heresmo

See, I'm thinking that gas is "wet" and elec is dry, plus gas is probably convection versus elec radiant heat. (Ignoring for this purpose fan assisted.) Surely gas would take longer to cook/brown things and it wouldn't hurt to let steam out (at least once) assuming not cooking Yorkshire puds?

It's much more common these days (I reckon, assuming not posh Aga or halogen hob people) for peeps to have gas hobs and an electric oven.

So, should/shouldn't there be a difference in timing - e.g. where recipes quote the same timing for gas/elec temps?

Thank you


Mo

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missp

I have to say i never ever follow cooking times as not once has something I have cooked actually been done in that time either burnt or still cold! Get a cooker with a glass front and a light so you can see for yourself how its going!

Sorry to be of little use lol!

Taxi 219

Gas = Cheap Instant heat
Electric = ££££££ takes forever to heat up

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cjb

Not that much difference IMO, unlike with a hob.

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jlwah

Get a fan assisted electric oven - heats up quick, cooks evenly and probably cheaper to run than gas (IMHO)

missp

Fan assisted does rock

Gas hob FTW tho!

Jules59

Gas oven is better for topping yourself with.

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bengie

gas hob and electric fan oven is the best combination, thats backed up by a chef i know too

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skorob2007

Just thinking about posting the exact same reply.

skodagirl1985

I found working with both Gas and Electric ovens in a professional kitchen that some things cooked better in an electric oven than Gas. I found that shortbread and cakes where better in the Electric oven. The gas was better at doing things like say a chicken dish or something. But a choice of 2 different ovens in a household kitchen isn't an option.

gadgetman

I'd have thought elec was cheaper at the mo.....

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devonutopia

Gas hobs rule, but I cook on elec. The only thing to do to save energy is realise when you're around 2 or 3 minutes from cooking end time, and kill the power. The pan will keep boiling/frying for plenty long enough to get done.

Would take gas hob every time though. We have a fan oven and it's good. Does a pizza in no time at all.

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Babs

I hate gas ovens

Caused a massive fire on a gas grille cooking burgers (spat fat upwards at the gas and wooosh!) and after that I've never liked them!

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Aspman

Heat from a gas flame is more controllable I'm told. We're all electric.

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Chris_Argyle

Mains gas is the cheapest form of heat (Central heating anyway, so by the same principles in ovens too) and provides instant heat. However a lot of gas ovens only provide heat from one point and as you state work by convection.
Electric ovens on the other hand may have several heat sources that you can choose from to cook with different effects.

Stevoraith

Yep, with a gas oven you get 'hot spots' hence stuff doesn't cook evenly. You have to watch what you put at the top and bottom too as obvioulsy the top is hotter so it's quite easy to burn things before they're properly cooked.

Fan assisted electric is the dogs danglies in terms of ease of use.

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andy2407

Slightly off topic (although related so please forgive me Mo) but I use a "Cookrite" ridged cooking plate for everything from meat to veggies - and even pizza.

Cookrite - Fat Free Cooking for a Healthy Lifestyle

It allows better heat circulation (in either gas or electric ovens I would assume) and any excess fat just drains off whatever you are cooking.

Oh - and they also have some of the best customer service I have experienced in recent times so thoroughly deserving of a plug on here!

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heresmo

Thanks everyone for replies, especially to Chris_Argyle and Stevoraith as that was what I was trying to determine.

On meanderings:

andy2407 - Cookrite not off topic as the airflow allows quicker cooking. I crumple up tinfoil so that any fat similarly drains into the dips. It could be a good investment and, if made from silicone (which I suspect), it's very easy to wash. Prestige do a range of cookware in silicone which is very good; Lakeland do also, though some say they aren't strong enough to hold their shape when hot, so might be worth paying more. I think there are some ridged (iron?) griddle pans for hob/bbq use that can be put in the oven also, which makes those very versatile.

Re cooking on an electric hob, there is an art to it, since it's not instant heat. To overcome that, I'd set one ring to "high" and another started just at simmer level then swap the pan over.

Re setting fire to cooker hoods by frying on a gas hob: I managed this when a piece of fresh tuna decided to flambe itself, flames being drawn in the updraft and caught the hood filter. (I hope Shifty's not reading this.) The trick is to preheat a bare pan and oil the food, not the pan. We learn by our mistakes, lol.

For pizzas and one-person microwaves, crisping foccacia bread - loads of things, I have a fan goldfish bowl, similar to this. Chums (Mine has two grids in.) It heats up virtually instantly making it very economical. As the fan is at the top, it's excellent for Yorkshire puds too. Mmm. Puds

Regards
Mo

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sinister sheep

i pref too cook with a fan assisted oven, the insurance replacement of the gas cooker my mum has is a nightmare, the flame keeps going out and the gas does not cut off... thinking dangerous there.. not only that it seems to take ages to heat up, forever to cook. the chips just never brown (soggy chips yuck) yet at work and at sms house i get too cook with a fan assisted oven and the one i had in my house was also. didnt notice the ££ diff, i do alot of cooking and pref electric, only disadvantage is in a power cut, the gas cooker works even thou our gas cooker will not light with out electric now?

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heresmo

What? I'd get on the phone like fast if what you say above is the case, since it's the gas that'd keep the flame alight. Doesn't make sense to me, unless on too low a simmer setting or perhaps there's a draft blowing the flame out from an open window nearby? Either way, that ain't good - at all - and the cause needs to be determined soonest IMO.

Edit, it might be possible that the gas residue isn't clearing properly and that would be really, really bad. For example if the flames are burning orange instead of blue. Hey, I'm no expert, but what you describe doesn't sound right to me one little bit.

Mo

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sinister sheep

At first i thought that mum was going around the twist when she told me, but it happened when i was cooking one night sat in the living room went to check what i was cooking, when i opened it all i could smell was gas and the flame had gone out, given most the people in the house at the time were smoking as quite worrying. mum has has hotpoint out several times, first it was due to the fact that the blimin thing wouldnt light, that was the sparker thing, 5 times they came out for that and the grill then done the same they have now been out i think 3 times for this replaced the problem part, low and behold still happening, and they will not condem it or replace it, the guy how ever is going to make it be condemed now as he is horrified that he has been out so many times and that its so dangerous and hotpoint blatently just dont care.
i dont get gas cookers by any mean, but i do know that this should by no means happen, even with an open kitchen window!

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