A grill from an oven can function as a substitute for numerous underutilized home appliances found in many kitchens.
An oven rack is not just a utility for holding your dishes during baking. Creatively using an oven rack can significantly enhance the cooking and baking of various foods, improving heat circulation, promoting even cooking, and reducing sogginess. Here's a guide to unlocking the potential of your oven rack.
Chicken and Kebabs
For succulent chicken and crispy kebabs, hang or lay skewered meat directly on the oven rack. This allows fat to drip away and heat to circulate all around, resulting in crispy edges and evenly cooked meat without sitting in grease.
Fish
Baking fish on the oven rack is a game-changer. Place fish on a lightly oiled rack or a foil layer over the rack. Hot air reaches the fish from all sides, improving texture and preventing sogginess.
Eggs
While whole eggs aren’t usually cooked directly on a rack, you can put eggs in a heat-safe container placed on the rack for uniform heat distribution, like for baking or "shirred" eggs.
Potatoes
Baking potatoes directly on the oven rack allows hot air to surround them for crisp, evenly cooked skins without trapping steam underneath.
Noodles and Casseroles
For baked noodle dishes or casseroles, use the oven rack to hold baking dishes, allowing heat to circulate underneath as well as above the dish for more even cooking.
Desserts
A creative cake trick involves placing cake pans on the oven rack directly or using multiple racks for layering different baked goods simultaneously. The openness of the rack aids in even rising and baking.
Frozen Pizza and Flatbreads
Baking directly on the oven rack produces a crispier crust because heat reaches the bottom directly and moisture evaporates better than on trays.
Thin Meats
Hanging bacon strips on the oven rack above a lined tray lets fat drip off without the bacon sitting in it, resulting in crispier strips.
Key Tips
- Avoid placing very delicate items directly on racks without some protection like foil or parchment to prevent falling through.
- For items prone to dripping (e.g., chicken fat), place a lined tray beneath the rack to catch drips and prevent smoke.
- Use the oven rack position strategically (top, middle, bottom) depending on browning or cooking needs.
- When baking frozen items directly on the rack, avoid thawing, as they can become limp and fall through.
Proper Oven Rack Care
Proper care of the oven rack, including wiping surfaces after each use and using cleaning products as needed, helps extend the oven's life and keeps the kitchen cleaner.
Creative Uses
- Marinated chicken drumsticks can be baked directly on the oven rack with a pan of water underneath, resulting in juicy, 'poached-smoked' chicken with a golden crust, no oil needed.
- Potatoes baked on the oven rack with a coat of flour and salt taste like they've been cooked in a campfire.
- Pressing the oven rack onto dough creates perfect lines for slicing homemade pasta.
- The oven rack is useful for decorating desserts, allowing excess icing to drip into a pan below.
- The oven rack can be used to quickly dry homemade noodles in 20 minutes.
- Drying mushrooms and herbs on the oven rack is simple and safe.
An imaginative use for the oven rack is baking marinated chicken drumsticks directly on it with a pan of water underneath, resulting in juicy, 'poached-smoked' chicken with a golden crust, no oil needed. baking potatoes on the oven rack gives them crisp, evenly cooked skins as hot air surrounds them. Pressing the oven rack onto dough creates perfect lines for slicing homemade pasta. The oven rack can be used to quickly dry homemade noodles in 20 minutes. Drying mushrooms and herbs on the oven rack is simple and safe.
