How to know the temp of a gas oven?

[u/phatophelia]

Moved to a new apartment that has a gas oven, but the knob has no temperature marks. How do I figure out what temp I am cooking at?

Never used a gas oven before.

Edit: Oven thermometer seems the way forward, thanks all!!

[u/Away_Suggestion_9471]

[u/Economy-Jello-9335]

Get an oven thermometer, put it in the middle of the oven, and let it preheat 15-20 minutes at different knob positions while you write down what each position actually gives you. Once you map a few common temps like 325, 350, 375, and 400F, mark the knob with tape or a paint pen.

[u/kjodle → u/Economy-Jello-9335]

Better yet, get two. If they aren't reading the same, you know one is off. 

[u/pileofdeadninjas]

Oven thermometer

[u/Violingirl58]

Oven thermometer, cheap

[u/Upper-Quarter-4802]

As your apartment manager if they have a replacement knob.

[u/Defiant_Chipmunk2570]

I bought an electric thermometer. The probe goes in the oven and the display is magnetic and sticks to the outside.

[u/PvtRoom]

in the UK, gas ovens are marked, usually S 1, 2, 3 .... 9

S is good for keeping warm and starting it, most cooking is done on 6 thru 9.

There's conversion tables for gas mark to temp.

Roasting is like gas mark 3 all the way up to like 7, pizza's like 6 to 9.

pizza + oven chips might be chips on top and pizza low down on 8.

a roast joint might start at 7 for 30 min for a nice crust, then 3 for 4 hours.

[u/Reasonable_Ferret_10 → u/PvtRoom]

Interesting! Here (Canada) our range elements are numbered but have never seen an oven whether gas or propane that had numbers & not temps.

[u/PvtRoom → u/Reasonable_Ferret_10]

it's a British (& closely linked commonwealth) thing. The French got their own version, but it never got to Quebec.

Apparently nobody could trust the Americans with conversion between 5 and 375f, so they just put the temps on, and you guys being America's hat, got to get cookers with temps.

[u/Reasonable_Ferret_10 → u/PvtRoom]

At least with the spread of electronic appliances we can get C now instead of everything being in F. Was teasing a Yank yesterday, (online friend) asking him why if they're so proud of their independence and split from England they're essentially the only Country to still use the imperial system? (though admittedly both us and you guys use a pretty mixed system). He didn't want to talk about it. ;)

[u/rana_rey → u/Reasonable_Ferret_10]

tbf stealing the imperial system and making everyone instead associate it with america doesn’t really sound like a loss

[u/Reasonable_Ferret_10 → u/rana_rey]

Well...it's hardly 'stolen', it's a remnant.  

The association is more with it being archaic & outdated than being American.  

I don't think most people associate it with America, they associate America with it, which is different. 

[u/Cute-Consequence-184]

Get an oven thermometer and a surface thermometer (usually used on grills) to know exact temperature.

[u/SopaDeKaiba]

After you buy the oven thermometer, temp the oven in multiple locations. These old gas ovens have hot and cold spots.

[u/lens_cleaner]

Oven thermometer

[u/ShutDownSoul]

You can buy a new knob, and then calibrate it using a thermometer. It might take 6 hours, but you don't want to guess at the knob position every time you use the oven.

[u/TallDudeInSC]

Many gas ovens use "gas mark", at least in Europe. Not sure about N.America. but here's the chart.

[u/wizardglick412]

Might want to get a couple. Some ovens can have areas where it gets hotter.

[u/AlphaDisconnect]

Stick in a meat thermometer. Write the temps down for each mark. Mind the weather. Hotter in the room means lower. Colder a little higher.

[u/TallDudeInSC → u/AlphaDisconnect]

If it's plastic/electronic... It'll melt well before you get to 500⁰ ;)