Do you want to know how to prepare your oven for Thanksgiving? Everyone feels that Thanksgiving is fast approaching. The purpose of this special holiday is to celebrate family, gratitude, and delectable food. But if your oven isn’t working properly, it could also come with a side of stress. After all, you’ll be the star of the Thanksgiving dinner, preparing the beloved turkey, pies, and side dishes.

Simple Tips to Prepare Your Oven For Thanksgiving

Use the advice and directions below to help you prepare your oven (and your mind) for the upcoming challenge of Thanksgiving cooking:

First, Ensure Your Oven Is Clean and Running Properly

Make sure the inside of your oven is clean before doing any work. Your meals won’t cook as well in a dirty oven, and the flavor will suffer. We advise cleaning extensively used appliances every 1-3 months and lightly used equipment once or twice a year.

Gather Your Materials

We advise cleaning the oven two weeks before Thanksgiving, even if it has a self-cleaning feature (in case of breakdown). This is due to the possibility of a circuit board, fuse, or thermostat damage due to the oven’s internal temperature rising to as much as 1000°F during a self-clean. In contrast, cleaning it by hand enables you to thoroughly clean it without endangering your oven’s functionality, particularly if it is more than adequately dirty. 

Cleaning the Inside of Your Oven

After assembling these ingredients, pour white vinegar into an oven-safe bowl and set it on the center shelf of the oven. The oven temperature is set to 270°F. Turn off the oven after it reaches this temperature, and keep the door closed for several hours to allow the vinegar to steam. After a few hours, empty the vinegar basin. Any food residue should be easy to remove with a damp cloth. Scrub any stubborn areas with a scouring pad and a solution of equal water and vinegar.

Checking Your Oven’s Temperature Accuracy

Once your oven has been restored to its former splendor, it could be a good idea to examine the accuracy of its temperature reader. Many ovens can misread the temperature by 20°F or more. The sensor is located inside the wall, nearer the heat source. You need the temperature to be correct within a 25°F range (with the temperature being no more than about 12°F too high or low) to cook food properly. You may determine the precise temperature of your oven by utilizing a low-cost oven thermometer with a dial or a digital probe temperature reader.

Planning Your Meals and Cooking Schedule

It’s time to plan what you’re going to bake for the approaching feast once your oven is clean and you’ve seen how the temperature changes inside of it. Yes, we mean the specifics of what and when you are making. By doing this, you can avoid rushing around on Thanksgiving Day only to discover that you don’t have enough time to prepare all the delicious sides of a Thanksgiving meal.

Once you’ve chosen the foods you want to make, it’s time to decide which dishes will be cooked on which day. Yes, we mean that many foods can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator for the night. Desserts and traditional sides like cranberry sauce, which are best consumed at a lower temperature, are best prepared the day before. Before serving, reheating additional sides in the microwave is simple.

How to prepare your oven for Thanksgiving

Identify problems early 

To check if your oven is working properly, run a test dish through it. If there are any problems, you should plan any necessary repairs a few weeks before the holiday as a safety net.

Run a self-clean cycle after the holiday cooking

You won’t have to search for a service repair if an issue arises because of this. After the cleaning cycle and the oven has cooled, wipe the inside with a moist towel.

Don’t overload your oven

While cramming several dishes into the oven, remember to leave at least 2 inches between the dishes and the walls.

Consider other cooking options

Numerous alternative methods or techniques can be used to prepare meals. Think of cooking your meals on the stovetop, in the microwave, on the grill, in a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, a deep fryer, or a multi-cooker. Additionally, you can prepare “no cook” meals like fruit or green salad. 

When you catch issues earlier with your oven and other kitchen appliances, turn to Kenmore Best Appliance Repair Pro, the company that has been in the business for years offering exceptional Kenmore range repair and other services you need. No matter the brand or model, our team of experts is always prepared to help you and guarantees quality service every time. 

Give Kenmore Best Appliance Repair Pro a call for holiday appliance repair today. Our repair technicians have the training, certifications, and skills necessary to work on all styles of gas and electric models. We hope you and your family have an enjoyable holiday season.