Most average ovens cook as low as 150°F (though 170°F is more common), and as high as 550°F. However, most recipes on the internet keep you at 350°F. Why is that? Is it really the best way to make crunchy, maillardized asparagus?

The Low-Down with 350°F

Most recipes usually have you baking at 350°F for a few reasons:

• 350°F was first popularized by bakers because it is the ideal temperature for a lot of baked goods. It bakes evenly while browning the crust. This ideal use for baked goods naturally bled out into use for other foods.
• 350°F sits in the “good enough” zone, where if you’re not exactly sure what you’re aiming at, you’ll at least get a working product.
• In general, ovens are not super precise. Your digital monitor might say “400°F,” but in truth the oven is swinging back and forth between high and low temperature ranges. Old, outdated, and un-maintained ovens can have as much as a 20° variance, which is no good! However, since 350°F is sitting in the goldilocks zone, it tends to be a little more stable.
• After long enough, baking at 350°F is just a tradition. Betsy down the road and Martha online only ever use 350°F, so why should I try anything different?
• It’s also very convenient to only think of one setting for all your food needs. No calculation or analysis required, just “Bake” and “Start.”

There’s nothing really wrong with a 350°F oven. If you’re braising chicken or roasting brussels sprouts, 350°F is “good enough.” It’s not perfect, but hey, you’re the only one judging your food, right?

With all that being said, I’m an obsessive kitchen freak and I like to do things as “goodly” as possible. I don’t just want an edible dinner, I want my dinner guests to cry and beg for another opportunity to eat in my kitchen. In other words, I’m not just trying to survive with my food, I’m trying to really live by mastering the craft and expressing myself through the art.

So let’s talk about when you might want to stray from the goldilocks zone.

The Five Most Important Temperature Ranges

I’m gonna tell you right now… I’m not quoting from a textbook. I’m pulling from years of experience as well as from the words of many, many wise teachers I’ve had during that time. What I’m saying is there are five key oven temperature ranges, and they’re really easy to remember. Let's break them down:

1. 170°F (Gentle Heat): This temperature range is often used for keeping cooked food warm without further cooking it, melting chocolate, or proofing yeast in baking. I also use it all the time for making garlic confit. Another fun use is if you’re not using your oven for anything else, you can slip your dinner plates in there. They’ll come out nice and warm (use an oven mitt), and they won’t make your food cold at the dinner table.
2. 200°F (The Slow Cook): This temperature is ideal for slow cooking methods, such as braising meats or simmering stews and soups, allowing flavors to develop over a longer period while tenderizing tough cuts of meat. Just put it this way: If you want something to be soft and tender, you should consider the slow cook range.
3. 350°F (The Baker's Range): As mentioned earlier, this temperature is a staple in baking, suitable for a wide range of recipes including cakes, cookies, casseroles, and more. It promotes even browning and cooking without risking burning or undercooking.
4. 425°F (The Roast): This higher temperature is commonly used for roasting vegetables and meats, allowing for caramelization and browning while still ensuring the interior cooks through properly. It's often used for dishes like roasted potatoes, chicken, or vegetables. And here’s my not-so-secret little secret: I always cook vegetables (except baked potatoes) at this range, and I always finish cooking my meats at this range.
5. 550°F (The Neapolitan): This high temperature is typically used in pizza making, particularly in Neapolitan-style pizza where a quick cook time in a very hot oven is desired to achieve a crispy yet tender crust with perfectly melted toppings. Honestly, there aren’t many other reasons to use this high of a heat, but if you feel like sweating buckets in your kitchen in the beginnings of Summer, this is the way to do it. Just slam your oven all the way out and wait for like half an hour for the oven to get thoroughly hot (if you have a pizza stone, it should be in the oven before you even turn it on). Boom, you’ll make some authentic Italian pizza.

Which Temperature Should I Use?

To make things easier, here’s a chart:

Temperature Range	Best used for…	Typical cooking time
170°F	Warming plates, heating without cooking, and confit cooking	From minutes (for warming) to hours (for confit)
200°F	Braising and large or tough cuts of meat like chuck roast, pork shoulder, or whole chicken	1-2 hours
350°F	Casseroles, breads, cakes, and baked potatoes	30-50 minutes
425°F	Vegetables, fine meats (chicken breasts and fish), and for searing or finishing tough cuts of meat	5-20 minutes
550°F	Neapolitan pizza or anything you want to feel the wrath of Hades	1-3 minutes

Now go forth and bake things!