Baking in CI...to preheat or not to preheat...

[Glenn Brown]

Originally Posted by LaraG

Depends on what I'm cooking.

My grandmother's cornbread recipe calls for preheating the skillet in the oven to melt the shortening. I like to get it good and hot before adding it so the edges are extra crispy.
If I'm searing something, I preheat it.
I've made it without preheating and it's still good.

Same here--my recipe came from my paternal grandmother around the turn of the century--1900 or before. She was using a wood burning stove at the time. Dad was the middle child of 9--he was born in 1909.