Plus, how long does it take an oven to preheat?

Youre reading through the directions and the first instruction after the prep work reads, Preheat your oven.

You realize its going to take a little longer to finally enjoy your meal.

Oven with door open and pastries on baking sheet

Photo:Dolgachov/Getty Images

Either way, you might wonder, Do I really need to preheat my oven?

The answer depends on what youre trying to cook.

Why Preheat the Oven?

If you thought you only needed to preheat your oventhats not entirely true.

“Preheating is necessary for many foods.

Food Safety and Preheating

Food safety is another important reason why some recipes and dishes require preheating.

After all, you dont want to give yourselfor worse, your family or guestsfood poisoning.

For meat or poultry, it’s important to think about food safety, Klein explains.

Food has to meet a safe internal temperature to prevent bacteria from forming.

No one wants to experience the results of cooking food improperly.

So, if a recipe calls for preheating, its crucial that you take the time to do it.

This isnt a step you want to skip out on.

For example, if you arent cooking, but rather, just reheating or warming up a meal.

So, how do you know your food has been properly heated up?

According to theUSDA, leftovers should be heated to 165F.

How Long Does It Take to Preheat an Oven?

Remember, the higher the temperature, the more time it takes to preheat.