A drawer under the oven can seem like the perfect place to store pans, cake tins, pans, or other kitchen items. But this drawer may have a completely different purpose: it can also be used to keep food warm.
The original function of some under-oven drawers is to keep freshly prepared food warm until it is ready to be served. The heat from the oven flows into the drawer, but only enough to keep the food warm, not to cook it.
So, for example, if you have a side dish ready before the meat is cooked in the oven, you can just put it in the drawer and you’re guaranteed a hot lunch. A warming drawer is particularly useful for larger baking and cooking jobs, such as at Christmas when you have several dishes on the table at once. This way, not only the meat but also the previously prepared side dishes can stay hot until serving.
But remember that the drawer is only for keeping warm, not for baking, so cold or raw food won’t cook in it!
Not All Drawers Under The Oven Are Warming Drawers
Not all ovens have this feature, but there are more and more products on the market that come with this useful extra. If you want to be sure what your drawer is for, read the instructions that came with your oven.
If the instructions say that the drawer has a warming function, don’t keep anything that could be a fire hazard in it, and if it’s just a plain drawer, it’s still perfect for what you’ve been using it for – storing kitchen utensils.
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Last updated: September 24, 2023