Why is 180 deg C the most common cookling temp for so many recipes?

Jing Joh said:

Why is 180 deg C the most common cookling temp for so many recipes?

Because it’s the opposite to zero.

Can you quantify this?

Like how much more common is 180 than 190?

Tamb said:

Jing Joh said:

Why is 180 deg C the most common cookling temp for so many recipes?

Because it’s the opposite to zero.

Surely that should be:
‘Cos it’s the opposite to zero.

But looking at the question from that angle is a sin anyway.

Jing Joh said:

Why is 180 deg C the most common cookling temp for so many recipes?

I cook most things at 200.

buffy said:

Jing Joh said:

Why is 180 deg C the most common cookling temp for so many recipes?

I cook most things at 200.

But I suspect the real answer is that old imperial recipes used 350F, and 180 is close to that.

Don’t know if the below is correct, but if I look and sound confident enough no-one will fact check me I’m sure. We agreed to no fact checking, remember.

https://www.alimentarium.org/en/fact-sheet/maillard-reaction

The Maillard reaction can occur with all methods of cooking, or even at room temperature. The pH level, the water content and the temperature of the food all influence the speed of the reaction and directly influence the aromas that are released. The same foodstuff will therefore produce different aromas depending on whether it is grilled, roasted, fried, boiled or even steamed in a pressure cooker. Food with a high pH (alkaline) provides more favourable conditions for the reaction to take place than food with a low pH (acidic). A marinade, for example, alters the pH of food and, consequently, how it will brown and the aromas it develops during cooking.

At 90°C, the Maillard reaction is rather slow. To speed things up, the surface of the food needs to rise above the boiling point of water (100°C). At temperatures above 115°C, the reaction speeds up and, from 130°C, it takes place very quickly. However, above 180°C, the Maillard reaction stops. Another chain of chemical reactions then commences, called pyrolysis, the decomposition of food by heat. Pyrolysis causes the ‘burnt’ bitter taste of food that has been grilled too much, and the black, charred substances, which are potentially carcinogenic.

esselte said:

Don’t know if the below is correct, but if I look and sound confident enough no-one will fact check me I’m sure. We agreed to no fact checking, remember.

https://www.alimentarium.org/en/fact-sheet/maillard-reaction

The Maillard reaction can occur with all methods of cooking, or even at room temperature. The pH level, the water content and the temperature of the food all influence the speed of the reaction and directly influence the aromas that are released. The same foodstuff will therefore produce different aromas depending on whether it is grilled, roasted, fried, boiled or even steamed in a pressure cooker. Food with a high pH (alkaline) provides more favourable conditions for the reaction to take place than food with a low pH (acidic). A marinade, for example, alters the pH of food and, consequently, how it will brown and the aromas it develops during cooking.

At 90°C, the Maillard reaction is rather slow. To speed things up, the surface of the food needs to rise above the boiling point of water (100°C). At temperatures above 115°C, the reaction speeds up and, from 130°C, it takes place very quickly. However, above 180°C, the Maillard reaction stops. Another chain of chemical reactions then commences, called pyrolysis, the decomposition of food by heat. Pyrolysis causes the ‘burnt’ bitter taste of food that has been grilled too much, and the black, charred substances, which are potentially carcinogenic.

so in summary food burns above 450 K which makes it unfavourable

esselte said:

Don’t know if the below is correct, but if I look and sound confident enough no-one will fact check me I’m sure. We agreed to no fact checking, remember.

https://www.alimentarium.org/en/fact-sheet/maillard-reaction

The Maillard reaction can occur with all methods of cooking, or even at room temperature. The pH level, the water content and the temperature of the food all influence the speed of the reaction and directly influence the aromas that are released. The same foodstuff will therefore produce different aromas depending on whether it is grilled, roasted, fried, boiled or even steamed in a pressure cooker. Food with a high pH (alkaline) provides more favourable conditions for the reaction to take place than food with a low pH (acidic). A marinade, for example, alters the pH of food and, consequently, how it will brown and the aromas it develops during cooking.

At 90°C, the Maillard reaction is rather slow. To speed things up, the surface of the food needs to rise above the boiling point of water (100°C). At temperatures above 115°C, the reaction speeds up and, from 130°C, it takes place very quickly. However, above 180°C, the Maillard reaction stops. Another chain of chemical reactions then commences, called pyrolysis, the decomposition of food by heat. Pyrolysis causes the ‘burnt’ bitter taste of food that has been grilled too much, and the black, charred substances, which are potentially carcinogenic.

Yes, Thanks for the description.
I have a thermometer in the oven and watch that rather than what the settings say. I have to set the oven to 200 to get to 180then I put the food in. Once the food is in, I drop the oven back to 160/170 to do the cooking. Otherwise it starts to burn on me.

dv said:

Can you quantify this?

Like how much more common is 180 than 190?

Spend enough time watching cooking video’s and you’ll soon note that 180 is the most common reccomendation.

esselte said:

Don’t know if the below is correct, but if I look and sound confident enough no-one will fact check me I’m sure. We agreed to no fact checking, remember.

https://www.alimentarium.org/en/fact-sheet/maillard-reaction

The Maillard reaction can occur with all methods of cooking, or even at room temperature. The pH level, the water content and the temperature of the food all influence the speed of the reaction and directly influence the aromas that are released. The same foodstuff will therefore produce different aromas depending on whether it is grilled, roasted, fried, boiled or even steamed in a pressure cooker. Food with a high pH (alkaline) provides more favourable conditions for the reaction to take place than food with a low pH (acidic). A marinade, for example, alters the pH of food and, consequently, how it will brown and the aromas it develops during cooking.

At 90°C, the Maillard reaction is rather slow. To speed things up, the surface of the food needs to rise above the boiling point of water (100°C). At temperatures above 115°C, the reaction speeds up and, from 130°C, it takes place very quickly. However, above 180°C, the Maillard reaction stops. Another chain of chemical reactions then commences, called pyrolysis, the decomposition of food by heat. Pyrolysis causes the ‘burnt’ bitter taste of food that has been grilled too much, and the black, charred substances, which are potentially carcinogenic.

Excellent, thanks.

buffy said:

Jing Joh said:

Why is 180 deg C the most common cookling temp for so many recipes?

I cook most things at 200.

So do I, in this particular oven, but only because it’s a fairly crappy and inefficient one and its 200 is probably closer to 180.

Jing Joh said:

dv said:

Can you quantify this?

Like how much more common is 180 than 190?

Spend enough time watching cooking video’s and you’ll soon note that 180 is the most common reccomendation.

Yes but I’m a human being, subject to false impressions and priming, so it would be instructive to see data.

dv said:

Jing Joh said:

dv said:

Can you quantify this?

Like how much more common is 180 than 190?

Spend enough time watching cooking video’s and you’ll soon note that 180 is the most common reccomendation.

Yes but I’m a human being, subject to false impressions and priming, so it would be instructive to see data.

This is why I put a thermometer in my newish oven to check whether the red light goiing off, signified reaching the temperature set by the knob.