How Long to Bake

[Grmps]

All countertop oven settings are off. It's a flaw in the design. the temperature will vary with the surrounding (room) temperature. they've been known to be off over 75°

Place a couple thermometers in the middle of the shelf you will bake on and adjust your oven setting until the thermometer reach 400° (IF the thermometers don't agree with each other borrow another thermometer and keep the ones that agree with eachother) It is good to check the setting every time there is a big change in the surrounding temperature.

Another thing that will help is to cover the bottom of your oven with heat retaining media I use ceramic BBQ briquettes, other use firebrick, chunks of metal, ??? this will help the oven return to 400° faster after opening the door.

[bangerjim]

Remember.......baking a large thermal mass like a cassarole is far different that that tiny thermal mass of boolits we bake. The cheap ovens do just fine with large masses....they suck with small masses!!!!!!!! That is why a convection oven is far superior to a cheap non-convection type.

Get a convection oven to get best bakes for small thermal masses like boolits. Use a PID controller if you wish. Waste of time if you by a good digital oven like the Oster I have. I get PERFECT bakes at 400F every time digitally. No need for crutch-like bricks and stuff in the bottom of the oven. Just go with the best (spend some $$ up front) and you will not have problems!!!!!!!!!!


Bangerjim

[Dragonheart]

If you are first starting out you should run several dry runs with your oven and a good thermometer to see how it responds. First will it constantly reach the desired temperature, usually 400 degrees. Second will it hold a constant temperature or does it bounce up and down. If it won't do both of these then you have a bad oven for PC.