Broil vs. Bake: We Explain the Differences Between These Cooking Methods

As any seasoned home cook will tell you, the more you understand the capabilities of your trusty oven and broiler, the more varied and delicious your meals will be. After all, if you embrace your broiler but never bake, you're missing out on the joys of muffins, lasagna, and more. And if you use your oven like clockwork but overlook the broiler, you're eliminating infinite possibilities, from broiled pineapple to flank steak. What's more, some foods benefit from both baking and broiling. 

When deciding between broiling and baking, consider which is best for your dish. To get under the hood, so to speak, we asked two kitchen professionals to illuminate the differences—as well as the pros and cons of each cooking method.

What Is Baking?

Much like roasting, baking involves cooking food by warming the air inside the oven with hot, dry, ambient heat. "In baking, dry heat surrounds the food you're cooking, so it cooks evenly from the outside in," says Ronna Welsh, the author of The Nimble Cook, and the chef at and owner of Purple Kale Kitchenworks, a Brooklyn-based cooking school. While that heat is usually one-directional (coming from the bottom of the oven), it still heats the entire oven for even distribution.

"The ideal temperature for baking depends entirely on the food you're baking," says Bree Lemmen, Whirlpool's kitchen brand manager, noting that 350 degrees Fahrenheit is typically a common standard temperature. (Roasting usually turns the knob higher to 400 degrees and above.)

What Is Broiling?

Broiling uses direct heat to cook food or brown the top of a dish fast. "Broiling directs heat at a short distance to one side of your ingredients only, and the heat is more intense," says Welsh. For ovens with manual knobs, the broil setting is after the hottest temperature on the dial, she adds.

The Key Differences Between Broiling and Baking

The main difference between broiling and baking is that broiling is best for browning while baking is best for cooking a dish through. For example, the powerful heat of a broiler can make meal preparation a breeze, while also yielding enviable results. "Broiling enables you to brown an ingredient in less time than it would take in an oven—though, with some exceptions. It won't necessarily cook something through," says Welsh. For example, your broiler can crisp up the top of a casserole until it's golden brown or caramelized, but first, the casserole needs to bake in the oven, so that the ambient heat melds all of the layers and ingredients.  

Baking, which is used to make everything from empanadas and eggplant parmesan to all kinds of baked goods, from brownies to blueberry pies, cooks food completely.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Broiling

Every cooking method has pros and cons, including broiling.

Advantages

Cooking with high heat is a chef's secret weapon, which is why using your broiler can also help you achieve standout results. "Broiling is a great way to finish cooked foods and achieve certain textures or flavors you may not get by baking at a lower temperature, like charring vegetables, melting and browning cheese, or creating a crust on a steak," says Lemmen.

The close, hot heat also works wonders when you want to melt sugar onto crème brulee, or brown thin asparagus spears or tofu, says Welsh. "You can even broil marshmallows on a pan for a batch of s'mores," she says. 

Broiling can be an all-weather stand-in for your favorite outdoor appliance, too. "A broiler serves a similar role to a grill, so foods you grill, like meat, fish, and vegetables, tend to do well in the broiler," says Lemmen.

Disadvantages

The high heat also means that some foods may not be right for broiling, or can only be broiled for a brief time, like bread. A few other cons may hinge on your oven model and cooking style. "Your broiler may be inconveniently located in your oven (mine is at floor level) and you can't see into the broiler like you can look into your oven," says Welsh.

You can't necessarily multitask while broiling either—the intensity of the heat means that you must stand by so the food doesn't burn or catch fire.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Baking

The same goes for baking—these are the most common pros and cons associated with this cooking method.

Advantages

Baking gives you more control over cooking and lets you monitor the heat more closely, says Welsh. The more even distribution of heat is another plus, and essential for cooking foods like breads, cakes, and cookies.

Disadvantages

Baking can brown a dish, too, but the results aren't instant. "Because the heat is indirect, baking takes longer to turn ingredients brown," says Welsh. This can be an advantage if you also want to cook an ingredient through (think wedges of potato) and further develop its flavor, but it's a disadvantage if the food is already cooked, says Welsh; baking it for too long could culminate in foods that are too dry. Ultimately, more patience is required when baking, since you may need to bake a dish for a longer time (and carefully) to achieve the result you want.

Broiler Tips and Techniques

Want to broil food successfully? Follow these tips and tricks.

• Use the right cookware: Cookware and kitchen safety are key aspects of broiling. "It's always important to use the right cookware, especially when operating with high heat. Some ovens may come with a broiling pan that features a rack and drip pan, built to handle high temperatures," says Lemmen. (Consider lining it with foil to catch any run-off juices, sugars, or cheese.) If it's non-existent, opt for a shallow metal baking pan or cast iron skillet.
• Avoid using glass baking dishes: "You should not place glassware in the broiler, as the high heat may cause it to crack or shatter," says Lemmen.
• Broil thinner cuts: It's also advisable to broil thinner cuts of steak, fish filets, pork chops, and shrimp since thicker proteins may scorch before cooking through.
• Pick your fat wisely: Some fats, like butter, will burn under the intense heat of the broiler.

Baking Tips and Techniques

Here's what you need to do to bake a dish to perfection.

• Cut your ingredients carefully: Welsh suggests cutting all ingredients the same size, so they cook at the same rate.
• Where you put your tray matters: "Often, the bottom of the oven is the hottest part, so put your baking tray on the bottom shelf for the fastest browning,” she says.