Hyperbaking

The word on the street these days is "green". Everyone you know, every TV channel, every magazine the same term "Go Green". As a mother of 3 I will admit that cutting corners is easier sometimes though not environmentally friendly but with screaming kids and laundry to finish I do what I can!

Every recipe you read calls for you to preheat the oven to a certain temperature. Once the oven has reached the desired temperature you than place your food in the oven and remove once you have cooked your meal the directed amount of time. Seeing as how your conventional oven uses an estimated 6% of its energy output to cook your food, your oven is screaming "NOT GREEN"!

While reading a magazine called Kiwi I came across this term called "Hyperbaking". It's a technique based on the principles of hypermiling, where you take every opportunity to save gas while driving. So hyperbaking would be taking every opportunity to save gas while using your conventional oven!

The process is easy and you may have done it many times before without even realizing it. Simply don't preheat your oven! Once you have prepared your gourmet meal, place your dish in the oven and set at the desired temperature. Once your food is almost done, say 10 minutes before, turn off your oven! Though your food may be in the oven a bit longer you are saving energy!

This technique works great with most dishes but I would consider not hyperbaking dishes that are temperature sensitive such as poultry.

One last thought, don't open the oven door while cooking! The temperature can drop 25 degrees leaving you waiting longer for dinner!

Have fun hyperbaking!