Avoid cooking these 6 foods in the oven. We tell you why
Whether it’s baking cookies or roasting a chicken, your oven is a handy tool to get the job done. But some foods don’t go in the oven. Here are 6 of them.
Dairy product :
There are a few reasons why you shouldn’t put dairy products in the oven. First, they can deteriorate quickly when exposed to heat. So you should make sure you use them right away. Also, dairy products can curdle when heated. Which can affect the texture and flavor of your dish.
In particular, the use of milk and cream in pastry can prove to be a real disaster. As both contain water and when exposed to high temperatures, the water evaporates which leads to drying. Therefore, the fat in dairy products can cause baked goods to brown too quickly or even burn them. 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’re looking to add a creamy twist to your dish, these are better choices than milk or cream.
Spicy foods:
When it comes to cooking spicy dishes, the oven is often not the best choice. First, the high heat of the oven can cause spices to lose flavor and become dull. As a result, they can also dry out foods, making them tougher and less tasty. So the long cooking time can make the spices more potent. Which gives a much spicier dish than expected. Finally, cooking dishes with a high spice content can fill your kitchen with an overpowering odor that lingers for hours. For these reasons, it’s generally best to avoid placing spicy foods in the oven. Instead, opt for methods like stovetop or broiling, which help preserve the flavor of the spices. Otherwise it is always better to bake the main course and leave the spices until the end.
Breaded meats:
Some love to eat breaded meats for their irresistible taste and crunchy texture. Of course, to escape the extra calories from the fat used in frying, many people put their breaded meats in the oven. Big mistake! the high heat of the oven can make the breading hard and crunchy. Since cooking in the oven only absorbs the juices from the meat, which makes it drier and less juicy.
That is why it is still possible to cook breaded meat on the stove using less fat. The stove, on the other hand, allows the meat to be cooked more slowly and at a lower temperature. This gives the breading time to cook without getting too crunchy. Plus, cooking on the stovetop gives you more control over the browning of the meat and creates a more even crust.
Starchy foods:
Acrylamide is a chemical found in some starchy foods that have been cooked at high temperatures, such as potatoes and rice. It’s not known exactly how acrylamide is formed, but it’s 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 while it is not yet clear whether it poses a risk to humans, the World Health Organization has classified it as a “carcinogen. Probable to 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 builds up.
Foods rich in nitrates:
Using the oven to cook certain foods can be the most convenient and easiest way to have a simple and healthy meal. However, some foods have no place in the oven, including those high in nitrates.
Processed foods like deli meats and hot dogs. In addition to some vegetables such as carrots, peas and spinach are among many other foods that must 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 nitrate-rich food in the oven, don’t do it again! Replace cooking with steam or stovetop for better temperature control.
Frozen foods:
Many people think they can save time by placing frozen foods directly into 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 defrost than the rest. This can result in burnt or overcooked edges and undercooked centers. Secondly, frozen foods often release a lot of moisture during cooking, which can make the dish watery and mushy. Thirdly, a sudden change in temperature could promote the growth of bacteria, which could be the cause of food poisoning.
For these reasons it is always best to defrost frozen foods before cooking them. It may take a little longer, but you will get a much tastier and more beautiful dish.