Why You Should Use Your Home Oven’s Bottom Rack

If you’re like most people, you probably lean heavily on the middle position for most roasting and baking, and a higher rack position when you want the tops of your biscuits or lasagna to brown quickly. That makes sense; the middle gives you even, all-around heat, while the upper rack puts the surface of your food at the top where heat concentrates.

But the bottom rack position is also surprisingly useful. While heat collects at the top, it originates at the bottom — unless you’re using the broiler. This makes it the ideal spot for anything that needs concentrated heat at the base, and there are more of those dishes than you’d think. Consider pizza: If you’re tired of soggy, flabby crusts, start your pie at the very bottom to crisp the dough, then move it to the top rack for the last few minutes to brown the cheese.

Other Foods That Love the Bottom Rack

Do you struggle with soggy bottom crusts on your pies? Well, pie crusts crisp a lot better if you start them on the bottom rack, then move them to the upper half of the oven to let the top brown. Empty, blind-baked crusts should go on the bottom for the same reason, and wet-filling pies like pumpkin or pecan set better with that direct, bottom-up heat. You can use the same trick for a cheesecake in a water bath: The water keeps the underside from overbaking, while the low position minimizes undesirable browning on top of the filling.

Savory foods work great on the bottom rack as well. Use the lowest position for roasted vegetables, oven-cooked french fries, and sheet-pan meals — or anything else you would ordinarily flip or stir midway through cooking. If you’re making skin-on fish fillets or oven pancakes, sliding a preheated, lightly oiled sheet pan onto the bottom rack delivers a crispiness that rivals pan-frying, but it lets you cook more servings at one time with less fuss.

Wrap To Resist Rot

The key here is to understand that the way produce is transported isn’t usually the best way to store it, and cucumbers are a perfect example. To make them last, start by taking them out of their original packaging.

Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under running water, then pat them completely dry with a paper towel or clean dishcloth. Next, wrap each cucumber individually in a sheet of paper towel. Place them into a resealable storage bag and stash them on a refrigerator shelf — not in the crisper drawer. (This may seem counterintuitive, but the crisper drawer is typically colder and more humid than the rest of the fridge, which can cause cucumbers to spoil faster.) The paper towels will absorb the excess moisture the cucumbers release, helping them stay fresh significantly longer. This trick can extend their refrigerator life from a single week to two weeks or more. However, you should check the cucumbers periodically to replace the paper towels as needed and toss any that have started to turn.

A Word of Warning

There is one notable exception to this storage method: English cucumbers. These long, thin-skinned varieties come individually wrapped in tight plastic sleeves for a reason. Because they lack the thick, protective skin of a slicing cucumber, they are prone to bruising and dehydration. The plastic protects them during transit and keeps moisture locked inside, which also prevents skin tears that attract foodborne bacteria. Keep English cucumbers in their original packaging and store them on a middle shelf rather than in the crisper drawer. When stored this way, they should keep their snap for at least a week.

Freezing Garlic in Oil

The secret to having garlic at your fingertips without smelling like it for days is to block out a half-hour to slow-cook your cloves in oil. You can buy garlic in bulk and peel it yourself, or just pick up one of those convenient bags of prepeeled cloves at the supermarket.

Fill a saucepan with the garlic and add just enough oil to cover it. Ordinary vegetable oil works fine, or you can use olive oil for extra flavor. Simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes until the cloves are soft and golden brown. Once the mixture is cooled, pack it into ice cube trays (ideally a designated set so your actual ice doesn’t absorb the taste). After they are frozen solid, transfer the cubes into a heavy-duty freezer bag for storage. Stored this way, they will stay fresh for up to six months.

Using the Frozen Garlic

Simmering garlic in oil gives it a rich, mellow flavor. The cloves become so soft that you can easily spread them on crusty bread or mash them into whatever you’re cooking. While you can thaw the cubes ahead of time, it’s usually easiest to drop them right into a hot pan and let them thaw as the dish cooks. For even greater convenience, you can puree the garlic-and-oil mixture before freezing.

If a recipe requires thawed garlic, the safest method is to let a cube sit in a container in the refrigerator overnight. Once it’s thawed, use it within four days. Storing a homemade garlic-and-oil mixture in the fridge for any longer carries a serious botulism risk because the oil creates an oxygen-free environment. It’s usually simpler to keep it in the freezer, pulling out as much as you need, whenever you need it.

No Measuring Cup? No Problem

If you’re in a pinch, you can use deli containers as makeshift measuring cups. The three standard sizes double as common culinary measurements: 8 ounces (1 cup), 16 ounces (2 cups), and 32 ounces (4 cups). While they aren’t precise enough for baking, these containers are incredibly handy for everyday cooking if you don’t have a set of measuring cups around, or if yours are buried in the dishwasher.

Tips and Cautions

Make sure you wash deli containers thoroughly before using them for food storage or as a measuring tool. Because plastic easily absorbs food oils, these containers tend to hold on to strong flavors and stains. Give them a good scrub and let them dry completely before measuring or storing a new ingredient.

Importantly, opt for a traditional measuring cup when a recipe requires  precision. While deli containers hold standard kitchen measurements, they aren’t calibrated for exactitude, so you’ll want to skip them for tasks like baking. Stick to real measuring cups and spoons when you’re whipping up a cake or a batch of cookies. Save the deli cup hack for flexible recipes that won’t be ruined by a slight variance, like adding broth to a soup or prepping a cup of vegetables for a stir-fry.