How to Use the Drawer Beneath an Oven
Almost every oven comes with a bottom drawer. This drawer may be intended to be used as a broiler, warming drawer, or simply as a storage area. The use of the drawer depends on the oven type and brand, so it is important to consult the instructions for your oven before using this drawer. No matter what type of drawer you have, it can be used in a variety of helpful ways whether it be quickly cooking food, keeping prepared food warm, or storing pots and pans.
1. **Read the oven’s instructions.** The easiest way to know if your bottom drawer is simply a storage drawer is to read the instructions that came with the oven. If you don’t have the instructions, you can look up your oven model online and read about the product features. The bottom drawer is most likely a storage drawer if it doesn’t have settings or a heating element.
2. **Adjust the settings.** Many warming drawers come with several temperature settings. Typically, there will be a setting for high, medium, and low temperatures. Seafood, poultry, and other types of meat should be kept at a medium or high setting. If you are cooking multiple foods at once, keep the finished food that requires the lowest temperature in the drawer.
3. **Keep prepared food warm.** Warming drawers are typically used to help foods that are already warm, stay warm, instead of heating cold foods up. Use a warming drawer when you are cooking multiple foods at once and want one part of the meal that was prepared earlier to stay warm. For example, keep the dessert warming in the drawer while the main course is cooking.
4. **Look for a humidity controller.** Warming drawers often come with a humidity controller. You can use this option to keep foods from drying out. For instance, keep your bread rolls in the warming drawer to prevent them from drying out, or adjust the humidity to keep your French fries crisp.
5. **Avoid cooking food in the warming drawer.** A warming drawer is slightly different from a broiler. It does keep food warm, but it is not meant to cook the food. Attempting to cook food in the warming drawer can be dangerous because bacteria can develop at a low temperature.
Some warming drawers have a slow cooker option. Read your manual to see if your oven has this option.
6. **Store baking and cooking supplies.** Storage drawers are most often used for cooking supplies. For example, you can put your pots, pans, and skillets in this drawer. To get the most out of your space, invert the lids on pans to avoid the handles getting in the way of the door.
Do not overload the drawer, or it will be difficult to easily retrieve whatever item you’re looking for.
7. **Use the drawer for long items.** You can also use this drawer to store items that don’t easily fit in other storage containers because of their length. For example, you can put items such as barbecue grilling tools, servings trays, platters, and other serving utensils in this drawer. Though the drawer can store a variety of things, it is better to store things that are used to cook, bake, or serve food.
8. **Put small items into containers.** Smaller items, like, utensils can easily get mixed up inside of a storage drawer. Use containers, dividers, or boxes to keep them in place. Store the items according to use.
9. **Store special items in the drawer.** If your drawer is difficult to access, use it store items you only use on special occasions or for entertainment. You can store holiday cookie trays, or cooking utensils that aren’t commonly used. You may not want to keep expensive platters in this drawer just in case crumbs fall through.
10. **Check the heating source.** A bottom drawer broiler is most common in gas stoves. If you have a gas stove that has a bottom heating source, then your bottom drawer is most likely a broiler. The trays for the broiler will be a maximum of five inches from the heating source.
11. **Read the instructions.** If you are still not sure what your bottom drawer is meant for, the best way to know is to consult the instructions that came with the oven. The instructions will tell you if it is a pull-out broiler drawer and how to use it properly. You can most likely find instructions or product features for your brand of oven online if you no longer have the instructions.
12. **Cook your food within 5 to 10 minutes.** You can put the food on a grated broiler pan, or use a cast-iron skillet. Foods cooked in a broiler will typically be finished within 5 to 10 minutes. Foods like fresh vegetables that can be cooked quickly, thin-cut meats, and tender foods are best to broil because usually only the outer surface of the food is cooked.
You can also cook foods in the oven first and then put them in the broiler to finish and vice versa.
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