‘S’ (Slow) cooking
The ‘S’ setting is a low temperature setting.
You can cook on ‘S’ throughout, or use a 30 minute ‘boost’ period at gas mark 6 and then ‘S’ cook.
When roasting joints, poultry or pot roasting, always cook at Mark 6 for 30 minutes at the beginning of the cooking period.
You can ‘S’ cook for periods of 6 to 12 hours. This technique is particularly useful if you want to cook a dish overnight or while you are out at work during the day.
Frozen foods must be thoroughly thawed out before ‘S’ cooking.
Whole poultry should not be cooked on ‘S’. Chicken casseroles are fine.
Casseroles must be brought to boiling point on the hotplate immediately before ‘S’ cooking.
Poultry and rolled joints should not be stuffed before cooking. The stuffing should be cooked separately. Poultry and pork should be cooked in the top half of the oven, and other meats not lower than shelf position 4.
A roasting joint should be covered with cooking foil, or with a roasting bag to reduce shrinkage and retain juices.
Should further browning be necessary, uncover the meat and increase the temperature to Mark 4 for a short period.
Cut root vegetables into small pieces unless cooking whole, e.g. jacket potatoes.
Cover dishes tightly with a lid or foil to prevent evaporation and transfer of flavour.
Once the oven has been loaded and the ‘S” setting is in operation resist the temptation to open the oven door. Heat will be lost and the cooking time extended.
A meat thermometer is recommended for checking that a joint or poultry is sufficiently cooked. Insert the probe through the thickest part of the meat. The temperatures to be expected are as follows.-
Beef | rare | 60°C/ 140°F |
| medium | 71°C/ 160°F |
| well done | 77°C/ 170°F |
Lamb |
| 82°C/ 180°F |
Pork | fresh | 88°C/ 190°F |
| cured | 77°C/ 170°F |
Poultry |
| 90°C/ 195°F |
Veal |
| 77°C/ 170°F |
The oven control settings and cooking times given opposite are intended to be used only as a guide. Individual tastes may require the temperature to be altered to provide a preferred result.
Always leave at least one runner space between shelves when 2 tier cooking. Place baking trays, individual cake tins or baking dishes centrally on the oven shelf. For best results
Recipe Temperature Guide
This recipe temperature guide will help you select a Gas Mark when the recipe says, for example, “use a moderately hot oven”
Gas | Heat |
|
Mark | of Oven | Types of dishes to cook |
‘S’ | Slow | ‘S’ cooking, Warming plates and |
|
| dishes. Keeping food hot. |
|
|
|
1 | Cool | Baking custards. Milk puddings. |
|
| Very rich fruit cakes, i.e. |
|
| Christmas. |
|
|
|
2 | Cool | Braising. Casseroles. Rich fruit |
|
| cake |
|
|
|
3 | Warm | Low temperature roasting, |
|
| Biscuits. Rich plain cakes. |
|
|
|
4 | Moderate | Plain cakes. |
|
|
|
5 | Fairly Hot | Baked fish, Small cakes. |
|
|
|
6 | Hot | High temperature roasting. Choux |
|
| pastry. Shortcrust pastry, Genoese |
|
| cake. |
|
|
|
7 | Hot | Rich dough breads, Flaky and |
|
| rough puff pastry, High |
|
| temperature roasting. |
|
|
|
8 | Very Hot | Plain dough bread. Puff pastry. |
|
|
|
9 | Very Hot | Browning ready cooked dishes. |
|
|
|
10
