Bottom drawer in oven?

[Barbara L]

thanks, taxy.

it just doesn't seem practical having an exposed element that doesn't reach obliterating temps in normal use. or do they?

do electric ovens have a self cleaning feature?
i guess someone figured out an actual, engineering type of physical positioning.
i woulda just put a small micro perforated, removable plate over the element, leaving the sides open, since it requires cleaning anyway..


but i don't know the physics. that might be a bad idea if they really don't cause smoke with cooks that are inexperienced with electric ovens as i.

1. I often put foil on the rack below what I am baking, in case there is a big spill.
2. My oven is "self" cleaning -- I clean it myself.
3. In 9th grade Home Ec. class a girl dropped a cookie on the heating element and it caught fire. Fun stuff!
4. Veering a little off-topic here with a bit of trivia, but did you know that Linda Ronstadt's grandfather invented (or co-invented?) the electric stove?

 

[buckytom]

thanks, barbara. that's sort of what i assumed. smoke might come from easy mistakes in such a configuration. but we may still need more explanation from more experienced folks.

i wasn't trying to insult anyone with an electric oven. just rrying to understand how modern ones work.

i'd hate to think there's gas envy...

i guess it's time to do an online search for answers.

 

[buckytom]

google really is my friend.

this took me only minutes.

How Does an Electric Oven Work? | DoItYourself.com

Why You Should (Almost) Never Use Your Oven's Self-Cleaning Function | The Kitchn

so, in modern elecrtic ovens, the elements are either outside of the oven compartment, or "enclosed in a steel box".


sorry, my fault for being lazy.

 

[Addie]

with respect, never an appreciable amount of drip or splatter from somthing that's roasting or baking?

apple pies, or lwhole turkeys, or legs of lamb are the joie de vis for a smoke alarm, and the death knell for an oven here.

i must be doing something wrong.

I suppose this should go into the hints and tricks of the kitchen.

If you put a small roasting pan of water under what is roasting, it will catch the drippings and it will reduce any smoking drastically. By the time the food is cooked most of the water will evaporate. Should it evaporate completely before the meal is finished cooking, replenish it.

 

[bakechef]

My bottom element is hidden.

I've used the self clean function a few times and it is pretty amazing. When done, the oven is spotless except for a tiny bit of ash in the bottom that you can wipe away with a cloth. The whole range gets VERY hot while this is happening though.

 

[Andy M.]

with respect, never an appreciable amount of drip or splatter from somthing that's roasting or baking?

apple pies, or lwhole turkeys, or legs of lamb are the joie de vis for a smoke alarm, and the death knell for an oven here.

i must be doing something wrong.

Of course there's spatter. But not much of it will land on a heating element. When you consider the exposed surface area of the element as compared to the surface area of the entire oven floor, the shelves and some of the walls, which all catch splatter, it's a very small %. Also, it splatters over time and burns off as it hits. The heating element is self-cleaning but the rest of the oven surface is not.

 

[Andy M.]

Electric heating elements do get hot enough to burn stuff off. They get red hot. If you could watch oneas the oven warms up and maintains heat, you'd see it on until target temp is reached then it cycles off and on to maintain heat. It gets so hot it's not on for long once target temp is attained.

 

[Siegal]

I had an old gas oven in NY with the real broiler with fire on the bottom drawer. It was great!! In Miami they only have electric stoves so the broiler is on top Nd never broils just overcooks my food
I miss my gas stoves

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

If it's a gas stove, the bottom drawer is the broiler, if it's an electric stove, the bottom drawer is a great place to keep the broiler pan and other pans you don't use all that often, like maybe the turkey roasting pan.

 

[Andy M.]

If it's a gas stove, the bottom drawer is the broiler,...

Not so.

With the introduction of self-cleaning gas ovens, the broiler element has been moved up to the top of the oven compartment. The drawer under the oven is now a storage location.

 

[msmofet]

I have an old version of this model. It has regular bake,convection bake and convection roast settings. It also has a griddle plate over a 5th oval middle burner that can be switched out with the regular burner grate. The draw is for baking and is electric. I was told by the sales person at Lowes that the draw is used in kosher households for keeping food warm on religious days when actual cooking is not allowed. Not sure if it is true but there is some reference in the owners manual.

GE Profile™ Series 30'' Freestanding Gas Range w/ Convection and Baking Drawer - Stainless Steel

Product Description

With the latest in appliance technologies and the best in contemporary design, GE Profile™ Series products transform the way you live. This freestanding range features a 5.4 cu. ft. self-cleaning convection oven with a stylish black gloss oven interior, big ClearView™ window and 1.0 cu. ft. baking drawer. The deep recessed stainless steel cooktop offers a 19,000 BTU tri-ring burner and a 10,000 BTU center oval burner, providing you with more cooking flexibility.

• Gas convection oven — Circulates air throughout the oven cavity ensuring better baking and roasting results
• Self-clean oven — Conveniently cleans the oven cavity without the need for scrubbing
• 5.4 cu. ft. oven capacity — Enough room to cook an entire meal at once
• Baking drawer — Offers an additional 1.0 cu. ft. of capacity for convenient baking from 140 to 450 degrees
• Reversible cast-iron griddle/grill — Provides the flexibility to sear meats on the grill and cook delicate meals on the griddle
• 19,000 BTU tri-ring burner — Three-in-one burner is designed for accelerated boiling and gentle simmering
• Center oval burner — Oval fifth burner in the center of the cooktop is large to accommodate odd-sized cookware or griddles
• Precise Simmer burner — Allows for low, even heat distribution that is ideal for delicate foods and sauces
• Deep-recessed stainless steel cooktop — Deep recessed cooktop keeps spills, and everything else, contained in one area that’s easy to wipe clean

 

[Andy M.]

Interesting, msmofet. A dual oven range with a nice variety of stove top configurations. The broiler must be at the top of the oven compartment though the text you posted doesn't mention it.

 

[msmofet]

Interesting, msmofet. A dual oven range with a nice variety of stove top configurations. The broiler must be at the top of the oven compartment though the text you posted doesn't mention it.

Yes there is an element on the top of oven that has (gas) flames coming out on both sides.

 

[buckytom]

Yes there is an element on the top of oven that has (gas) flames coming out on both sides.

hmm, sort of like chief goodwind.

 

[taxlady]

I just had a look. The bottom element in my 25 year old electric oven is thinner than a pencil and it is about an inch from the walls and front of the oven. That's why it seldom gets hit by spills. And my bottom drawer just a drawer. I store pots and pans in it.