"<RJ>" > wrote in message
...
> My early xmas gift was a Digital Oven tThermometer.
>
> Stainless steel probe, long braided wire leading to
> a digital temp displlay/timer.
>
> No more peering inside a dark oven
> at some miniscule dial to check that roast temp.
>
> I used this gadget to check my oven temperature,
> and was surprised at the results.
>
> I laid the probe on the middle oven shelf,
> and set the Oven Dial to 275,
>
> I watched the temp climb to 300 before the element turned off.
> then, a slow descent to 265 before the element turned on again.
>
> So the oven isn't one smooth heat source,
> but rather a series of spikes from 10 below to 25 over the dial temp.
>
> If you put in a large cold item ( turkey ) the oven would spend
> most of its time at 25 degrees over the dial setting.
>
> I don't know if 25 degrees "over" is critical,
> but it may explain some of my mystery baking results.
>
> <rj>

I bet your oven is pretty typical and that baking instructions take this
temperature swing into account. I would not worry about it.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.