Using an RV oven has some quirks that you will need to workaround. Since most are propane, this can be a bit of a learning curve. After you’ve started your pilot and turned on your stove, you are left wondering how do I know if my RV oven is preheated?
The first morning I used our RV oven, I kept waiting for the little buzzer to go off only to realize that it didn’t have one. In a little bit of a panic, I put in a meat thermometer. I don’t think it was at all accurate, but who knows!
I ended up trying a few different methods to figure out whether or not my oven was at 350 degrees. They all worked, but I ended up buying a thermometer because I didn’t want to have to do that every day.
So, here is how you know that your RV oven is preheated…… so you aren’t waiting forever and using a meat thermometer!
How to Know When Your RV Oven is Preheated
I was really surprised that our RV oven didn’t come with a thermometer! When I went to use it for the first time, I felt all out of sorts. Like I said earlier, I ended using a meat thermometer, which wasn’t at all accurate.
The only way to know if your RV oven is preheated is by having an oven thermometer. They are pretty inexpensive and you can get them pretty much anywhere. But, if you are camping and don’t have access to a big box store or Amazon, what should you do?
3 Ways to Know your RV Oven is Preheated without a Thermometer
1. Give it 15/20 minutes to heat up
I kept forgetting to buy a thermometer, so in the meantime, I would let the oven warm up for 15/20 minutes before putting my food in. This gives it plenty of time to preheat! Most RV ovens take about 20 minutes to preheat, but if it’s hot out it may be quicker.
2. Flour Trick
Surprisingly, flour can give you a gauge of how warm your oven is. I tried this once and it was pretty accurate. You will just need to put a tablespoon of flour on a baking sheet and after 5 minutes access the color.
Light Tan – 250-325 degrees
Golden Brown – 325-400 degrees
Dark Brown – 400-450 degrees
3. Sugar Test
I saw this trick on food.com! The recipe is really easy to follow. Essentially you heat the sugar to see if it melts or doesn’t at 350 degrees. If you need a higher temperature, this method probably won’t work!
The BEST Thermometers for RV Ovens
Now that you need a thermometer for your RV oven, these are some of the best! You want something that works in a small oven and goes to about 500 degrees.
1. Rubbermaid Stainless Steel Thermometer
This little thermometer is cheap, small, and goes up to 550 degrees! I like that you can either set it on the rack or hang it. It fits inside a convection oven, so you know it won’t be taking away any cooking space!
2. Hotloop Digital Thermometer
This digital thermometer won’t be taking up any space in your tiny RV oven. You put the probe in the oven and set the display reader sits on your stovetop or counter!
3. Non-Contact Digital Temperature Gun
Out of the three, this is the most expensive, but it requires NO oven space. This is a great option if you typically use bigger pans and don’t have space for the thermometer. It also reads up to 1,000 degrees, so this could be a multipurpose tool for something else as well!
Wrap Up…
If your RV Oven didn’t come with a thermometer, you are definitely going to want one so you can have an accurate reading on the temperature. This will help you to know when your oven is preheated instead of waiting around and guessing. I hope these tips helped….. happy cooking!!!