What’s the difference between baking and roasting?

Is that chook baked or roasted? If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is, you’re not alone. The terms are often used interchangeably, but they actually do mean slightly different things.

Both baking and roasting use dry heat inside an oven. But different foods cook better at different temperatures and levels of airflow, and that’s what determines whether you’re baking or roasting.

Baking uses moderate temperatures of 160-190°C and fan-free cooking. It is a gentler technique than roasting and is best for foods that need to set, rise or hold their shape, like desserts and pastries.

The aim with these types of foods is to cook them evenly without too much browning. The fan in your oven essentially creates a hot wind, so without it, the heat is more stable and less likely to dry out or crack delicate mixtures.

Roasting uses a higher heat of around 180-220°C to create colour, flavour and texture on the outside of food while keeping the inside tender. Using your oven’s Fan Force setting assists the roasting process in a couple of ways.

First, the circulating hot air reduces the insulating layer of cooler air around the food (especially when it has just come from the refrigerator or has been thawed from frozen), helping it heat more efficiently and evenly.

Second, it speeds up the evaporation of moisture from the surface, effectively drying it slightly, which encourages the Maillard reaction - the browning process that creates rich flavour, colour and a crisp, caramelised finish - without overcooking the centre.

Using the right oven setting can make a noticeable difference. Many of us are guilty of whacking everything in the oven at 180°C fan forced and hoping for the best. In fairness, you probably won’t go too far wrong with that approach - but you also won’t get the best results. 

If that sounds like you - and you like to make cakes and biccies - you’ll notice a significant improvement just by turning the dial to Bake for your next batch of cupcakes (after all, it’s not called The Great British Roast Off). Think soft and golden rather than brown and crusty.

Many modern ovens also include extra functions like air fry or pizza mode. These typically build on the same principles - using higher heat and airflow to boost browning and crisping.