this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
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Counterpoint, preheating just gives you a consistent starting point to follow their recipe. So you could follow their recipe once to see the intended result, then optimize it for your equipment (find the correct time and temp to get the intended result without preheating).
This all assumes you're cooking a frozen thing. If you're baking, follow the damned instructions. Baking is a science.
As a person who YOLO'd baking recipes for years then finally actually followed the instructions and then created some bangin' cookies.. I agree.
This whole "follow the damn instructions" kind of has some value I think.
Yes, RTFM (Read The Fucking Manual) is kinda the gold standard if you're looking for consistency and preheating is what eliminates most of the difference between shitty ovens and more reliable ones.
The time it takes to go from cold to hot varies massively between ovens, and your oven might not be up to temp by the time your recipe says to pull the stuff out.
Remaining factors are keeping consistent temperature and overshoot, which is why you'll invest in a proper oven if you're even remotely serious about baking.