August 31, 2009 - 11:39am
Is Gas or Electric Stove Best? What do you use?
I finally got my commercial mixer. Now I need to know, can I bake bread in a regular oven? Is gas or electric better? What temp for multiple loaves? Do I need a commercial kitchen in order to sell breads to my co-workers? I want to take orders for the holidays and bake in my home if I can.
I know this seems elementary, but I have only baked bread in a hobart oven, baking 6 loaves at a time, in a commercial kitchen for a baker.
Thanks
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Hi,
I love my gas stove, but not for baking! Gas stoves are vented (to supply oxygen to the burners). Unfortunately, this means that they are extremely poor at retaining steam, which is an essential element for the successful baking of certain breads.
If you go through enough posts on this site, you'll see the myriad of jury-rigged apparatus that members have come up with to overcome this problem - all gas stove owners.
Unless you're buying a commercial gas oven with steam fittings, I'd go with electric.
Just my 2¢ worth, but having struggled to create good baguette slashes, I thought I'd pass them along.
Larry
I agree an electric oven is better IF you are going to use a stone or the rack to bake on. And it has to do with steam retention as indicated above. However, IF you have to use a gas oven because that is what you have, a cloche will mimic a WFO and yield gorgeous boules and such - just not real practical for baguettes. I have both gas and electric and tend to use electric but if my wife has it tied up I use my cloches and am quite happy! (I often use cloches in the electric oven too!)
If you don't want to spend $60 for a cloche, you can do quite well with terra cotta pot bases and pots - just don't want the holes in the bottom!
Good Luck!
Jay
I have two gas ovens and have always preferred to bake and cook with gas. I think it is a personal preference. I have used electric ovens in the past and they seem to produce a drier product. I feel that you can regulate the temperature in a gas oven better than electric.
You need to check your state health regulations about the commercial kitchen. Most states require a commercial kitchen to sell to the public. Here in MN we can sell at a farmers' market without a commercial kitchen but can't advertise or have people come to the house for baked goods. Every state has its own regulations.
Hi Flourgirl!
Intersting comments! That you find the electric oven creates drier bread id really intriguing! Ditto that you have better temperature control. Obviously this is related to (at least in part) the accuracy of your oven controls.
Do you use the gas oven without cloches? (I presume you do!) Would love to hear how you bake. Stone, steam generation, etc.
Thanks in advance!
Jay
I use a dual-fuel stove: 4-burner gas top, conventional or convection electric oven. I've cooked and baked with it for six years, and except for the oven size I'm completely happy with it. I'm considering buying a 36" wide dual-fuel to replace this one just to have a bigger oven for baking, but this one's been so reliable I'm reluctant to change it.
I'm surprised at Flourgirl's comment. Folklore I've heard and read (somewhere) is gas ovens dry out food more than electric. The only gas oven I've used in recent years is the one in our RV, but its a disaster--hot spots, and bad temperature control.
There are a couple long threads on this site dealing with the question of selling your bread, with some good information about some state's regulations. Use the search function on the left of the page. Try "commercial kitchens", "state laws" and "farmers markets".
David G