I set it to 200 and then turn it down before it's fully heated up than if I just set it to 180 but DH (probably rightly) thinks this is magical thinking.

I always preheat the oven. I'm sure adding a few minutes on to compensate for not doing so would work fine though. I would be sure to do one of those though.

On a related argument, does anyone believe their oven heats up more quickly if you set it to a higher temperature? I can't shake the belief that it will get to 180 quicker if I set it to 200 and then turn it down before it's fully heated up than if I just set it to 180 but DH (probably rightly) thinks this is magical thinking.

My instinct is the same as yours Morred. One the rare occasions I do pre-heat, I just feel that if I set it higher it will run to catch up and will get to the required temperature quicker, but I know in my heart that this is rubbish, and it doesn't work like that.

50/50 depending how demanding the little one's are being! makes no difference to the food, bit of extra time for a cold oven. Mines electric.

When I had a gas oven I would just put food in without preheating but now I have a rubbish electric one I have to pre heat. I also now have a electric hob rather than gas and I hate it! It’s impossible to do a stir fry or anything that requires decent heat!

Yes I do as the food cooks better. I find if you don't things go soggy on the bottom.

Don't bother, just make sure its cooked before I eat it.

I always heat the oven but only for a few minutes. DP just shoves it in. I never pay any attention to timings on food either - it's just ready when it's ready!

You definitely should if you're cooking chicken. I always heat the oven first. My ex mother in law used to put sausages in overnight on her timer oven, so they'd be cooked at breakfast time. I always thought that was a bit dodgy.

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't! I usually add time on to the cooking time.

I heat the oven for 10 minutes or would cook for longer than stated time

The hyperbole of people saying they are 'shocked' 'flabbergasted' and 'astonished' and the pointed comments 'you can tell when an oven isn't pre-heated' are brilliantly snobby.

No pre-heat for processed shit like nuggets or pizza. Pre-heat always for cakes, yorkshire puds and roasties.

I never used to but do now. No difference in the food, just my mental health 😂

If its just freezer stuff like chips and nuggets, then no - I just add a few more minutes to the timing.

If its proper baking, like a Christmas cake full of very expensive ingredients, then yes. And nobody is allowed to even think about opening the door until its done!

Only pre heat if baking as then it matters. Consistent heat etc.

Frozen chips? Meh, shove them in, cook til they seem edible.

Oh God I’m hearing you GameSetMatch I have an induction cooktop. God I miss my old gas one. Unfortunately where I’m living now can only use bottled gas so that covers the BBQ and the gas heater in winter. I can cope with the oven, but the cooktop I really miss.

Always.

For things cooked slowly for a long time, it probably doesn't matter much but if I'm browning / sizzling meat (a la Hugh Fernley Whittingstall) or cooking or finishing off something like a steak then it's essential. To put it in to a cold oven would result in the wrong result and would mean I didn't know how hot it got.

does anyone believe their oven heats up more quickly if you set it to a higher temperature

This reminds me of American comedian Rich Hall’s Sniglets (words for something where there is no existing word).

“Elexceleration - (verb) repeatedly pushing an elevator button thinking it will make the elevator arrive faster.”

My ex mother in law used to put sausages in overnight on her timer oven, so they'd be cooked at breakfast time.

I suppose nobody died, but yes, what a wonderful risk-taker she was!

That sai, anyone who can invent an oven that keeps food chilled until timer goes off then start the oven cooking at the right temp...? Quids in.

I always pre-heat and wait till the oven light indicates that the oven has reached the temperature I set. To be fair, I didn't do that in college or for a few years after and it didn't kill anyone. I do think it helps though.

No, my gas oven heats up pretty quick anyway so bung it in and away we go.

If I'm baking, or cooking a joint of meat, then yes I would preheat the oven first.

Yes

Good lord, what an eye-opener! I thought EVERYONE pre-heated their ovens.

Maybe it's just my old crate, which takes a good 15 minutes before the light goes off. I'd be dishing up raw chicken if I didn't pre-heat.