Oven cooking
The wire shelves should always be pushed firmly to the back of the oven.
Baking trays with food cooking on them should be placed level with the front edge of the oven’s wire shelves. Other containers should be placed centrally. Keep all trays and containers away from the back of the oven, as overbrowning of the food may occur.
For even browning, the maximum recommended size of a baking tray is 325mm (123/4”) by 305mm (12”).
When the oven is on, don’t leave the door open for longer than necessary, otherwise the knobs may get very hot.
•Always leave a ‘fingers width’ between dishes on the same shelf. This allows the heat to circulate freely around them.
•To reduce fat splashing when you add vegetables to hot fat around a roast, dry them thoroughly or brush lightly with cooking oil.
•Where dishes may boil and spill over during cooking, place them on a baking tray.
The oven is protected by a safety cut off, which reduces the supply of gas to the oven if the flames go out, e.g. an interruption to the mains supply.
•Plates can be warmed in the oven on the ‘S’ setting. The ‘S’ setting can be used to keep foods hot for
•The Cook & Clean oven liners (see Cleaning your cooker) work better when fat splashes are avoided. Cover meat when cooking.
•Sufficient heat rises out of the oven while cooking to warm plates in the grill compartment.
•If you want to brown the base of a pastry dish, preheat a baking tray for 15 minutes before placing the dish in the centre of the tray.
‘S’ (Slow) cooking
The ‘S’ setting is a very low temperature for slow cooking, overnight or while you are out or at work. The ‘S’ setting can also be used for keeping food warm.
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.
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