Tag: convection oven

What Is a Convection Oven and When & How to Use It

Today, home appliances are a far cry from where they used to be. The convection oven is one of the most valuable kitchen inventions, undoubtedly changing how we cook. As you read this article, you will become familiar with what a convection oven is, how it operates, and its efficient methods to enhance your cooking process.

Baking is a science and an art that needs the right equipment to become a masterpiece. This three-compartmented traditional oven has been used for decades and has recently been supplemented by Convection ovens. If you are interested in a convection oven and have wondered why it is different or how it can improve your food, then you are at the right place. This blog will go over all the mechanics, the advantages or disadvantages, and the uses of a convection oven to assist you in honing your culinary skills.

What are the characteristics of a Convection Oven?

The convection oven uses a fan and a blower to distribute hot air all over the food that needs to be cooked or baked. This differs from conventional ovens, which use only direct heat from the top and bottom heating features. A circulating air system used in convection ovens distributes heat evenly, making them easier to cook and, sometimes, even quicker than conventional ovens.

How Does It Work?

In a convection oven, a fan circulates the hot air, eradicating the temperature variations that traditional ovens have and which affect cooking. Besides evenly cooking the food, it also assists in browning and crisping the food more efficiently. The exhausted system also removes moisture, giving it an added advantage in roasting and baking, knowing that they require dry heat.

Types of Convection Ovens

There are several convection ovens: countertop, wall-mounted, microwave, and convection oven hybrid. All types share the convection baking technology but may differ in added facilities, dimensions, and cost. Small appliances like countertop models are convenient for those with little kitchen space or who need an additional oven, while wall models are desired for frequent bakers and roasters needing more baking space.

To sum up, if you wish to make the best of frozen food and obtain a crispy, juicy, and tender result with never-more moist meals, pay attention to the mentioned above tips and use a convection oven when:

Convection ovens are very flexible and have many uses, as seen in the above examples.

Here are some scenarios where a convection oven truly shines

Baking

Convection ovens are perfect for baking because they circulate heated air, essential for goods like cakes. Cookies, cakes, and pastries bake well at a constant heat and thus are evenly browned and cooked to perfection. The dry heat also assists in attaining a crispier crust among breads and pies.

Roasting

Browning meats and grill-like preparation of vegetables is possible in a convection oven. The circulating air helps toast the food on many sides, and dry heat is needed to get a nice brown crust. For instance, baking a chicken or turkey will make the outside brown and crispy while the meat is tender.

Dehydrating

Convection ovens are also perfect for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, and even meats for homemade snacks such as dried fruits and jerky. The fan and exhaust remove the moisture, thus shortening the dehydration time compared to oven dehydration.

Reheating

It is not a secret that meals reheated in a convection oven are usually better than those in a microwave. The even heat distribution implies that the heated food becomes smooth while acquiring the intended heat.

How to Convection Oven

Working with a convection oven may differ slightly from a conventional oven, so it is vital to know the difference.

Adjust the Temperature

It is important to note that when baking in a convection oven, most chefs and cooks suggest lowering the temperature by approximately 25 degrees compared to a regular oven. This assists in better heat dispersion and avoids burning meals on the outer side while remaining raw on the inner side.

Monitor Cooking Time

Because foods cooked in a convection oven cook faster, monitoring them as they are being cooked is advisable. Gently begin giving a test before the recipe’s stated time for the cake to be fully baked. Eventually, you will learn the extent to which your convection oven bakes food more quickly.

Use Appropriate Cookware

The best dishes for maximizing convection effects are shallow baking pans and trays. Do not use deep, covered dishes; they will limit air circulation and nullify the convection baking process.

Avoid Overcrowding

Shelter all the items in the oven so that there is sufficient space around them so hot air can circulate. An obvious problem is overcrowding, where some parts of the food are not exposed to the circulating hot air.

Experiment with Settings

Most convection ovens have different controls for the heat required, including convection bake, roast, and convection broil. Try these settings in your preferred dishes and see which would complement your cooking style.

Conclusion

As shown above, adding a convection oven is very useful for any kitchen since it has many characteristics not found in a conventional oven. Because of its efficient heat distribution across the food, it is suitable for baking, roasting, dehydrating, and reheating, among other things. Once you know how to cook with a convection oven, your cooking and the taste of the foods you cook will improve.

Adding a convection oven in your kitchen can move you to the next level for the professional cook or the hobbyist preparing his first meal. Thus, each time you purchase a new oven, it may be helpful to contemplate the benefits of convection cooking and how it may enrich your home-cooked dishes.

Contact your local kitchen appliance specialist for further assistance.

Convection Oven vs Conventional Oven: What’s the Difference?

If you’re planning a kitchen renovation, you are likely to be considering upgrading your oven. When you start appliance shopping, you will quickly become aware of ovens in various styles and designs, but should you choose a convection oven or a conventional oven? Here we’ll explore the key differences between these two types of oven.

The Heat Source:

Both types of ovens look similar and both can be electric or gas powered. The key difference between conventional and convection ovens is in how that heat source is treated. In a conventional oven, the heat is stationary, rising up from the heating element located at the bottom of the oven. This differs from a convection oven, which has heat blown by fans, circulating the air all around the inside of the oven, creating consistent heat.

The Impact of Differing Heat Patterns:

Since the heat is stationary, conventional ovens can create pockets of warmer or cooler air. This can differ from the temperature on the indicator. This is why many recipes recommend turning your cookie sheet or roasting pan around half way through the cook time. If you don’t do this, you may find the food towards the back of the oven becomes burned, while the food at the front is underdone.

In a convection oven, the heat is more evenly distributed. They can cook food more evenly and more efficiently, cooking up to 25 percent faster compared to a conventional oven. So, if you’ve previously used a conventional oven, you will need to compensate for this when you switch to a convection oven. It is a good idea to check the food approximately ten minutes before it would typically be done.

Additionally, convection ovens do not need the preheat time that a conventional oven would.

The Potential Issues with Convection Ovens:

While it would seem that convection ovens have the edge, there are some potential issues. For example, if you’re baking in a convection oven, the fan moving the hot air around can cause the outside of a cake to cook far quicker than the middle. This can mean that you end up with a dried out or overbaked top of the cake, while the middle is still raw.

If you’re used to using a convection oven, it is possible to compensate for this, but if you’re new to this type of oven, the learning curve may include a couple of ruined cakes or dishes. You can also find oven models that have a “bake” or “thermal bake” setting. When you select this mode, the oven functions like a conventional oven, so you can get more consistent baking results. You can also find convection ovens which have a variable speed fan. You can select a low speed for dehydrating foods or baking cookies, but have a higher fan speed if you’re making a roast.

Other Considerations:

There are a few other considerations when choosing between a conventional and convection oven. The most obvious is price. Conventional ovens tend to be less costly compared to their convection counterparts. But, convection ovens tend to have more features, which may provide greater value for serious home cooks and bakers.

Another consideration is the energy efficiency of the appliance. If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of your home or keeping your energy bills more reasonable, you may prefer the efficiency of a convection oven.

If you’re considering a new oven, you can explore your options with this online collection or speak to one of our home appliance specialists for further help and guidance.

 

Getting the Best From Convection Ovens

A convection oven can produce excellent results that cannot be obtained cooking in a standard oven. While standard ovens produce heat, this has a tendency to dry foods. On the other hand, convection ovens allow the food to retain more moisture. This can take a little getting used to, so here are some tips for convection ovens to achieve the best results.

The Differences in How Convection and Standard Ovens Work

While different models vary in design, most electric ovens have a heating element that is mounted at the top or the bottom of the unit. This standard design of oven relies on radiant heat generated by the elements to cook food. Unfortunately, this design configuration can result in hot and cold spots within the oven. Convection ovens are fitted with an internal fan to circulate the heated air. This allows the hot air to be evenly distributed throughout the oven for quicker and even cooking.

Cooking Times

One of the greatest challenges of upgrading to a convection oven, from a standard oven, is that the cooking times can vary a great deal. When you are used to preparing a meal in a standard oven, you can experience varying results as you start to use a convection oven. Convection ovens require less time to cook foods, so you will need to make adjustments. Depending on the specific model, size of oven, quantity of food, cooking temperature and desired cooking level, you will need to consider dropping the oven temperature by 25 degrees or reducing the cooking time by approximately 15 to 30 percent. This variation in cooking times means that you will need to monitor your dishes carefully, particularly in smaller ovens. Small sized ovens will naturally cook faster, so you will need to take care not to overcook your dish.

The Choice of Ovenware

You may also need to assess your choice of ovenware. Glass baking dishes can cause over browning, so you may need to compensate by reducing the oven temperature by approximately 30 degrees. Some cushion-air pans may not be suitable for your new convection oven. These types of ovenware are designed for use in conventional ovens and therefore allow foods to cook extremely quickly and cause it to burn. You should try to use dishes or pans with low sides to encourage maximum airflow.

Air circulation is important in a convection oven, so you will need to ensure that your cooking pans have at least an inch of space between them. You should also allow a similar amount of space between your oven racks. You will need to ensure that you don’t block the air from circulating, so be careful when using foil or larger dishes that could obstruct the fan.

Some Final Advice

Just like a standard oven, you will need to preheat your convection oven for best results. Some models use just one element when preheating that could cause food to burn, so ensure that your oven is at the correct temperature before putting in your food. If you are using a pizza or baking stone, it should be left in the oven during preheating so that it will be really hot and provide that delicious, crispy crust on your bread or pizza.
Since convection ovens instantly sear meat, there is no need to baste your roasts. All the essential juices will already be locked in, so you can eliminate the need to periodically baste. If you want to use a marinade containing sugar, it is a good idea to wait until the last hour of cooking, so the meat will be seared without allowing the marinade to caramelize and burn.

Convection ovens can provide convenient and efficient option for your kitchen. Browse through the available options with this online collection of ovens or speak to a home appliance expert for further help.

How To Use A Convection Oven

The modern kitchen is not complete without a powerful oven, and for fast and efficient cooking results you’ll definitely want to invest in a convection oven.

Convection ovens offer specialized settings that heat the appliance differently than conventional ovens, reducing cooking times and helping you achieve even oven-cooked results. But many homeowners are unsure of how to use their convection ovens. To help you take advantage of your appliance, we’ve gathered some helpful information on how to use a convection oven.

Convection Ovens vs. Conventional Ovens

Convection and conventional ovens will both effectively cook or bake your items, but the key difference is the way that they heat food. Conventional ovens cook food by surrounding it with hot air, while convection ovens circulate hot air for cooking.

A convection unit features a fan in the back of the oven, and when it’s convection setting is turned on, the appliance blows hot air throughout the inside of the unit. Compared to conventional oven cooking, this air circulation promotes fast and even heating. With conventional settings, hot air simply sits within the oven’s interior, which can potentially lead to slower cooking and uneven results.

When to Use Convection Settings

Most modern ovens offer convection cooking settings, but these settings are not ideal for every cooking scenario. That said, you’ll definitely want to use your appliance’s convection setting when:

  • Roasting Meat or Vegetables: Roasted dishes benefit from the drier cooking environment that convection settings provide. These conditions help create crispy skin on meat and yield caramelized exteriors for vegetables.
  • Baking pies and pastries: Convection cooking creates steam and melts fat fast, offering more “lift” in pastries and pie dough.
  • Toasting or dehydrating food: Convection cooking natural creates a dry atmosphere that removes moisture from food, making it an ideal option for toasting or dehydrating dishes.

It’s also worth noting that you should not use convection settings when cooking delicate dishes or desserts. This is because blowing of the convection fan can endanger the integrity of the dish, separating baking batters or creating lopsided results in other delicate foods.

Convection Oven Cooking Tips

Convection oven settings are significantly different from conventional settings, and you’ll need to keep a few things in mind when cooking with convection.

First, remember to lower the standard oven temperature for whatever you’re cooking by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The convection settings promote stronger overall heat, and lowering the temperature will ensure whatever you’re making isn’t overcooked or burned. You should also be sure to check your food earlier than the recommended cooking time, as convection settings will cook food faster than normal.

Finally, you also need to ensure that air can properly flow through your oven for the convection process to work. You should try to use trays and pans with lower sides, as this will help air flow over your food and through your oven. You should also avoid covering oven shelves with foil.

Superior Convection Ovens For Today’s Kitchens

A convection oven is a great addition to any kitchen, helping you cook and bake a variety of items effectively and efficiently. With some knowledge on how the convection cooking process works, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the benefits your oven offers, bolstering the culinary possibilities of your home.

If you’re looking for a new oven, consider using this online collection of cooking appliances or contact a home appliance expert for additional assistance.