Cooking two dishes at the same time in the oven can take longer than cooking just one dish due to several reasons:
Heat distribution: When there's only one dish in the oven, the heat can circulate freely around the dish, ensuring even cooking. However, when you add a second dish, it can obstruct the flow of hot air and create uneven heat distribution, which can slow down the cooking process.
Increased mass: With two dishes in the oven, there is more mass to heat up overall. The oven needs to work harder to raise the temperature of the additional dish, which takes extra time.
Insulation effect: Having multiple dishes in the oven can create an insulation effect, where the dishes can partially shield each other from direct heat. This can result in slower and less efficient cooking compared to when each dish has the oven's full attention.
Airflow obstruction: Depending on the arrangement of the dishes, they may block the proper airflow within the oven. Adequate airflow is crucial for even cooking, and obstructions can lead to hot and cold spots in the oven, affecting cooking times.
Initial oven temperature drop: When you open the oven to add the second dish, you let out some of the hot air, causing a temporary drop in oven temperature. The oven will take some time to recover and get back to the desired cooking temperature, thus prolonging the cooking time for both dishes.
To minimize these issues and achieve more efficient cooking when preparing multiple dishes, you can consider the following tips:
Use convection mode if your oven has it. Convection ovens have a fan that helps circulate the hot air, resulting in more even and faster cooking.
Rotate the dishes halfway through cooking to ensure they receive equal exposure to heat.
Leave enough space between the dishes to allow for adequate airflow.
Preheat the oven before adding the dishes to reduce the initial temperature drop.
Consider adjusting the cooking time and temperature based on the number and size of the dishes you are cooking simultaneously.
Overall, while cooking multiple dishes at once can be convenient, it's essential to be mindful of the potential impact on cooking times and make adjustments as needed to achieve the best results.