Preheat Oven for Stoneware/Cookware: Clarifying Confusion

[pattikake]

I have a customer who has inquired about preheating the oven when using our stoneware and/or cookware. She said she was told "many years ago when she purchased her first pieces not to preheat when using stoneware/cookware".

Our recipes state to preheat the oven, which has her confused. Before I answer her email, I just wanted to see if I'm missing something. I always preheat when using both products... Thanks for your feedback.

Patti

 

[kcjodih]

I always follow the PC recipes instructions regarding preheating. The only time I don't and what I tell my customers is when I'm cooking a frozen piece of meat such as porkchops, roasts, chicken etc. I put them in the stoneware into the cold oven and then turn it on. The stone warms up with the oven preventing shock to the stone with hot oven, room temp stone and dense frozen meat. HTH!

 

[janezapchef]

Still preheat the oven. She may have been told that you don't have to preheat the stone, which, for some reason people think you have to do. Maybe that's her confusion?

 

[pattikake]

Perfect - thanks -- this is what I thought too and I always preheat except, like Jodi said, when cooking something that is frozen or straight from the fridge.

 

[chefann]

You should preheat the oven always. That's the only way to have an accurate temp when you start cooking so that you can use the time stated in the recipe.You should never cook frozen foods on stoneware, unless it's a convenience food that's meant to be cooked from frozen (pizza, fish sticks, chicken strips, french fries, etc.). Many people think that our stoneware should be preheated because that's what's in the instructions for some other baking/pizza stones.

 

[flemings99]

My husband is a preheat nut---he always does it. On the other hand, I NEVER preheat the oven. Guess I'm too impatient. My stuff always turns out fine.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I always preheat.

 

[dianevill]

I always preheat for baking, rarely for regular cooking.

 

[trps]

I only preheat while preparing but never wait until it is ready just stick it in when I am ready.

 

[pcchefjane]

I always preheat. Never heard of not putting frozen meats in the stoneware. I do put frozen chicken breasts/tenders in my DCB in the microwave all the time. Is this a bad thing?

 

[salthechef]

I don't think so, I do that all the time. I am the worst for defrosting, so I constantly throw a bunch of frozen chicken breasts into it and straight to the micro.

I hope it's not bad!

 

[letscook04]

1. Should I preheat my oven before baking with stoneware?
Yes. However do not preheat empty stoneware in the oven because this may cause the stoneware to crack or break.

2. How do I choose the right piece of stoneware for my cooking?
Always use a stoneware piece that closely matches the size of the food item being prepared. To prevent your stoneware piece from breaking during baking, it's best to cover about two-thirds of the surface area with food. For example, DO NOT put a single chicken breast in the middle of the large round stone or on the bar pan. Your stoneware will probably break!

3. How do I adapt my old recipes, made in standard bake ware, so that they will work with my new stoneware?
Use the same baking times and temperatures with stoneware as you would with any other bake ware. The only exception is if the food requires a baking time less than 10 minutes. You may need to bake these items an additional
1 to 2 minutes.

4. Can stoneware be used to cook frozen foods?
Thick, dense foods such as chicken parts, fish fillets or pork chops, should be thawed completely before cooking. Putting a frozen pizza or frozen precooked foods such as chicken nuggets, French fries and fish sticks on stoneware
is fine. Just be sure to evenly distribute the small pieces over the surface.