Hotpoint EG1000GX - Manual (Page 14)

14
GB
Conventional Oven
OVEN CONTROL
Heating of the oven is achieved by turning the
control clockwise to the required oven temperature
scale on the control panel, as recommended in the
temperature charts. The pilot light will immediately
come on and off during cooking as the thermostat
maintains the correct temperature.
The ‘Oven Cooking’ charts are a guide only, giving
approximate cooking temperatures and times. To
suit personal taste and requirements, it may be
necessary to increase and decrease temperatures
by 10°C.
The oven is fitted with 'heat clean' liners and two rod
shelves. The heating of the oven is achieved by
turning the control knob clockwise to the required
temperature as recommended in the temperature
charts. The pilot light will immediately come on and
will automatically go off and on during cooking as
the oven thermostat maintains the correct
temperature.
It should be noted that at the end of a cooking
period there may be a momentary puff of steam
when the oven door is opened. This will disperse in
a few seconds and is a perfectly normal
characteristic of an oven with a good seal.
The correct positioning of food is indicated on the
temperature charts.
TO PREPARE MEAT FOR ROASTING IN YOUR
CONVENTIONAL OVEN
Wipe the joint, dry well with a clean cloth, kitchen
tissue etc. and weigh it. Meat which has been stored
in a refrigerator should be allowed to come to room
temperature for approximately 30 minutes before
cooking and frozen meat or poultry must be
completely defrosted beforehand.
Beef, lamb, mutton and poultry may be lightly
floured, but pork should be scored, brushed lightly
with oil and rubbed with salt to give crisp crackling.
Place joint in the main oven meat pan supplied with
your cooker. (Small joints weighing less than 1.75kg
(31/2lb) should be roasted in a smaller meat pan /
tin - or they may be 'pot roasted' - a small joint in a
large meat pan causes unnecessary oven splashing
and evaporation of meat juices). Additional fat
should not be added, except for veal, very lean
meat or poultry which can be 'larded' with bacon fat
or brushed very sparingly with cooking oil or melted
fat. It is not necessary to baste, when roasting in an
electric oven and liquid / stock should not be added
to the pan.
For optimum cooking performance, there must be
clearance between meat pan and oven sides.
The meat pan must be placed lengthways in the
oven to allow for air circulation.
TIMES AND TEMPERATURES FOR ROASTING
The secret of succulent, tender meat, is not to roast
it too quickly at too high a temperature.
Best results are obtained when roasting is carried
out at a low temperature. When a lower temperature
is used, the joint loses less weight, is more tender
(too high a temperature causes meat to be tough
and dry) and the splashing of fat onto oven interior
is reduced to a minimum.
When a complete meal is being cooked in the oven,
cooking time may need to be increased and
temperature may need to be raised for
approximately the last 30 minutes of the cooking
period (for instance when cooking Yorkshire pudding
to serve with roast beef ). The suggested times and
temperatures given below should be used as a
guide, but may vary according to:-
1. Whether you prefer meat rare, medium or well done.
2. The size and shape of your joint.
(a) A short thick joint requires a longer cooking
period than a long thin joint.
(b) A small joint under 1.5kg (3lbs) takes longer
per 450g (1lb) cook in the time given for 'minutes'
per 450g (1lb) without the 'minutes' over added.
(c) Boned/rolled and stuffed joints take longer to
cook through than those with a bone. The weight
of stuffing should be added to the oven ready
weight of the meat / poultry to calculate roasting
times.
NOTE: Remember to switch off the oven control
after cooking is finished. If the door of the
oven is left open for long periods of time
with the control switch ON, then the grill
element will become hot. The correct posi-
tioning of food is indicated in the tempera-
ture charts.