The oven tray hides a well-kept secret that can revolutionize your cooking. Find out why its sloping side was specially designed and how to use it wisely.
Christmas biscuits, gingerbread, petit fours, fish or roast poultry, if there is one element in our kitchens that is not idle during the festive period, it is the good old oven! And in the end-of-year rush, it’s better to know how to use it properly and optimize its operation. Among the essential accessories is obviously the oven tray, also called a baking tray or fry pan.
But did you know that this essential object in our kitchens conceals a little-known characteristic? If you pay attention, you’ll notice that one end has a slanted edge, while the other forms a perfect right angle with the bottom of the plate. Far from being trivial, this detail has a very specific purpose which still eludes many amateur cooks.
Contrary to what one might think at first glance, the inclined side of the plate is not intended to facilitate the unloading of preparations. No, oven manufacturers did not have this curious idea, thinking of helping you to more easily remove small cakes or fries from the oven… Its role is in reality quite different. Most people therefore make the mistake of placing the plate or their frying pan with the inclined edge towards the front of the oven, closest to the door. However, it is exactly the opposite that should be done!
The correct way to position your baking tray is actually to insert the inclined side first, and place it towards the back of your oven. This positioning is not the result of chance, it optimizes the circulation of hot air inside the enclosure. The slight space thus created between the wall and the plate promotes a more even distribution of heat, in particular when using the “fan heat” function.
Thanks to this simple tip, no more cakes that burn on one side and remain raw on the other! Your pastries and other oven preparations will be even more successful. Be careful though! Optimal oven operations may depend on the brand and type of oven. Certain functions have recently appeared, such as the new economical convection heat modes, which are more efficient than on old models.
It is therefore better to refer to the instructions for use and the manual for your oven to be sure. We therefore checked the instructions for a recent oven from one of the reference brands, Bosch. On it, on the contrary, it is indicated twice: “Introduce the drip pan into the oven, ensuring that the inclined edge is oriented towards the oven door”. So it’s better to check…