On Monday, March 3, 2014 5:54:32 PM UTC-10, Polly Esther wrote:
> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
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> ...
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> > On Mon, 3 Mar 2014 20:39:26 -0600, Polly Esther wrote:
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> >
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> >> I was reading some Alton Brown and he has this to say about pre-heating
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> >> the
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> >> oven. IF you set the oven for a temp and it dings and tells you it has
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> >> reached temp, it has. BUT when you open the oven door, much of that nice
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> >> hot air will escape. IF you're baking something that must have the
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> >> correct
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> >> temp, you need to pre-heat for at least 20 minutes. That way, the oven's
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> >> floor, walls, ceiling, back and assorted other parts will be heated
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> >> enough
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> >> to maintain temperature even after you open the oven door and insert the
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> >> 'grand recipe'.
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> >> Of course, some of you already know everything but it seemed to me
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> >> that
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> >> this might be helpful to those of you who are hoping to duplicate the
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> >> perfect cornbread, pound cake or meringue like Moma used to make. Polly
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> >
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> > Preheating the oven is very over-rated. If you're baking breads or a
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> > frozen pizza, or something like that, then go ahead and pre-heat. But
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> > for things like casseroles or long cooking roasts that do not require
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> > an oven sear, then just it in the oven and turn it on.
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> >
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> > My oven preheat bell goes off about 50F before it even reaches
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> > pre-heat anyway. It stays on until it reaches the set temperature,
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> > but for some reason it likes to announce itself early. I think that's
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> > typical for gas ovens.
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> >
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> I suspect that our oven pre-heats using both the upper and lower elements..
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> I haven't actually climbed in and checked. Wouldn't matter for somethings.
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> Polly

I think you're right about the upper and lower elements being used to bring the oven quickly up to temperature. The top element turns off once it reaches the target. On my Samsung range, the top element in conjunction with the fan is called "convection roast." "Convection bake" is the fan and the bottom element. I used the convection roast to brown the top of my pizza last night. It works quite spiffy.

If I have something like a pork roast, I don't pre-heat. Most of the time, I try not to follow any of Alton Brown's advice. Things just work out easier that way.