what can i do with a convection oven

If fool-proof cooking is what you want, here are some of the things the convection oven is exceptional at doing:

• Roasting – whether it’s protein or veggies, you can count on the convection oven to take care of it. It’s very good at rendering fat from proteins and caramelizing veggies.
• Toasting – the convection oven has great browning capabilities. ...
• Baking large batches of cookies and muffins – If you’re having a bake sale soon, the convection oven will be your new best friend.

Full Answer

What are the pros and cons of a convection oven?

That is because of the many benefits that they offer, such as:

1. Durable and Convenient Generally, traditional ovens last long because they are made of quality materials and have been improved over the years. ...
2. Affordable and Modifiable Conventional ovens are also affordable and you can choose from a variety of brands and models. ...
3. Easy-to-Follow Recipes

Is a convection oven better than an air fryer?

What’s the Difference Between an Air Fryer and a Convection Oven?

• Cooking method. Both convection ovens and air fryers use convection to heat and cook food. ...
• Cooking time. Because of rapid air technology, food is often cooked faster in an air fryer compared to cooking it in a convection oven.
• Size and cooking capacity. ...
• Healthiness. ...
• Maintenance. ...
• Price and durability. ...

Does a convection oven cook faster than conventional oven?

Yes, convection ovens cook faster than regular ovens! Convection ovens are designed to circulate hot air around the food being cooked. This helps to evenly distribute heat throughout the oven cavity, resulting in even cooking. In addition, convection ovens tend to cook food faster because they circulate hot air around the oven cavity.

Are convection ovens worth it?

These are the main pros you will enjoy when using a convection oven in your kitchen. Advantages + The cooking temperature and cooking times are reduced. That means that the convection microwave will use up less energy to prepare a meal. + You will have adequate space to prepare food for a small family.

What things can you cook in convection oven?

Convection is good for:Roasting ham, turkey, roast-ready beef cuts, and similar meats.Roasting vegetables and potatoes for an extra crisp.Cookies and muffins—especially when you have a big batch to bake at once.Pies and pastry.Casseroles—when covered they won't lose much moisture.Toasting breads or buns.

What should not be cooked in a convection oven?

Don't use convection for cooking cakes, quick breads, custards, or soufflés.

Is it worth having a convection oven?

Convection ovens tend to cook food faster — up to 25 percent faster, in some cases. You may also need to rotate the pans, at times, if you're utilizing all the racks. - Use baking pans that have low sides to get the full convection effect. - If you have an on/off feature, play around with it.

When should you use a convection oven vs a regular oven?

Convection bake is best used for roasting meats and vegetables, baking pies, pastries, cookies, and casseroles, as well as toasting and dehydrating. Here's why: Use Convection to Roast Meat and Vegetables: While a standard bake will get the job done, convection bake is ideal for roasting.

Is convection oven same as air fryer?

Air fryers and convection ovens are very similar appliances. They both work by circulating hot air with a fan, giving foods a more even, often crispier finish. The main difference comes down to size. Because air fryers are smaller, they heat up to a more intense heat more quickly.

What is the best thing to cook in a convection oven?

Convection cooking is ideal for foods that do better in a dry climate and where you want to encourage browning and crisping. So roasting meats, potatoes and vegetables are all ideal, and it's great for reheating things like fried chicken or baking pizza.

Do chefs prefer convection ovens?

Serious cooks like convection ovens better than traditional ovens because they not only cook food more evenly, but they cook it about 25 percent faster. This is due to the circulating air, faster heat up time and even temperature.

Can I cook pizza in a convection oven?

A convection oven is perfect for baking pizza. Because the hot air from it moves around, your pizza cooks more quickly than in a conventional oven. Because of this, your pizza will be crisper and have a more even surface than when you bake it in a traditional oven.

Do professional chefs use convection ovens?

But the workhorse of any commercial kitchen is an oven, and the pro's choice is convection. With unmatched versatility and utility, a convection oven is quite possibly the single-most-important piece of equipment for a professional chef today.

Can you use aluminum foil in a convection oven?

The oven trays supplied with the Convection Steam Oven can be covered in aluminum foil. Any baking mode can be used. Never place foil or foil pans on the floor of the oven, or allow foil to touch the back wall of the oven as it will cause permanent damage.

What are the pros and cons of a convection oven?

But they also have some drawbacks.Pro: They're basically fool-proof. ... Pro: You can get a conventional oven with a fan. ... Con: They require a little bit more hands-on time. ... Con: They tend to cook unevenly. ... Pro: They cook faster, and more evenly. ... Pro: You don't have to worry about rotating pans. ... Pro: Food crisps up better.More items...•

Can you put foil pans in a convection oven?

The oven trays supplied with the Convection Steam Oven can be covered in aluminum foil. Any baking mode can be used. Never place foil or foil pans on the floor of the oven, or allow foil to touch the back wall of the oven as it will cause permanent damage.

Why can't you use aluminum foil in a convection oven?

Never use aluminum foil to line cookware when cooking with convection. This only draws heat away from your dish, causing it to cook quickly and unevenly.

What are the disadvantages of convection?

Cons:Recipes require adjustments: Shorter cooking times require that many recipes be changed to shorter time frames or decreased temperatures. ... Not ideal for gentler baking: Breads, cakes, and flaky pastries don't rise as well in the circulated air of a convection oven.More items...•

Do chefs prefer convection ovens?

Serious cooks like convection ovens better than traditional ovens because they not only cook food more evenly, but they cook it about 25 percent faster. This is due to the circulating air, faster heat up time and even temperature.

How Does a Convection Oven Work?

A convection oven works by circulating hot air around the cavity of the oven, helping food to cook faster and more evenly. It does this with the help of a fan and exhaust system that blows hot air around the food. Not only does this help food to cook more evenly, but it also gives you a crispy result (much like that of an air fryer) because there is less moisture collection.

What is the difference between a convection oven and a conventional oven?

Here's your quick reminder on how a conventional oven works: A conventional oven has two heating elements that heat up the air inside the oven to cook food. One can be found on the bottom, and is used for most cooking and baking. The other is on the top, which is mostly used for broiling.

How hot should convection oven be?

It is recommended that you reduce the cooking temperature by 25 degrees F.

How long to cook a recipe on Whirlpool convection oven?

So this would mean a recipe that normally has a cooking time of 40 minutes should be cooked for 30 minutes on the convection setting.

Why do you rotate the pan when baking?

Because a conventional doesn't circulate the air like a convection oven, you might have "hot spots," or pockets of air that are hotter than others. This can lead to uneven cooking, which is why recipes will often call for you to rotate the baking pan in order to more evenly cook your dish.

Why use bakeware with low sides?

You'll also want to use bakeware with low sides to allow for proper air circulation. Avoid overcrowding your pan for best results.

Do toaster ovens have convection?

Oftentimes, conventional ovens will come with a convection oven setting, that when turned on activates the fan and exhaust system. You can even find toaster ovens with built-in convection ovens nowadays.

When Can I Use My Convection Oven?

Provided your convection oven is functional, you can use it to cook pretty much anything that can be cooked in a conventional oven. Here are a few options:

What are the safety precautions when using a convection oven?

Safety Precautions When Using A Convection Oven. When you decide to use the settings in your convection, you have to know certain important pointers. This will let you to comfortably play around with the settings. Always set the temperatures accordingly to avoid uneven cooking.

What ovens allow for even browning?

Convection ovens generate and distribute heat evenly to allow for even browning while the pizza stone allows for even browning of the bottom pizza crust.

What is the best way to extract moisture from food?

Convection ovens are super-efficient and reliable when it comes to extracting moisture from foods. 5. Use it for covered foods. If the food you are cooking requires to be covered with a lid, a convection oven will be the most suitable source of heat for your cooking. 6.

How does convection work?

Convection works best when the air can efficiently circulate around and over the food. It will be best you use baking pans, trays, and roasting pans that have lower sides.

What is the best oven for roasting meat?

A convection oven is the best bet for roasting foods like vegetables and meats. Meat and vegetables roasted by use of a convection oven cook evenly and faster. Convection ovens provide a drier roasting environment, which helps caramelize and harden the meat exterior.

Why do convection ovens make dough?

The heated air generated by convection ovens helps to melt fats quickly and develop steam faster. This lets your dough and pastries to be loftier, flakier, and lighter.

What is convection oven cooking good for?

They’re especially good for browning and rendering fat from proteins; roasting vegetables (and fruit) to caramelized perfection; evenly toasting nuts and seeds; dehydrating fruit and jerky and adding loft and lightness to baked goods.

What is a convection oven?

Like a conventional oven, a convection oven relies on radiant heat from the top or bottom surfaces (or both). In a regular oven, that means there’s a high chance for hot and cold spots. But a convection oven is also equipped with an internal fan that circulates the hot air, eliminating hot and cold spots and creating an evenly heated environment. (It’s similar to an air fryer .) Some conventional ovens have a convection setting, while other convection ovens are countertop models.

How much temperature can you lower in a convection oven?

You can either lower the oven’s temperature by 25 degrees or shorten the cooking time by about 25 percent, or use both methods. You can use visual cues like browning and texture as a guide, as well as internal temperature and doneness.

How long to cook granola in convection oven?

Keep the temperature at 300°F, but start checking to see how toasted it is at 30 minutes instead of 45.

Is there a learning curve with convection ovens?

There’s a learning curve with convection oven cooking, so don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect. Since most recipes are written with a conventional oven in mind, you’ll have to test and tweak dishes until you find the sweet spot.

Can you use a convection oven to cook bread?

On the other hand, we wouldn’t advise using a convection oven or setting to cook cakes, quick breads and custards (or anything made from a loose batter), since the blowing air can create lopsided and dry results.

Can you bake nuggets in a convection oven?

We love the health-factor of baked-not-fried nuggets, but the breading can sometimes turn soggy before we even get a bite. If you follow the direction for temperature and time as written but use a convection oven, you can eliminate the mushy outer coating .

Why do we use convection ovens?

We love convection ovens because they cook a tender pot roast to perfection and bake cookies baked with a golden brown finish. Plus, convection cooking is known for reduced cooking time and improved energy efficiency.

Where is the heating element in a convection oven?

Your conventional oven uses a single heating element, usually located on the top or the bottom of the oven. It can result in hot and cold spots within the oven. As Whirlpool’s Institute of Home Science explains, “In a traditional oven, the rack closest to the heat source would have the highest temperature, with the rack furthest away having the lowest.” You can see why it’s all about the fan when it comes to convection ovens!

How hot does the oven have to be to reduce the temp?

Your oven may automatically reduce the temp by 25° F when convection bake is selected. To find out if your oven does this, consult the manual. You don’t want to find out the hard way that you reduced the temp unnecessarily and now your cookies are underbaked and overspread!

What does it mean when the fan is whirring in the back of the oven?

If you’ve ever peeked inside an oven, and noticed a fan whirring in the back, you’re looking at a convection oven. That fan is its secret to success. The fan circulates heat throughout the oven, evenly cooking whatever’s inside. (You might know that similar technology is used in an air fryer .)

What to serve with pork tenderloin?

When it's chilly outside, I like to roast pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes, apples and an orange. The sweetness and spices make any evening cozy. —Danielle Boyles, Sparta, Wisconsin

What to use for airflow in a dish?

Use dishes with low sides (like cookie sheets) for optimal airflow.

Can you use convection to bake bread?

Some recipes call for the dough to be covered for the beginning of the bake to create that steam like this crusty homemade bread . Again, the total baking time may need some adjustment for convection.

What Is a Convection Oven?

Convection ovens are gas or electric appliances with fans that circulate hot air throughout the oven. The constant air circulation enables food to cook faster and more evenly. Even cooking means superior results, especially for baked goods. Also, because the air circulates, more of the oven space can be used.

How to get convection oven to cook faster?

While you should follow your manufacturer’s guidelines, here are the general formulas for each of these approaches: 1. Shorten the convection oven cooking times . For this approach, set the oven to the same temperature as indicated in the original recipe; however, check for doneness after three-quarters of the baking time has elapsed. ...

Why is convection cooking faster than traditional cooking?

Because convection ovens cook faster than traditional ovens, convection cooking can save you a little time, too . The only catch is that if you’re cooking from a traditional recipe, some timing and/or temperature adjustments may be needed. Find out the best standard oven to convection oven conversion formulas for almost any baked recipe, ...

How long to cook food in convection oven?

For example, if your recipe calls for 60 minutes in the oven, when converting bake time to convection cooking, check the food after 45 minutes. 2. Reduce the original baking temperature by 25°F. For example, if your recipe calls for baking the food in a 375°F oven, set the dial to 350°F. If it calls for 400°F, set it to 375°F.

How to get hot air to circulate around food?

To enable hot air to circulate around the food, place foods in the center of the oven; be sure to leave space between pans and oven walls.

Is a convection oven good for cooking?

It’s no wonder convection ovens are standard in many commercial kitchens. When it comes to baking and roasting, they can make all the difference between good enough and great. With little adjustment for convection oven cooking times, home cooks can achieve pro results from their convection ovens, too.

What can you use convection for?

Use convection for roasting meat and vegetables, baking cookies and pies, and anytime you want even browning.

What is the difference between a convection oven and a conventional oven?

Convection ovens vs. conventional ovens. In a conventional oven, heat rises to the top. This makes items on the top rack cook faster than the items on the bottom rack. If, for example, you're cooking dozens of muffins for a bake sale and want to use every rack available, then you'll run into some problems. When the muffins on the top rack are ...

Why are convection ovens crisp?

Pastries are also crispier because the extra heat steams the fat in the dough quickly, making flaky layers. Because of its efficiency, convection ovens use about 20 percent less energy per year than radiant ovens, according to the US Department of Energy . See this article for more on the science of convection ovens.

How fast does a convection oven cook?

Also, even with the temperature adjustment, you'll find that convection ovens cook 25 percent faster than conventional ovens, especially if the food is a large item, like a turkey. You will need to reduce the cooking time, or at least keep an eye on your food. A faster cooking time is good, though. Meats are less likely to dry out in speedy ...

Why is a full size oven better than a countertop oven?

Also, the bigger, the better. Bigger insides allow the air to circulate more freely. This is why full-size ovens cook more evenly than smaller countertop versions.

How hot is a radiant oven?

Here's how a radiant oven works vs. how a convection oven works. Conventional ovens typically are 25 to 30 degrees cooler than a convection oven set to the same temperature. Since most recipes are intended for conventional ovens, you'll need to adjust the temperature to around 25 degrees F (about 15 degrees C) lower to accommodate the difference.

Can you overcook pies in a convection oven?

The tops of your pies won't overcook while the bottom stays soggy. Roast chicken is evenly browned. Even better, you can be sure that items on the bottom rack will cook in the same amount of time as those on the top rack. Here's how a radiant oven works vs. how a convection oven works. CNET.