When making batches of pancakes, French toast, stir-fries, and deep fried foods, or when preparing large meals in stages, you might need to hold food and keep warm while you finish cooking other items or batches.

To keep hot foods warm, transfer them to a baking pan, oven-safe saucepan, or baking dish and keep them in a warming drawer or 200° F to 250° F oven. Keep pancakes, waffles, fritters, and other deep fried items in a single layer.

For food  kept warm for more than 15 or 20 minutes, check with an instant read thermometer to be sure it is at least 140° F. If not, increase the oven temperature. The quality of the food may be reduced if kept warm for more than an hour or two.

For hot vegetables, mashed potatoes, sauces, stews, and similar foods, a slow cooker or chafing dish may be used on the low setting.

Warm Plates for Serving

To keep foods warm while serving, you might want to warm the plates. To warm plates for serving, stack them in an oven for 15 minutes at the lowest oven temperature, or 150° F to 200° F. You could also use a warming drawer or toaster oven. Or, warm them in the microwave oven for 1 to 2 minutes. If you do a lot of entertaining, you might want to invest in an electric plate warmer.

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See Also

Slow Cooker Recipes

Main Recipe Index

Southern Food Home