In article >,
Kenneth > wrote:

> On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 10:29:14 -0700, Eric Jorgensen
> > wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 17:03:52 GMT
> >"Bob Giel" > wrote:
> >
> >> How much can an oven's temperature vary and still give good results?
> >>
> >> If set at 350 degrees F., what is the most it should go above or below
> >> the set temperature?
> >> Is there actually a standard or "generally accepted range"?
> >> Is the acceptable range a percentage of the target temperature (e.g. up
> >> or down 5%) or is it an absolute (e.g. up or down 10 degrees F maximum?)
> >
> >
> > Maverick - people who made the oven thermometer i used until the
> >thermocouple died - said it's normal for the temperature to fluctuate up to
> >15% during use, and that their (reasonably good) digital oven thermometer
> >thus averages the temperature readings it gives you. Which is totally
> >valid.
> >
> > Anecdotally - A good friend of mine was working for a semiconductor
> >company when they developed a laboratory grade electric oven controller
> >that was far cheaper than any that had come before - back in the early 80's
> >- so they decided to market it for use in high-end home ovens.
> >
> > It was capable of regulating the temperature inside the oven to within
> >+/- 1 degree Celsius, and no oven made with it was ever worth a damn.
> >
> > Nothing that came out of them was ever cooked properly. Every recipe had
> >to be adjusted. People hated them. It was a total flop.
> >
> > The engineers determined that since baking methods have evolved over
> >time with these temperature fluctuations as a constant, they were actually
> >required for proper baking without reformulation.
>
> Howdy,
>
> With respect, I don't buy it...
>
> I used (for about 20 years) a Garland commercial gas oven
> that fluctuated by about 40F at any setting.
>
> I eventually replaced it with Bongard electric oven that
> holds its temperature within a degree or two.
>
> The results from the Bongard are far superior.
>
> I would like to learn more about the ways that the
> fluctuations could possibly be of benefit.
>
> All the best,

I think I would agree with Kenneth. When I bought my first house in
'87, I bought a Magic Chef gas range. (Gas was out of vogue at the
time, so I had to go to my gas Utility to find a gas range.)

It used to cook much faster - like a turkey that should take 5 hours to
cook at 325 F would take maybe 3 hours at 325 in that range. Then I
bought a new home in 200, and got a new Sears gas range. This thing has
a much more accurate temperature controller, and actually takes the time
that cook books say it should. I find the meat more moist and tender,
and less dried out.

I was just thinking that the new controller is a recent development.
And I approve. With the anecdote, I'm not certain that I'm buying into
this theory, either.

Oh, well...

H.