Test Kitchen tips: oven accuracy

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The oven. Whether it’s a much-loved standard home issue, a powder-blue mid-century restoration or the latest two-ton stainless steel conversation piece, you need an accurate oven to get the job done.

Amy Scattergood’s Food section story this week, Bring the bistro experience home with savory rillettes, points up the need for an accurate oven for the long, slow roasting required for meltingly tender lamb rillettes. And for this week’s SOS recipe, a rich and moist banana cake needs the right temperature, too. Here are some tips for determining, maintaining and making the most of your oven’s accuracy:

Checking for accuracy:

• Most oven problems can be traced to calibration. If this is off, your oven won’t work at the right temperature, and a difference of as little as 25 degrees can make or break a fragile recipe like custard. If you think the temperature gauge is inaccurate, test the gauge against a little oven thermometer; these handy items are available at many supermarkets and most cooking supply stores. Place it in the oven and test your thermometer’s reading against the oven setting next time you use it. If your oven is off, you can often fix this yourself; many ovens have adjustable temperature knobs, but check the owner’s manual to be sure. Otherwise, call a service professional.

Maintaining accuracy:

• Always be gentle opening and closing the door. Slamming the door will almost always throw off your oven’s calibration.
• Check the gasket around the door to make sure it’s attached and properly fitted. A loose gasket will allow heat to escape.
• Make sure any vents are unobstructed.

Making the most of your oven:

• Unless the recipe states otherwise, place your items in the center of the oven, preferably on the center rack, where the heat is most consistent.
• If baking multiple racks of items, like cookies, rotate the trays (top to bottom, front to back) for more even baking.
• Remember that various materials -- glass, metal (light and dark) and ceramic -- react differently to heat and will produce varying results.
• Avoid opening the oven door unless necessary. It may be tempting, but an open door allows heat to escape.

- Noelle Carter