You’re Probably Using Your Oven’s Bottom Drawer Wrong

What’s currently in your oven’s bottom drawer? Are you storing baking sheets and extra pans in it? It seems most of us use this drawer as a handy place to hold our excess cookware, but we probably shouldn’t. Here’s how to check if your bottom drawer is a safe place to store oven-safe items or if it’s actually a “warming drawer.”

Is your bottom drawer just a drawer? It depends. If it isn’t, there’s likely a “warming drawer” button (or buttons if it has extra features) or mode to select on your oven’s electronic dash. Consult your oven’s manual if you’re unsure. My oven has a QR code next to its model number label to access mine. If you don’t have your manual or can’t find it on your machine, you can visit the manufacturer’s website to try to find your model, if it’s a popular one. Otherwise, a reverse image search might help you find a match.

How to Use a Warming Drawer

Your oven may have a fifth burner for keeping cooked foods warm, but if you’re entertaining a crowd, you might be low on space from cooking multiple dishes. The warming drawer is a perfect solution. But note, it’s recommended to only use the warming drawer for between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on what you’ve cooked. Any longer risks the quality of the food, as it might dry out. Just enough time if you’re waiting for people to arrive for a meal, or finish up another dish. 

What is it not? A storage place for anything that might melt or anything flammable that might react with heat. Don’t store your plasticware or kitchen towels in the oven drawer. If your drawer is a storage drawer (or a warming drawer you’re using for storage), save it for oven-safe items like cookie sheets, a pizza stone, or pots and pans. 

Are There Any Other Uses?

Depending on the size of your drawer and containers, you could use it to proof bread, which is when bread dough is left to ferment and rise before baking it. Some newer ovens have a proof mode for the oven itself, but the drawer is a good option if yours doesn’t, or if your oven is otherwise occupied. 

Some warming drawers may also offer a defrost option if you need to defrost food faster than leaving it on the counter for a while, but don’t want to use the microwave. Or the warming drawer can be used to pre-warm plates. Less commonly, it may be a broiler if the heating element is at the bottom of the oven.

Make sure that any dishes you use in the warming drawer are oven-safe, and note that it’s meant for keeping already cooked items warm (or, in the above case, defrosting), not warming up cold dishes. Some oven models even have a slow cook feature for the warming drawer, mimicking a countertop slow cooker. While that added feature might equate to a more expensive oven, it could save some counter or cabinet space.