Holiday hosting is a huge commitment, especially if you need to prepare 20 different dishes but only have one oven. Most of us only have access to a single oven despite our collective desire for a stainless steel double oven, a Viking refrigerator, and granite countertops in our homes. Don’t give up just because it looks like your only option is to find a new host. The holiday meal may be prepared in a single oven, and we’ll show you how to do it.

Is the oven capable of simultaneously cooking many dishes?
Yes. Cooking two items at once causes most people anxiety, but your oven’s responsibility is to preserve the internal temperature at what you selected. Put your faith in it to perform its job even if it has to work a little more if you insert two or more cold dishes at once.

Cooking time should be increased by about 15% compared to when only one dish is being prepared. Make sure the oven is at full temperature before placing dishes inside, and rotate them halfway through cooking for best results. Even if the oven’s dial is adjusted correctly, the actual temperature inside may be very different, so a thermometer is a must.

Shop Amazon for $9.60 for a 3-Inch Dial Oven Thermometer

Also, if you’re cooking in an oven, cast-iron cookware is a good option because it retains heat better than other materials and can help you avoid wasting as much energy when opening the oven to add another dish. Le Creuset is the best brand of cookware for keeping heat in, therefore that’s what we use.

Obtainable on Amazon for $107.95 is the Stoneware Heritage Covered Rectangular Casserole.

Cast iron cookware from Lodge is both high quality and reasonably priced.

Price of a Lodge Dutch Oven, 69$

Is it possible to have two dishes in the oven at once?

Yes, with a few caveats. The first is that baked foods have strict temperature requirements. Prepare the oven according to the recipe’s instructions. Meats, vegetables, casseroles, baked potatoes, and so on fall under the category of “temperature-neutral” when served to guests. The final product will be the same even if the cooking time is shorter or longer than expected. Creating perfect baked products is more of a science than an art.

Second, try to avoid using bold seasonings like garlic with the meat or main course. If that’s the case, prepare each ingredient individually so they don’t absorb each other’s tastes during cooking.

A few pointers on preparing a variety of meals
Meat can be shaped and molded in the widest variety of ways. Meat, technically speaking, can be cooked to doneness at any temperature. When cooking at a lower temperature, the process takes longer but yields more tender meat. To avoid drying out the non-meat dish, adjust the heat to the temperature needed for the meat dish.
Hot meat is retained for a considerable length of time. An hour after taking a large roast like a ham or turkey out of the oven, it will still be nice and toasty inside. You should prepare appetizers and side dishes during this time.
The average oven temperature varies by 25 degrees. Set the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit if one dish requires cooking at 350 degrees and another at 400 degrees. Considering that most ovens are inaccurate by about 25 degrees, it’s safe to say that as long as the oven is set close to the recommended temperature, the dish will turn out just fine.
Make sure there is adequate space between each dish. It’s important to leave room for air to circulate, so spread out your dishes.