10
‘S’ (Slow) cooking
The ‘S’ setting is a low temperature
setting.
You can cook on ‘S’ throughout, or use a 30
minute ‘boost’ period at gas mark 6 and then ‘S’
cook.
When roasting joints, poultry or pot
roasting, always cook at Mark 6 for 30
minutes at the beginning of the cooking
period.
You can ‘S’ cook for periods of 6 to 12 hours.
This technique is particularly useful if you want
to cook a dish overnight or while you are out at
work during the day.
Frozen foods must be thoroughly
thawed out before ‘S’ cooking.
Whole poultry should not be cooked on ‘S’.
Chicken casseroles are fine.
Casseroles must be brought to boiling
point on the hotplate immediately
before ‘S’ cooking.
Poultry and rolled joints should not be stuffed
before cooking. The stuffing should be cooked
separately. Poultry and pork should be cooked
in the top half of the oven, and other meats not
lower than shelf position 4.
A roasting joint should be covered with
cooking foil, or with a roasting bag to
reduce shrinkage and retain juices.
Should further browning be necessary, uncover
the meat and increase the temperature to Mark
4 for a short period.
Cut root vegetables into small pieces
unless cooking whole, e.g. jacket
potatoes.
Cover dishes tightly with a lid or foil to prevent
evaporation and transfer of flavour.
Once the oven has been loaded and the
‘S” setting is in operation resist the
temptation to open the oven door. Heat
will be lost and the cooking time
extended.
A meat thermometer is recommended for
checking that a joint or poultry is sufficiently
cooked. Insert the probe through the thickest
part of the meat. The temperatures to be
expected are as follows.-
Beef rare 60°C/ 140°F
medium 71°C/ 160°F
well done 77°C/ 170°F
Lamb 82°C/ 180°F
Pork fresh 88°C/ 190°F
cured 77°C/ 170°F
Poultry 90°C/ 195°F
Veal 77°C/ 170°F
Recipe Temperature Guide
This recipe temperature guide will help you
select a Gas Mark when the recipe says, for
example, “use a moderately hot oven”
Gas Heat
Mark of Oven Types of dishes to cook
‘S’ Slow ‘S’ cooking, Warming plates and
dishes. Keeping food hot.
1 Cool Baking custards. Milk puddings.
Very rich fruit cakes, i.e.
Christmas.
2 Cool Braising. Casseroles. Rich fruit
cake
3 Warm Low temperature roasting,
Biscuits. Rich plain cakes.
4 Moderate Plain cakes.
5 Fairly Hot Baked fish, Small cakes.
6 Hot High temperature roasting. Choux
pastry. Shortcrust pastry, Genoese
cake.
7 Hot Rich dough breads, Flaky and
rough puff pastry, High
temperature roasting.
8 Very Hot Plain dough bread. Puff pastry.
9 Very Hot Browning ready cooked dishes.
The oven control settings and
cooking times given opposite are
intended to be used only as a
guide. Individual tastes may
require the temperature to be
altered to provide a preferred
result.
Always leave at least one runner
space between shelves when 2
tier cooking. Place baking trays,
individual cake tins or baking
dishes centrally on the oven
shelf. For best results pre-heat
the oven until the oven
indicator light goes out.
