Difference Between Bake and Broil: Cooking Tips and Tricks
Knowing the difference between bake and broil can make the difference between a perfectly cooked and charred meal. On the front of your oven, you likely have many cooking methods available, each recommended for different recipes.
Difference Between Bake and Broil
One of the essential things to know to make the most out of your oven is when it’s time to use bake and when you should be using the broil function. Hence, let's describe both and look into each of their benefits.
What Does Baking Do?
When you choose to bake something in the oven, you'll surround your food with a consistent flow of hot air generated by the elements in your oven. With this setting, the bottom element is the only burner that produces heat, and then it’s circulated inside the oven. It’s the best option for getting a consistent cook to achieve the perfect golden brown color.
Baking is also known to have the least amount of infrared radiation that can be responsible for burning the top of your food. However, to bake correctly, you’re going to need the right cookware, including a baking sheet or baking pan. This method allows the radiating heat to get to the most important areas of your dish without burning.
Depending on the type of oven you own, you can adjust the temperature of the bake function from 170 degrees F to 500 degrees F. Some specialty ovens allow for baking at lower or higher temperatures. When you’re following a recipe, you will need to bake the food at a specific temperature for a certain length of time.
The Benefits of the Bake Setting
When you choose to bake your meal compared to broiling it, there are plenty of benefits, including
- Control
Since you can set a custom temperature, you have far more control over how your food cooks. You won’t have to worry about keeping an eye on the meal to prevent burning, especially if you’re cooking meats. The bake function also allows you to maintain moisture within the dish without the likelihood of drying everything out.
- Healthier Cooking
In comparison to deep-frying, baking will enable you to create healthier versions of the food you love. You can minimize the amount of butter or oil you’d usually need for stovetop dishes or if you’re deep-frying something.
Although it’s important to note that at times, baking can diminish the nutritional value of food. When an ingredient is exposed to prolonged heat, it reduces the vitamin and moisture content of the food. This is why opting to boil or steam vegetables is a better alternative than baking them in the oven.
- Lower Heats
Compared to broiling, baking relies on far lesser temperatures. Most households tend to avoid the broil function, as it can be dangerous if left unattended. You’ll find this to be especially true if you have highly sensitive smoke detectors in your home.
With the broil function, you will have to remain in the kitchen to ensure you don’t burn or overcook your dishes. Watching over every meal takes away from the enjoyment of entertaining.
If you love baking cakes, cookies, and other great treats, you’ll become very accustomed to the bake function on your stove. Baking allows you to achieve a thorough cook without the hassle of burning the outside of a cake. The evenness produced by baking is unmatched by broiling.
What Does Broiling Do?
When you turn on the broiling function on your stove, you'll put your food incredibly close to the heat source. Typically, you’ll need to place your dishes on the very top rack of the oven right below the top burner or element. Unlike baking, broiling does not rely on circulating heat, but instead infrared radiation.
All the heat generated by the oven will be directed straight to your food, allowing you to achieve a beautiful crispy texture when appropriately used. However, it relies on incredibly high temperatures, typically above 550 degrees F, to do so.
The main reason you might want to use the broiling function is for searing. For example, if you're going to sear tender cuts or boneless meats, broil is the best way to do so. Be wary of how easily this function can burn and char food, and produce a lot of smoke.
The Benefits of the Broil Setting
Even though it relies on scorching temperatures, there are a few noticeable benefits of using the broil setting over baking, such as:
- Faster Cooking
Instead of having to wait for food to get the right outside texture while baking, broiling gets everything crispier in far less time. Simply because you’ll be placing your baking tray closer to the burner, your food will cook substantially faster. A dish that could take 30 minutes to get golden can change color in a couple of minutes while broiling.
- Reduced Oil
Similar to baking, when you opt to broil, you can limit the amount of butter and oil you use while cooking. You must use as little oil as possible while broiling, as it can cause an incredible amount of smoke. You’ll easily be able to achieve a crispy texture without having to deep fry any of your ingredients.
- Adding Flavor
Some people suggest that broiling helps to add flavor to meats and fish, as similar to grilling. With the right seasoning, you can transform an ordinary dish into a restaurant-quality meal with the broil function.
Final Thoughts
The main difference between bake and broil is the heat your food is exposed to, with baking allowing you to cook at far lower temperatures. Depending on the recipe you’re working with, one function may be preferable over the other for the right flavor and texture.
