If you have a good oven, there’s an infinite list of awesome recipes you can prepare.
You can bake a birthday cake, roast a turkey, heat up leftovers, or even make your own Cool Ranch Doritos.
Still, I’ll admit that I don’t use my oven to its full potential. That is, unless crisping up frozen pizza already thawed in the microwave counts.
As it turns out, I’m not the only one who doesn’t totally know their way around the oven. While every kitchen is different, most stoves basically follow the same standard guidelines. Leaving aside fancy chefs’ stoves, this is the apparatus most of us probably grew up with.
What I’m talking about is a four-burner stove top, an oven underneath, and a drawer at the bottom — where many of us keep things like baking sheets. However, as it turns out, that compartment under your oven isn’t actually for storage at all!
In fact, it has a cooking function all its own, and it definitely wasn’t designed to keep muffin tins off the counter.
In practically every home I’ve ever lived in, the drawer underneath the oven has been designated for bakeware storage.
It always seemed like a convenient solution. I never questioned my assumption that it was designed to hold baking sheets.
In fact, my mind was blown when I realized that many ovens actually have a whole separate function that revolves around that compartment.
It’s called a “warming drawer,” and it’s where food is supposed to be placed to stay toasty until it’s ready to be eaten!
As you can see, some models blatantly point this out on their packaging. The stove pictured above has a special label on the drawer.
The real purpose of that drawer is a common misconception, so it’s helpful that some companies are doing their bit to help clear up the confusion.
In fact, some of these warming drawers are really fancy and have built-in storage units, complete with chafing dishes.
This is a super-useful feature for anyone who usually hosts Thanksgiving or Christmas and needs to keep multiple dishes warm while preparing the feast.
Of course, the warming drawer can still be used as storage in between family meals. Things like oven mitts and baking sheets — if they are designed to withstand the heat — can definitely stay put.
In many cases, the warming drawer just relies on residual heat from the oven and insulation to keep things warm, so there’s often no risk of overheating your bakeware.
If you are hosting a dinner and want to treat your guests, keep in mind that a warming drawer isn’t just for keeping food warm.
You can also load oven-safe plates inside and heat them up, all the better for serving your food.
Just take care, because they can get hot!
Of course, everyone should investigate their own particular make and model of stove before assuming that they have a warming drawer in place.
Some ovens lack this drawer completely, while others use a similar-looking compartment to conceal a broiler underneath.
Broiling uses high heat to grill food, so you want to avoid storing anything inside long-term.
Have you been storing your baking sheets down there, or did you know the real purpose all along?
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