Baking in RV oven

[Westins]

Would like to know how others are able to bake in their RV ovens and have success & not over cooked or burned food.? I know part of my problem has been using too big containers for oven. (such as 13x9 pan) Last year I was talking to another RV lady and she told me she had found a portable fan to put in the bottom of her oven and that solved her baking problems as it helped force the circulation of the heat around.? I failed to ask her where she got it and assumed I could just go into Camping World and find it - but not there.? I would appreciate any tips and ideas.? Thank You!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Are you talking about gas ovens or convection microwaves? 

The small RV-size gas ovens are notoriously uneven in heating. And use an oven thermometer to find the real temp in the area you place the dish/pot - it may be far different than the dialed setting.  Some have found that adding a pizza stone helps level out the heat and avoid burned spots. 

I've never seen a fan that would survive oven temperatures, but maybe there is such a thing.  It would probably help level out the temps.

 

[lucyakers]

Ask Daisy Thomas. She was the pro way back in the first Quartzsite days. One trick was an airbake cookie sheet under things.

 

[Westins]

Thanks for your posts....
Airbake pan and stone - I will have to try them.? It is my gas oven
under the burners that's giving me the problems.? We may have to
change our "just a microwave" to a combo/convection as I love
to bake and those are pretty small ovens under the burners....
Would love to have Daisy's tips -- sounds like she may have been
a baker too?? ?

 

[Tom]

Would love to have Daisy's tips -- sounds like she may have been a baker too?

Sounds like Daisy's cue to share some of her experience. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Daisy post here for some time.

 

[Betty Brewer]

Would like to know how others are able to bake in their RV ovens and have success & not over cooked or burned food.? Thank You!

Be sure to get an oven thermometer.  As Gary said their gauges may be off. When I put my  oven  thermometer inside it actually  reads 50 degrees cooler than the temp set  gauge shows.  This is a huge difference so I always have to set my oven for 50 degrees higher than recipe calls for.  I don't have a gas oven so the little baking I do is in the convection.  S if you get a new  micro/convection just be careful to measure temps yourself.

Betty Brewer

 

[thebrits]

We gave up baking in the gas oven as it was so unpredictable.  When we bought the new RV we had a microwave/convection installed and put storage where the oven would have been.  The convection works very well.

Peggy & Dennis

 

[JerArdra]

This is one of those "to each their own" topics.  We've had gas ovens in every (five) motorhome and the last two have been special orders.  Personally, I can't imagine having to depend on only a convection-microwave which we've had in the last two motorhomes.  Yes, you must have a separate oven thermometer for gas ovens.  It's essential because the temperature dials are the pits and we've had two different brands of gas ovens.  I finally bought airbake pans and cookie sheets and they did the trick.  For casseroles I use the airbake pan and for things like rolls I use the airbake cookie sheet.  For the uninitated, airbake sheets are cookie sheets of double thickness with an air layer in between.  I liked the one I bought for the motorhome so well that I got another one for the house.  As to microwave-convection (or even straight convecton) ovens, I'm not that thrilled with them.  They're okay for some things but - to my way of thinking - not everything.  In both the motorhome and at the house I use the regular ovens more than the convection ovens.  They say that convection ovens bake at lower temperatures for equal or less time, but that's not been my experience.  Also, it took me months to get the ovens at home calibrated properly.  I remember the wonderful things my Grandma baked in her old 1920s gas oven and they just don't make 'em like they used to!  She never burned anything...

By the way, there are airbake pans with holes in the bottom and without holes.  If you get the kinds with holes, it's important to make sure they drain well after washing, or you'll end up with rust and/or wet shelves.  I bought a couple at the kitchen booth in Quartzsite.  It's the one that's right across the street from Tyson Wells.  I spend more there than I do in "regular" stores! 

ArdraF

 

[Ron]

Sam says she has not experience any problems backing in any of the Magic Chef ovens in any of the three motorhomes we have had.  Sam uses both the gas oven and the convections oven depending on what she is making.  I am not aware of anything being burned in the gas oven nor the convection oven.

 

[cpeterson]

I purchased an airbake cookie sheet and bake in my normal baking pans with the airbake sheet underneath.  I never burn or over bake anything.  The limitation of pan size is only limited to the oven size.  Note:  the oven thermostate is a must to make sure the temperature is accurate.

 

[Wizard46]

My wife say's that the last time we traded motorhomes:
The one we bought, the oven had to be cleaned. 
The one we traded in, the oven had to be dusted.  ;D

Jerry

 

[ArdraF]

This is a VERY old discussion and I see it's also under the PCs, Communications, and Electronics board.  Perhaps it should be moved to the Homemaking on the Road board.

ArdraF

 

[Water Dog]

My wife put a 12" x 12" ceramic tile in the bottom of ours and also checked the oven temperature with a thermometer versus the dial. She found ours was off by about 50 degrees, so now that she knows it, she just sets it for 50 degrees less than the recipe calls for. The tile distributes the heat really well.

 

[John From Detroit]

I added the ever popular pizza stone (I got it on sale at a kitchen outlet place so it cost about the same as going to Lowes for unglazed clay) and other than my T-Stat is 50 degrees off at 350 (I use a thermometer to be sure) I rarly have burn issues either.  (When I do it's my fault)  Of course if the pan is small enough, and the park is buying the watt-hours, I use the electric oven.. I have a very nice, no longer made (Though there is a new improved model) electric oven.

 

[arcticfox2005]

I added the ever popular pizza stone (I got it on sale at a kitchen outlet place so it cost about the same as going to Lowes for unglazed clay)

I tried going the unglazed tile route but could not find any. In Idaho Falls, neither Home Depot nor Lowe's carried ANY unglazed tile. I next went to Bed Bath & Beyond and their prices for pizza stones were sky high. Finally found the perfect size pizza stone at Wal Mart and it works well - just the right size for our oven.

 

[mnmnutswer]

We have been told to put (unglazed) stone tiles in the bottom of the over to help keep the heat constant.

I was told to visit a flooring store for the tiles.........

 

[JoAnn]

So I assume you put the airbake pan under the pan you're baking in, on the shelf.  What about the tile or pizza stone, do they go on the "floor" of the oven or on the shelf.  Should the tile be the actual size of the oven or the size of the pan, or doesn't it matter?

JoAnn

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We always put it on the shelf when we had a gas oven (none in this RV). I don't think size is real important, as long as it is substantial. Probably should at least be the size of the pan, or very close to it if a large pan.

 

[ArdraF]

I put the airbake pan on the shelf and under whatever I'm baking, such as a casserole.

ArdraF

 

[JoAnn]

Thanks, I do have an air bake, small cookie sheet.  I've used this on the shelf under the pan.  I was just checking that I was doing it right.  Thanks again!

JoAnn