How to Test Your Oven Temperature Without a Thermometer
"A thermometer is most accurate, of course, but this will give you an idea of how well your oven is calibrated. There are two tests, one for hot-running ovens, one for cold. Based on the method in Cooking for Geeks. "
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (48.1 g)
- Calories 175.6
- Total Fat - 0 g
- Saturated Fat - 0 g
- Cholesterol - 0 mg
- Sodium - 488.5 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 44.6 g
- Dietary Fiber - 0 g
- Sugars - 20.5 g
- Protein - 0 g
- Calcium - 270.7 mg
- Iron - 0.5 mg
- Vitamin C - 0 mg
- Thiamin - 0 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
To test if your oven is running cold: Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. (186° Celsius)
Step 2
Place granulated sugar in a small oven-proof dish or on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, and place in oven for 15 minutes.
Step 3
If your oven is properly calibrated, the sugar will melt. If it is too cold, the sugar will not melt.
Step 4
To test if your oven is running hot: Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius).
Step 5
Place granulated sugar in a small oven-proof dish or on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, and place in oven for 15 minutes.
Step 6
If your oven is properly calibrated, the sugar will not melt (but may brown somewhat). If your oven is running hot, the sugar will melt.
Step 7
Note: ovens do not maintain a constant temperature, but cycle above and below it, so it is possible that the sugar may melt at 350° if your oven is correctly calibrated but has an extreme cycle (15° Fahrenheit, 8° Celsius). It's a good idea to follow up this test with a real thermometer.
Tips
No special items needed.