Cooking For Engineers

[dharring]

I need to cook one item at 400 degrees for 90 minutes, and another at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. If I want to cook them together, what temperature should I use and how long should I cook each? Many thanks.

[McDee]

What two items are you asking about? It's easier to offer a solution if we know what they are.

[Taamar]

Yup, some things can get really screwed up by cooking at the wrong temp (roasting meats... outside is dry before inside is done. Cakes are the same.)

Most times you're better off redesigning your menu to reflect your resources.

[LAN3]

Anything that cooks at 400 for 90 minutes is probably going to need a long time to cool-- if I were you I'd do the 400 first, and drop the temperature and throw the second item in; turn the temp down on the oven, obviously, and use the oven door and the thermometer to drop the temperature quickly-- it can be done literally in seconds-- do 5-full-second increments and watch the temp inside the oven.

If you must do them at the same time, drop the temperature and leave the 400-degree item in there-- again, anything that can cope with an hour at 400 should tolerate a temperature drop of 75 degrees. I would hope.