What is broiling? Key uses vs. baking and grilling

Broiling is a cooking technique that utilizes your oven’s broiler setting to quickly brown, cook or caramelize food. The oven’s broiler element creates high heat close to the food, resulting in different textures and flavor profiles.

Knowing what a broiler is and how to use it can help you select the right oven settings for browning and crisping recipes, allowing you to get the most out of your appliance. Use this guide to learn more about broiling and how it compares to baking and grilling.

What is broiling in an oven?

Broiling is a cooking method that uses high, direct heat to quickly cook, brown, char or caramelize food. Food is typically placed close to the oven heating element during broiling, exposing one side of your food directly to the heat.

This oven setting is ideal for creating a crust on steaks, crisping bread, charring vegetables or melting and browning cheese toppings.

Is broiling a dry heat method?

Yes, like baking, searing, grilling and roasting, broiling is a dry heat cooking method as it doesn’t add moisture or steam during the cooking process. The dry radiant heat from the broiler element helps promote the caramelization and browning of foods by cooking with circulated hot air or close proximity with the heating source.

Gas range cooktop and oven control panel

Can any oven be used for broiling?

Many modern ovens have a dedicated broiler heating element located inside the main oven cavity, while some have broilers in a separate compartment at the bottom of the appliance. If your oven’s broiler is inside the main oven, you may have to reposition your oven racks to the top-most position to achieve desired results.

Control panel and cooking surface of an electric range

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What’s the difference between broiling, baking and grilling?

Learning the difference between broiling, baking and grilling can help you choose the right cooking method for your family’s favorite recipes. Explore the comparison chart below to learn more about the different cooking methods.

Cooking method	Heating style	Ideal for
Broiling	Extra-high heat applied directly to the top of food, up to 550°F	Quickly browning or crisping the outer layer of foods like casseroles, steaks, chicken, salmon or vegetables
Baking	Moderate heat distributed around entire oven cavity, typically between 200-375°F	Baked goods like bread, pastries and cakes or thick-cut meats
Grilling	Heat applied mostly to the bottom of food (with lid open), 225-500+°F	Burgers, hot dogs, steaks, seafood, fruits and vegetables

*Temperatures are rough estimates, some cases may vary

Broiling

Broiling uses extra-high heat at the top of the oven to quickly brown or crisp the outer layer of food, while baking slowly cooks food from the outside in using moderate temperatures with heating elements on the top, bottom and sometimes back of the oven.

Cooks delicate foods quickly with temperatures up to 550°F
Heating element is on the top of the oven, food is placed directly under the heat
Sears, browns and caramelizes, adding a finished touch to already-cooked foods
Adds a crunchy outer layer to cooked casseroles, homemade mac and cheese, steaks, chicken, salmon and vegetables
Extra-high temperatures require more attention to help prevent burning

Baking

Baking is typically a gentler cooking method, since the food isn’t in close contact with the heating source or exposed to extra-high temperatures. Broiling is often more hands-on than baking, as it requires more attention to help prevent scorching your food. Baking also:

Cooks raw food or already cooked foods at moderate temperatures ranging from 200-375°F, though some dishes may require higher temperatures
Requires longer cooking times help enhance the flavor of a wide range of foods
Needs less frequent monitoring due to moderate cook temperatures
Is ideal for baked goods like sourdough, cake and cookies or thick-cut meats due to lower temperatures that help retain moisture

Grilling

Grilling and broiling are both direct heat cooking methods that tend to utilize high temperatures to caramelize and/or char your food. The big difference between the two is the cooking location and the direction of the heat. Grilling is typically done outdoors on a grill while you tend to broil indoors in an oven.

The heat from a grill usually comes from below, unlike a broiler that utilizes top-down heating. Grilling also:

Cooks food using heat from hot charcoal or gas heating elements
Often allows you to make large quantities of food in less time
Can be more hands-on as you have to monitor the cooking process to help prevent burning
Is ideal for burgers, hot dogs, steaks, seafood, fruits like pineapple and vegetables like corn on the cob

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Broiling FAQs

If you’re still uncertain about broiling and how it works, explore the frequently asked questions below to help you better understand your oven’s settings.

Can you use broil to preheat your oven?

While broilers heat to high temperatures quickly, broil is not an ideal setting if you’re trying to preheat your oven for baking or roasting. The broil setting activates intense heat from the broiler element, but that setting is not meant to be used to preheat your oven. It’s best to preheat the usual way, by selecting the desired cook setting and choosing your temp—or however your owner’s manual dictates.

If you’re looking to cut down on the time it takes to preheat your oven, select ranges from Whirlpool brand offer No Preheat Mode that take preheating off your plate. Simply place your food in the oven and start baking. The oven will adjust the cook time for frozen pizzas and more.

Can broiling be used to brown already-cooked dishes?

Yes, broiling can be used to brown the top of already-cooked dishes. You can use your broiler to melt and crisp layers of cheese on a lasagna, quickly brown the tops of steak, chicken or fish, toast slices of bread or even cook vegetables like asparagus, zucchini or peppers.

A casserole dish and baking sheet inside an oven

Explore Whirlpool^® Ranges

Your range is the heart of your kitchen. Whether you’re shopping for your first stove or looking to upgrade your current model, Whirlpool brand has the gas and electric range options designed to help you care for your family. Select models, such as this gas range from Whirlpool brand, offer a Broiler Drawer that uses high heat to quickly melt, brown or crisp your favorite dishes.