Are you a baking enthusiast who is just starting your journey as a baker, or do you like to bake goodies at home as a hobby? Either way, as you try making new recipes, chances are high that at some point, you may experience a baking disaster and have that ‘cake gone horribly wrong’ moment.
But you don’t have to feel devastated about it. Such things can happen to even an experienced baker. One of the most popular reasons for baking disasters is choosing a faulty setting of the OTG (Oven Toast Griller). The wrong setting of the machine and the temperature can ruin your dish.
Many people tend to forget that knowing about their oven and choosing the right technique is just as important as using the right ingredients and controlling the portion to make delightful OTG oven recipes. An OTG oven is basically a smaller version of the traditional ovens that you may find in a restaurant or a bakery, and it is specially designed for home use.
While an OTG is mostly used for baking, the new models available in the market, like the Vesta CTC01 28 L Oven Toast Grill offered by Wipro Appliances, are much more versatile appliances. They can do a lot more than just baking. You can use them for making a variety of dishes and recipes that involve roasting, grilling, broiling, etc.
So, if you are wondering how to use an OTG oven for cooking, then this guide is just for you. We discuss a few simple tips and tricks for mastering the art of cooking using an OTG oven.
Know your OTG requirements
One of the best ways to use the OTP is to know your exact requirements. Often people tend to buy a kitchen appliance that is not suited for them. So, if you are starting a home-baker, it is advisable to first understand the different OTG oven sizes and start with a smaller-sized OTG oven like the Vesta CTC01 28 L Oven Toast Grill.
It has a 1.28 L capacity and is an ideal choice of OTG for simple and basic cooking, such as baking cakes and cookies or even grilling meat, as it has a rotisseries function and can heat and reheat foods.
Pre-heating process
If you are a first time OTG oven user, and wondering how to use oven for baking, you must familiarise yourself the concept of pre-heating the oven to ensure that you cook the dishes to perfection.
Pre-heating is an important step while baking, and the temperature at which you preheat the oven plays a vital role in the baking process and the end result. The rule of thumb for the preheating process is that the temperature you set for preheating the oven must be the same while you bake the dish.
For example, if the cookie recipe says that you must preheat the oven to 150 degrees, simply turn on the temperature on the oven about 10-15 minutes before you place the cookie batter inside the oven.
Understand the heating process of the oven
Every OTG oven model has a different heat distribution system. For example, your dish may be cooked perfectly from the bottom but remain undercooked from the top. So, it is important to understand the hotspots and then adjust the heating setting accordingly to your advantage.
Get to know the oven
Another important OTG cooking tip that you must remember every time you use the appliance is to know the limitations and capabilities of your oven. You must know exactly the different functions it offers so that you choose the right setting for different cooking tasks. Also, you must know about the timer settings so that you can set the correct cooking timing for different dishes.
Avoid opening the door
A lot of people, especially the first-time OTG users or people who are baking something for the first time tend to constantly open the OTG oven door to take a peek inside while their dish is baking. However, they don’t realise that opening the door frequently can drastically change the temperature levels inside. And, it ultimately results in uneven cooking of the dish or the cake being undercooked.
So, when you are cooking, roasting, grilling or baking something in your OTV, resist the temptation of opening the door. Instead, you can peek through the glass window so that you can get a clear view of the dish inside. The OTG models like Vesta CTC01 28 L Oven Toast Grill have a heat-resistant glass door, which not only gives you a clear view of the dish inside at all times but also ensures maximum safety while cooking.
The glass door is resistant to high heat, and you can be assured of complete safety while cooking.
Don’t overload the oven
Speaking of OTG oven tips and tricks, you cannot stress enough the importance of not overloading the oven beyond its capacity. It may seem like there is more room inside the oven to fit more food. But remember, the OTG needs sufficient space for air circulation so that every dish is cooked perfectly.
There must be a space of at least a few inches all around between the walls of the oven and the dish placed in the centre. The dish must never touch the walls of the OTG.
Placement of the pan
When you use an OTG oven to cook any dish, you must be careful about the placement of the pan inside. The best place for your dish is in the centre so that it bakes and cooks evenly from all sides.
If your OTG has multiple racks and you want to bake more than one dish simultaneously, then remember this tip to position your dishes in a way that none of them block the hot air circulation inside.
Keep your oven clean
If you use your OTG oven for everyday cooking, over a period, it will get dirty inside due to the melting drips and the falling crumbs. But, if you leave them inside uncleaned for long, they may create foul smell inside, which may also affect the taste and flavour of the dishes you cook in the future. So, it is advisable to always keep your over clean.
You can simply wipe the inside and the walls of the oven with a damp cloth and remove the soot (if any) and the loose food particles after every use.
Final Word
An OTG is a wonderful kitchen appliance to have at home. But, understanding how it works and mastering its use can take some time. So, be patient. But once you do, you can whip up a storm in your kitchen with your amazing culinary creations.
