Oven Tips for Cooking a Holiday Turkey, Ham & More

APP Expert / Tuesday December 20, 2022


As you plan your next holiday feast, you’ll likely be making good use of your oven. Whether you’re roasting a big bird or baking festive desserts, a top-performing oven can help achieve your ambitious holiday menu. 

This holiday season, perform preventive maintenance on your oven, pressure cooker and/or crockpot so that you’re ready to handle all your tastiest recipes with little to no interruptions. Our experts at AppliancePartsPros.com have put together a list of oven maintenance and cleaning tips to get your cooking appliances in great shape this December.

No matter the repair, discover genuine oven parts at AppliancePartsPros.com. Shop with us today!

Oven Tips for Holiday Cooking

Before you use your oven this holiday season, it’s important to perform some preventative maintenance tasks. Here are expert tips for getting your oven in top condition. 

1. Keep Your Oven Clean

To start, you should regularly clean your oven, especially if you notice a spill or a grease stain. Additionally, you’ll want to undergo a deep clean on an annual basis. 

If your oven comes with a self-cleaning feature, you can use it once a year to get rid of the toughest stains. Keep in mind that this setting typically takes 5+ hours to run, so be sure you have the time to fully complete it. 

You should also do a manual deep clean, especially if your oven is quite dirty. Be sure to unplug your oven before cleaning it. From here, you’ll want to scrub the inside with a mix of baking soda and water (recommended ½ baking soda per three tablespoons of water). Spread this mix around the inside of your oven and let it sit overnight before wiping it up. 

For other oven parts, such as racks, glass, and knobs, you can wipe them down with a cloth and a vinegar solution. Just be cautious with the oven knobs, as you don’t want to get any cleaning solution into the oven wiring behind them. It is better to spray cleaning solution onto the cloth and then use it to wipe, rather than spray directly onto the oven, for this reason.

2. Calibrate Your Oven

Before the holidays, it’s also important to calibrate your oven. If you’ve noticed that foods come out undercooked or overdone, the oven knobs may not accurately be displaying the temperature. 

Calibrating your oven is simple. First, you’ll want to get temperature readings. Use a high-quality thermometer and set it on a middle oven rack. Now preheat your oven to 350°. Once the oven indicates that it’s ready, check the thermometer to see its temperature reading. If your oven is off by 5 degrees or more, it will need to be recalibrated. 

Every oven is unique, so calibrating it will depend on whether it’s a manual or electronic control. You can get in-depth instructions in your user’s manual, as well as some general guidelines in our guide here. 

Pro tip: If your oven temperature is way off, your door seals (also called gaskets) may be damaged or warped. Once your oven has cooled down, check to see if they need to be replaced.

3. Know Your Oven Settings

For successful holiday cooking, you’ll also want to understand your oven settings. Newer models come with all kinds of settings, including convention, broiler, and more. 

You should sit down with your user’s manual to get to know your oven settings and what may be best for cooking a turkey, ham or another holiday meal. It’s extremely common for home chefs to use their oven settings incorrectly, leading to unevenly cooked or externally burnt dishes. 

4. Don’t Skip Preheating

There’s a reason why recipes call for preheating your oven first. Preheating is an essential step for getting evenly cooked dishes. In addition, it’s important for food safety, as you need to bake your dish at the correct temperature to kill off harmful bacteria.

For a holiday turkey or ham, you’ll want to preheat your oven at a higher temperature than the recipe calls for. When you put in the turkey, the oven will lose quite a bit of heat. In addition, it takes up a great deal of space in the oven, which means it needs more heat to get started. Of course, once your turkey is in the oven, you should turn down the temperature as the recipe states (usually 350°).

5. Check Door Gaskets

The door gasket is a key part of your oven, as it ensures a proper seal to keep the oven hot. However, if the gasket is damaged or warped, your oven may lose heat, causing all kinds of problems when cooking. 

When your oven is cool, take a close look at the door gaskets. Look for any cracked, warped or otherwise damaged seals. If you notice any, you’ll need to buy a new oven door gasket and replace it as soon as possible. 

6. Clean Out the Broiler Pan

The broiler setting on your oven is great for “grilling” different types of foods. It utilizes high, direct heat to achieve crispy and flavorful dishes. 

That said, you should regularly clean your broiler pan. Often this pan slides out of the oven, so you can easily scrub it down with liquid soap and water. Do this after every broiler meal, otherwise grease and other stains can build up. If you have an especially dirty broiler pan, consider soaking it overnight. 

7. Oil the Oven Racks

Another great holiday trick is to oil your oven racks so that they easily slide in and out as you cook this season. This only takes a few minutes and will spare you trying to pry out racks when they’re full of food. Simply use a food-safe oil on the rack hinges and wipe away any excess.

8. Have a Smoke Detector Installed and a Fire Extinguisher Nearby

It’s vital that you stay safe when using your oven this season. In case of emergency, you should always have a smoke detector installed near your kitchen, as well as have a fire extinguisher on hand. 

In addition, you can prevent kitchen fires by staying alert as you cook. Keep flammable items away from the stovetop, clear any tripping hazards and never leave cooking food unattended.

9. Troubleshoot Oven Issues as Needed

While ovens can last up to 15-20 years, it’s important to keep them well-maintained. If you notice any issues with your oven this season, you should troubleshoot for common issues and buy any replacement parts as needed. Some tasks to complete include:

  • Inspect the gas line
  • Clean the range hood filter
  • Check the thermocouples
  • Lubricate the blower motor
  • Replace any damaged burners

Still can’t pinpoint the problem? You can get even more oven troubleshooting guidelines on our blog here. 

Pressure Cooker & Crockpot Tips for Holiday Cooking

If you’re keen on using your pressure cooker or crockpot this season, you should also keep it well-maintained. Since maintenance on pressure cookers and crockpots are distinct from ovens, our experts have outlined some key steps to ensure best usage with these appliances. 

1. Get Liquid Levels Right

Closing your crockpot without the right level of liquid can be disastrous. Pressure cookers and crockpots rely on having plenty of liquid in order to generate steam during the cooking process. Without liquid, your foods are likely to burn and stick to the pot. Follow your user’s manual for recommendations on the right amount of liquid to add. 

2. Don’t Overfill

Though it may seem obvious, don’t go over the maximum fill line on your pressure cooker. Keep in mind that grains such as rice and pasta will also expand during cooking, so you don’t want to overfill the pot and create a blow-out situation. 

3. Safely Release Pressure

When you turn the heat off your pressure cooker, it will start to release steam gradually. Let the pot follow this process to safely release the pressure. 

Additionally, most pressure cookers have a safety valve in case the pot gets too hot. If you need to, you can also make use of this valve, but be cautious. Wear protective gloves if you need to open the valve and follow your user manual’s instructions. 

Finally, never force the lid open on a pressure cooker, as this can be dangerous and lead to burn accidents. Instead, allow the pot to release steam gradually. 

4. Clean It Thoroughly

After every use, clean your crockpot thoroughly. Run it under running water, scrub it with dish soap, and remove the gasket for a deep clean. Be sure it’s completely dry before storing it as well. 

5. Troubleshoot Frequent Problems as Needed

Your pressure cooker or crockpot may run into some problems over the years. Some typical issues include: damaged or dirty gaskets, blocked vent pipes or damage resulting from incorrect usage. As the holidays approach, don’t forget to troubleshoot your pressure cooker as needed.

Maintain Your Oven With AppliancePartsPros.com

Excellent work! With these expert tips for maintaining your oven, pressure cooker and/or crockpot, you’re ready to become a master chef this season. 

Remember that if you notice any issues with your oven or pressure cooker, you can discover any replacement parts you need at AppliancePartsPros.com. Browse today to find genuine parts for your oven model.

Oven, Slow Cooker, and Pressure Cooker FAQs

How Often Should You Clean Your Oven?

At every use, you should wipe down your oven of any large spills or food residue. However, once a year, you should also perform a deep clean. To help you get a spick-and-span oven, follow our expert instructions here.

When Should I Use the Self-Cleaning Oven Function?

The self-cleaning oven function can be handy for burning away difficult-to-remove stains. However, you should only use this function occasionally (once a year) and on moderately dirty ovens. This feature is hard on your oven, and overusing it can break the appliance. If your oven is severely dirty, you should manually deep clean it first. 

What Shouldn’t Go in the Oven?

Flammable items should never go in the oven, such as plastic or paper products. You should also be cautious about your clothing near the oven. Avoid approaching the oven while wearing scarves or loose sleeves, as they could catch fire. In addition, take care that you don’t place empty glassware in the oven, which may overheat without food inside. 

Does It Matter Where You Put Food in the Oven?

Yes, the placement of food may change how it’s cooked. Overall, the middle rack is the best place to evenly cook foods, while the top of the oven is hotter and good for browning foods. You should also take care that baking sheets and pans don’t touch each other or the oven doors, otherwise, air circulation in the oven may be restricted and cause uneven cooking. 

How Likely Is It That a Pressure Cooker Explodes?

While a pressure cooker will rarely explode, this event may cause severe burns due to the high temperature of the food inside it. Typically, a pressure cooker will explode due to improper usage by the consumer, such as overfilling it. Other issues, such as damaged gaskets, clogged vents or a defective part can also lead to a pressure cooker exploding. 

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