Slow-Cook-and-Hold Ovens

The traditional oven is nothing more than a heated box equipped with a thermostat. Some modern ovens have more sophisticated features, such as computerized electronic controls and special probes that sense when a roast is done and tell the oven to switch from cooking temperature to holding temperature.

Many of these ovens are designed to be especially useful for low-temperature roasting. The sensitive controls make it possible to cook at steady, reliable temperatures of 200°F (95°C) or lower and to hold foods at 140°F (60°C) for long periods. Large cuts of meat take many hours to roast at a low temperature like 200°F (95°C). By setting the controls in advance, the operator can even let meats roast overnight, unattended.