Baking and broiling both cook food with heat, but from different sources and in different ways. They’re also suitable for different types of foods and produce different results.
The main difference between the two is that baking cooks food indirectly and slowly by surrounding it with hot air at a low temperature, while broiling uses high heat from the top heating element of the oven to cook food quickly at a high temperature.
Due to the high temperature and placement of food in the oven, “broil” is hotter and faster than “bake.” Understanding the difference between the two methods can help you achieve the desired outcome for your recipes.
Difference Between Bake and Broil
Below, you’ll find the differences between baking and broiling, followed by some frequently asked questions at the end of the page.
Heat Source
Like every other method of cooking, bake and broil both cook food with heat. The difference is the source and how they use the heat. Broiling employs heat from a heating source, usually a dedicated broiler element at the top of the oven, and the food is directly exposed to high heat from the source, resulting in quick cooking and browning.
On the other hand, baking surrounds food with low heat from all the heat sources, resulting in evenly cooked foods. This makes baking the suitable cooking method for moist foods like breads and pastries like cookies and cakes.
Temperature
Baking typically involves lower temperatures, ranging from 250 degrees Fahrenheit to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (250 – 375°F), which makes it ideal for foods that need to rise or cook evenly, such as cakes, bread, casseroles, or roasted vegetables.
Broiling involves higher temperatures, usually between 500 degrees Fahrenheit to 550 degrees Fahrenheit (500-550°F), which makes it ideal for foods that need to be seared or browned in the exterior, such as steaks, fish, vegetables, or broiled cheese.
Cooking Time
Broiling is a faster cooking method, as it uses high heat at high temperatures and is concentrated on the top of the food. Baking takes longer as the heat surrounds the food at a lower temperature, allowing it to cook evenly from all sides.
Broiling is suitable for foods that benefit from a quick sear or browning on the outside such as thin cuts of meat, fish and vegetables. Baking, on the other hand, is suitable for baked foods and dishes such as casseroles, bread, cakes, and other baked goods.
Food Placement
When baking, the food is typically placed in the middle rack of the oven to allow the hot air to circulate evenly around the food.
When broiling, the food is placed on the top rack of the oven directly under the heating element. This allows the food to cook quickly.
Food Types
As stated earlier, baking and broiling are suitable for different types of food. This is essential for getting the desired outcome.
Baking is ideal for food items that need to rise or cook evenly, such as cakes, bread, casseroles, or roasted vegetables.
The cooking method can also affect the moisture content of the food as it determines whether the food will be crispy or moist.
Baking allows for more moisture to be retained in the food due to the slower cooking process while broiling dries out the surface of the food and evaporates moisture more quickly, which can make it crispy.
FAQs About Bake vs Broil
Below are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions about baking vs broiling.
Should You Use Bake or Broil?
The choice between bake and broil depends on what you are cooking and how you want it to turn out.
Baking is a more gentle cooking method that cooks food evenly from all sides, while broiling exposes food to direct heat from the heating element of the oven, which can create a charred, crispy crust on the top or base of the food, depending on the source of heat.
If you want to cook foods that are relatively thick, such as chicken breasts or fish filets, baking is likely the better choice, but if you want to quickly sear the top of food, such as vegetables or thin cuts of meat, broiling is the way to go.
Does Broil Get Hotter Than Bake?
Yes, broil gets hotter than baking. When you set your oven to broil, it heats up to a temperature of around 550 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much hotter than the temperature used for baking most foods. This high temperature makes broiling generally faster than baking.
Baking, on the other hand, is a more gradual cooking process that cooks food from all sides, which can take longer.
You should be able to switch from broil to bake in most ovens. But don’t forget that broiling and baking are very different cooking methods, so you will need to adjust the temperature and cooking time accordingly.
Broiling is mostly used to quickly sear the exterior of food and create a crispy, browned crust, while baking is used for more gentle cooking that cooks food evenly from all sides.