If you’re like most people, you probably enjoy using your oven. Whether it’s baking cookies or roasting a chicken, your oven is a handy tool to get the job done. But some foods do not belong in the oven. Here are 6 of them.
Dairy products:
There are a few reasons why you shouldn’t put dairy products in the oven. First, they can be quickly destroyed when exposed to heat. So you should make sure to use them right away. Dairy products can also solidify when heated. Which can affect the texture and taste of your dish.
Especially the use of milk and cream in baking can turn out to be a real disaster. Since both contain water, and when exposed to high temperature, the water evaporates, causing drying. Therefore, the fat in dairy products can cause baked goods to brown too quickly or even burn. It is therefore preferable to avoid using them in high temperature recipes. However, some dairy products are specifically designed for baking, such as mascarpone. And cheeses like mozzarella and cheddar. If you want to add a creamy touch to your dish, these are better choices than milk or cream.
Spicy food:
When it comes to preparing spicy dishes, the oven is often not the best choice. Firstly, the high heat in the oven can cause the spices to lose their flavor and become dull. As a result, they can also dry out foods, making them tougher and less flavorful. Then the long cooking time can make the spices more potent. Which makes for a much spicier dish than expected. Finally, cooking dishes with a high spice content can fill your kitchen with an overwhelming smell that lingers for hours. For these reasons, it is generally best to avoid putting spicy food in the oven. Instead, choose methods like cooking on the stove or grilling, which help preserve the flavor of the spices. Otherwise, it is always better to put your main course in the oven and leave the spices for the end.
Breaded meat:
Some love to eat breaded meats because of their irresistible taste and crispy texture. To avoid the extra calories of fat used in frying, many people put breaded meat in the oven. Big mistake! the high heat of the oven can make the breading tough and crispy. As cooking in the oven only absorbs the juices from the meat, making it drier and less juicy.
Therefore, it is still possible to cook your breaded meat on the stove with less fat. However, the stove allows you to cook meat more slowly and at a lower temperature. This gives the breading time to fry without becoming too crispy. Cooking on the stove also gives you more control over the browning of the meat and creates a more even crust.
Foods high in starch:
Acrylamide is a chemical found in some starchy foods that have been cooked at high temperatures, such as potatoes and rice. It is not known exactly how acrylamide is formed, but it is thought to occur when the amino acid asparagine reacts with sugars during the cooking process. Acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in animals, and although it is still unclear whether it poses a risk to humans, the World Health Organization has classified it as a “carcinogen”. Likely for humans” For this reason, it is preferable to avoid cooking foods containing acrylamide at high temperatures. You can boil or steam them instead, which will help reduce the amount of acrylamide that is formed.
Nitrate-rich foods:
Using the oven to cook certain foods can be the most convenient and easy way to have a simple and healthy meal. But some foods have no place in the oven, including those with high nitrate content.
Processed foods such as deli meats and hot dogs. As well as certain vegetables such as carrots, peas and spinach are among many other foods that should be kept away from the oven. Nitrates are chemical compounds that contain the element nitrogen. When heated, nitrates can turn into nitrites, which are known to be carcinogenic. If you cook foods with high nitrate content in the oven, don’t do it again! Replace baking with steaming or stovetop for better temperature control.
Frozen food:
Many people think they can save time by putting frozen foods directly in the oven. But this is actually a bad idea for several reasons. First, it can lead to uneven cooking because the frozen part of the food will take longer to thaw than the rest. This can result in burnt or overcooked edges and undercooked centers. Second, frozen foods often release a lot of moisture during cooking, which can make the dish watery and mushy. Third, a sudden change in temperature can support the spread of bacteria, which can be the cause of food poisoning.
For these reasons, it is always best to thaw frozen foods before baking them. It may take a little longer, but you will get a much tastier and more beautiful dish.
