Sometimes you need to keep a plate warm because a family member is coming home late for dinner. Or, while cooking a large meal, you may need to keep one dish warm while preparing the others. Can you use the oven to keep your food warm?
You can use an oven to keep food warm safely for short amounts of time. Keep the food covered and set the oven temperature to between 200° F (94° C) and 250° F (130° C). However, depending on the type of food, if you keep it in the oven for longer than 30 minutes, it may start to dry out or deteriorate in taste or texture.
The oven is a good choice for keeping food warm for just a few minutes. For example, if you’re cooking breakfast for a large group, you can keep your first batch of pancakes warm while you’re cooking the rest of them. Or, keep the bacon warm while you fry the eggs.
But, if you wish to keep food warm for a long period of time—say, over one hour—you do run the risk of ruining the quality of the food.
How Long Can You Keep Food Warm In The Oven?
Cooking experts differ on how long you can keep food warm in the oven. In many cases, it depends on what kind of food you have.
The recommended time you can keep your food in a warm oven ranges from as little as 15–20 minutes to as long as 2 hours. In making your decision, there are two factors to consider: food safety and food quality. Both are related to time in the oven but also to oven temperature.
The internal temperature of food must be kept at a minimum of 140° F (60° C). This temperature inhibits the growth of bacteria that can cause food spoilage. The oven temperature should maintain food at or above that temperature to keep it safe to eat.
In addition to food safety, you must consider what the warm oven might do to your food. The dry heat in the oven will tend to evaporate the moisture in your food. The food may get crusty or tough if it stays in the oven too long.
How Do You Keep Food Warm In The Oven?
If you want to keep your food warm without harm, it’s important to prepare both the oven and the food properly.
Make sure the oven is completely preheated to the right temperature before placing prepared food into it. Food should be covered to retain moisture. If you’re not using a dish with a lid, cover it with aluminum foil with the shiny side toward the food.
Preheating the oven prevents the temperature of the food from dropping below the safe internal temperature of 140° F. If you put the food in the oven and then turn it on, your food could cool below the safe temperature before your oven heats up.
Covering the food is essential to preserve the quality, regardless of how long you plan to keep the food in the oven.
How Do You Keep Food Warm In The Oven With Drying It Out?
Everyone has had the experience of eating meat that’s dried out or tough or spooning into a casserole and discovering the sauce has gone thick and sticky. These foods have been overcooked, and the same thing can happen to perfectly-cooked food if it’s kept warm in the oven for too long.
You can take measures to prevent food from drying out in the oven by using the proper container and keeping it covered. Any oven-safe dish with a lid will work, whether it’s glass, metal, ceramic, or stoneware.
If your pot or pan doesn’t have a lid, you can substitute aluminum foil. Pinch it tightly along the edge of your pan. The tight seal will help keep the food moist and prevent it from drying out.
Do not use plastic containers in an oven, even if the oven is at low temperatures. Heat causes plastic to melt.
You might also try putting a bowl of hot water in the oven. This will raise the humidity level in the oven.
Some foods fare better than others in a warm oven. Chicken, fish, and pork can be kept warm for short amounts of time when covered securely. Beef has a tendency to easily overcook and get tough.
Vegetables with a high moisture content can be kept warm in the oven, but thinly sliced veggies without a sauce may dry out. Vegetables cooked with the skin on, such as potatoes or root vegetables, can get tough and wrinkly.
For warming pancakes or French toast, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. If you stack them, they may get soggy.
What Temperature Do You Set The Oven To Keep Food Warm?
Keeping your oven at recommended temperature settings between 200°F (95° C) and 250° F (130° C) will yield the best results when keeping food warm.
Some ovens are equipped with warming drawers. The temperature of these drawers doesn’t usually get higher than 200° F. They can be used for keeping food warm for short periods.
Other ovens have a setting that says “warm.” Pressing this button will turn the oven to a preset temperature for warming. For example, GE ovens will heat to 175–180° F (about 80° C) and are scheduled to automatically turn off after three hours.
Three hours may be too long for optimal food quality. It is up to the person cooking to keep an eye on the oven temperature, the food temperature, the time in the oven, and the condition of the food.
Is It Safe To Keep Food Warm In The Oven?
Food safety is a concern any time there is a lag between cooking it and serving it. If food is not going to be consumed right away, it must either be kept warm or refrigerated.
Food kept warm in the oven should not drop below 140° F in temperature. If so, the food enters the “danger zone,” between 40° F (5° C) and 140° F (60° C), where harmful bacteria can grow and flourish.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends using a food thermometer to check the temperature of food you are keeping warm to make sure it is staying above the recommended minimum.
However, it may be inconvenient to keep poking a thermometer into your food, especially if you are busy trying to cook other dishes. A good rule of thumb is to keep food in the oven for only short amounts of time and keep an eye on it while it’s in there.
Other Methods Of Keeping Food Warm For Hours (List)
There are alternative methods to keeping food warm for an extended period of time.
Chafing dishes – Chafing dishes, whether stainless steel or disposable aluminum, use direct flame from sterno or a similar source to keep the food warm. They are generally used for buffet-style serving.
Electric chafing dishes – These may have one compartment or up to four compartments so that you can keep several dishes warm simultaneously for serving.
Slow cooker – Slow cookers or crockpots can keep soups, casseroles, and side dishes warm. The triple mini-crockpot style is designed for keeping food warm while serving buffet-style.
Thermal cooker – A thermal cooker works like an insulated drink bottle. It consists of two pots, one nested inside the other. Insulating material between the pots helps to retain the heat.
The thermal cooker does not use electricity and doesn’t have to be plugged in. Put your cooked food inside and it will stay hot and safe for hours.
Double boiler – A double boiler can keep side dishes like mashed potatoes and vegetables warm without drying them out.
Rice cooker – Rice cookers have a “warm” setting that will keep rice warm for up to 12 hours.
A cooler – Since a cooler is well insulated, it can be used to keep food warm as well as cold. Instead of filling it with ice, preheat it with hot water. Add heated towels, a bag of microwaved beans, and aluminum foil for extra insulation.