What Can I Cook on Yom Tov in a 200-250⁰F Oven?

If your oven will be on a low temperature throughout Yom Tov, is it still possible to cook in it and not only warm up food? The answer is yes! 

It always seems that people want to be completely ready and cooked before Yom Tov so they can “relax” on Yom Tov itself (haha!). However, practically speaking, many people cook on Yom Tov itself, for various reasons. For some, it’s because they are too busy before and actually have some time on Yom Tov. For others, it’s because they prefer fresh fresh food, and still for others, it’s because they don’t have enough freezer and fridge room to cook too much beforehand. 

Whatever the reasons may be, the biggest problem with cooking on Yom Tov is that many like to leave their oven on 220-250⁰F for an entire day or two (so the house doesn’t get as hot). We crowdsourced and asked our readers and followers what is still possible to cook with the oven set to that temperature. 

* Note that these are NOT recipes, just inspiration and ideas. And we’re sharing your suggestions. We don’t have more information on any of the ideas below, but please use common sense and keep an eye on your food! All cooking times are approximate and every oven may vary. Not everyone specified oven temperature or size of meat. So, keep an eye on your food. In general, anything that works in a Crock-Pot will work in an oven at 200⁰F (and that includes cholent). Some people suggested that putting food on the floor of the oven will make it cook faster, but it must be removed as soon as ready or it will burn fast. Try only at your own risk! So, here’s your ideas:

APPETIZERS

• Pastrami Pizza
  takes an hour
• Confit or Tomato Confit
• Meat Turnovers
  Fully defrosted, takes two hours at 250⁰F.
• Frozen Jachnun
  Covered, cooks for 7-9 hours on 250⁰F. Served with pulled brisket on top.
• Stuffed Cabbage

FISH

• Slow Cooked Salmon
• Salmon with Pesto Sauce
  Cook covered for 1 hour (recipe on the back of the Pine Nuts box from Costco), then uncovered for 7-12 minutes.
• Moroccan Fish
  1 hour at 200⁰F.

MEATS
(Flanken roasts and 2nd cut briskets were by far the most popular item to cook overnight in the oven. These seem to be the most forgiving roasts and can cook for hours and hours low and slow.)

• Flanken Roast
  ½ cup orange juice and ½ cup duck sauce. Cover and cook overnight.
• Flanken Roast
  Cooked at 200⁰F for 12 hours. Was like butter.
• Boneless Flanken Roast
  Seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook overnight at 200-250⁰F, covered well.
• Flanken
  Flavored with Montreal Steak seasoning and oil. Cook covered at 250⁰F for 4-5 hours.
• Brisket
  Overnight Brisket from Tori Avery, cooked for 6-7 hours.
• Brisket
  Any spice rub, parchment, then silver foil, 9×13, cover tightly. No liquid. Overnight at 250⁰F.
• Second Cut Brisket
  With BBQ Coffee & Garlic Rub from Trader Joe’s plus any spices you like and sautéed red onions. Covered tightly and cooked overnight at 225⁰F for 6-8 hours for under 3 lbs., 8-10 hours for over 3 lbs.
• Second Cut Brisket
  Onions on bottom, bottle of Bone Suckin’ Sauce, 200⁰F for 6 hours.
• Pastrami Roast
  Covered and baked with a pan of water on the same shelf at 225⁰F for 10 hours.
• Navel Pastrami
  Leave in the vacuum-pack. Put in a baking pan with 2-inches water and cover.
• Sweet and Tangy Pastrami
• Corned Beef
  Cooked covered with a bottle of apple juice for 4-5 hours.
• Corned Beef
  Bake over sliced potatoes for 6 hours with some water in a baking pan. Add sauce towards the end.
• Naomi Nachman’s Overnight Corned Beef
  It cooks at 200⁰F and is delicious (from Perfect Flavors cookbook).
• Veal Breast on the Bone
  Flavored with oil, fresh garlic, and spices. Cover and cook at 220⁰F for 12 hours.
• Veal Breast with a Pocket
  Cook at 250-275⁰F for 5 hours. Can be done longer.
• Brick Roast
  Flavored with garlic powder, ¼ cup olive oil, a few splashes of soy sauce.
• Lamb Ribs
  200-225⁰F after night meal and perfect for lunch.
• Spare Ribs
  Sear before Yom Tov. Cook in oven for 3 hours.
• Spare ribs
  Cooked overnight with a jar of rib sauce.
• Boneless Ribs
  Thinly sliced onions, paprika, onion soup powder, maple syrup, tomato paste, and water or broth. Cover tightly and pop into the oven forever.
• Minute Steaks
  Sautéed onions and mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 250⁰F for 10 hours.
• Skirt Steak
  marinated with garlic and parsley, straight from freezer to oven took 4-5 hours covered tightly.
• Cowboy Steak
  Seared before Yom Tov. Then put, tightly covered in a 180-200⁰F oven, takes 2 hours. Perfect every time.
• Beef Jerky

CHICKEN

• Small whole chicken
  uncovered, took 5 hours
• Chicken Bottoms
  takes a few hours
• Chicken Paprikash
• Chicken and Potatoes
• BBQ pulled chicken thighs
• Tenderized Chicken Cutlets
  1-1.5 hours
• Dark Chicken Cutlets
  about 1.5 hours.
• Chicken Nuggets
  1-1.5 hours
• PLC Apple Honey Mustard Chicken
  Put in oven at 8am and ready at 1 p.m.
• Chicken Confit
  3 hours at 250⁰F.
• Chicken and rice
  225⁰F for a long time covered.
• Saucy Chicken Wings

SIDE DISHES

• Kugel
  Find out tips for reheating here.
• Frozen Vegetables
  takes a few hours
• Rice
  with boiling water takes 3 ½ hours at 200⁰F.
• Deli Roll
  Took 2 hours at 225⁰F.
• Yapchik
• Potatoes
  overnight at 200⁰F.
• Roasted Potatoes
• Mashed Potatoes
  Peeled and diced potatoes, water to fill the bottom of the pan, spray tops of potatoes with PAM, salt and pepper, cover and bake for a bunch of hours. Mash and season.
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Marinated Mushrooms
  balsamic vinegar and a bit of oil and honey, cover well. Serve as side or serve on a bed of lettuce or arugula. It’s a great side to meat.
• Breaded Cauliflower

DESSERT

• Apple Crisp
  Comes out soft, not crispy. Frozen raw from freezer took a few hours. Serve with ice cream.
• Apple Cobbler
  Individual portions in ramekins took 2 hours at 250⁰F when cooked from raw.
• Brownies
• Oatmeal Squares
  Took about an hour and a half with the oven at 225⁰F.

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