Difference Between Broiling and Baking

Broiling vs Baking

The temperature of the heat that one uses when using either broiling or baking is the key difference between the two cooking techniques. If you know nothing about broiling and baking, they are both ways of cooking food using an oven. Though, baking is a more popular option of preparing healthy food in an oven, broiling is another cooking method that utilizes dry heat without making use of a liquid medium such as oil that is full of fat. There are many similarities between these two cooking methods, though there are glaring differences that will be highlighted in this article.

What is Baking?

When we look at how heat energy is provided by the oven for baking, we can observe that heat energy is provided to the food item by surrounding it with hot air. You will also see that heat in baking does not char the food, which is why it is a better cooking technique for cakes and breads that just need a little bit of browning. So, if you are baking biscuits or cakes, the idea is to provide dry, intense heat to the dough so that it sets and acquires a structure. When using baking settings of an oven, you are, in a sense, providing a temperature of around 350 degrees Fahrenheit with no or very little air movement inside the oven. This temperature range usually is within the range of 250 degrees Fahrenheit and 450 degrees Fahrenheit as different food items need different amounts of heat.

Difference Between Broiling and Baking

What is Broiling?

When we look at how heat energy is provided by the oven for broiling, we see that infrared radiation is the process that takes place in the case of broiling to cook the food. Those who know about these two heat carrying processes know that infrared radiation has the capacity to char food items in close vicinity. This is very good for meat items. On the other hand, when you need to grill your steak but do not have a grill, you can use your oven on a broil setting that makes use of infrared radiation in such a way that you get a charred steak full of juices and flavors in a short period. The temperature of the oven during broiling is usually about 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The broil setting in your oven turns on the top burners only while the meat resides just below these burners. Thus, it is top down heat that cooks the meat from the top side. Once cooked from top, you need to change the position of the meat to cook it from other sides as well. It takes 2-3 minutes per side to cook this way and hence your steak should be ready within 10 minutes if you are adept at broiling in an oven. If you are using an electric oven, then you must leave the door of the oven ajar while broiling is taking place. However, if you are using a gas oven, leave the door closed.

 Broiling vs Baking

What is the difference between Broiling and Baking?

• Heat:

Both baking and broiling provide dry heat to the food being cooked.

• Method of providing heat:

The first and foremost difference in these two cooking methods that rely on dry heat pertains to the way this heat is utilized. In baking, the heat is constant and without any movement of air; broiling provides heat as infrared radiation.

• Ability to char food:

Broiling has the capacity to char food items in close vicinity, which is why it is ideal for steaks, while baking does not char and only brown items, which is why it is ideal for cakes and biscuits.

• The place of providing heat:

Baking provides hot air from all sides while, in broiling, heat comes from the top only.

• Temperature:

Baking temperature is usually within the range of 250 degrees Fahrenheit and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Broiling temperature is usually in the range of 500 degrees of Fahrenheit.

• Oven door:

When broiling you should leave the oven door open if you are using an electric oven. If you are broiling in a gas oven, then you have to close the door just like you do when you are baking.

• Way of cooking:

Broiling chars the outside of the food. That is why you have to change sides. However, baking cooks food through, not just the outside. That is why baking takes more time than broiling.


Images Courtesy:

  1. Beef steak dinner via Wikicommons (Public Domain)
  2. Buns by jeffreyw (CC BY 2.0)