How To Use Convection Oven

What Is a Convection Oven and When Do You Use It?

Get to know the almost misunderstood setting on your oven.

Many of us have a convection setting on our ovens. Or mayhap you have a separate convection oven or a toaster oven with convection capabilities. But whatisa convection oven? And when do y'all actually use it? If you're perplexed by convection cooking, y'all're not solitary. Larn how and when to use a convection oven versus a conventional oven so you lot can melt with confidence.

How Does a Convection Oven Work?

A convection oven works past circulating hot air around the oven'due south cavity, 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 aid nutrient to melt more evenly, but information technology also gives you a crispy result (much like that of an air fryer) considering there is less moisture collection.

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

Convection Oven vs. Conventional Oven

A conventional oven has ii heating elements that heat the air inside the oven to cook nutrient. 1 can be establish on the bottom and is used for most cooking and blistering. The other is on the top, which is more often than not used for broiling.

Considering a conventional doesn't circulate the air like a convection oven, y'all might have "hot spots" or pockets of air that are hotter than others. This tin atomic number 82 to uneven cooking, so recipes volition often phone call for you lot to rotate the baking pan to evenly cook your dish.

Convection Oven vs. Air Fryer

An air fryer is only a small countertop convection oven. That'southward right, air fryers don't actuallyfry foods at all. They work the aforementioned mode convection ovens practise — past circulating hot air around the food until it is cooked on the within and crispy on the outside.

But before you throw out your air fryer, there are some things to be said for the internet'southward favorite countertop appliance. Because air fryers are so small, the cooking area in which the food cooks is smaller and volition rut upward faster. This means cooking your food in an air fryer is going to take less fourth dimension than information technology would in a traditional convection oven.

But this also ways that it holds less food, so you may have to melt big quantities in batches. Nosotros'll let yous make up one's mind if it'southward a trade-off that's worth it. An air fryer is a great tool for cooking for just a couple of people, but if yous're cooking for a large family unit, you're meliorate off going with a convection oven.

Cuisinart TOA-threescore Convection Toaster Oven Airfryer

When to Utilize a Convection Oven

So if the convection oven heats nutrient faster and more evenly, then why don't we always use it over a conventional oven? Believe information technology or non in that location are times when youdon't desire hot air circulating around your food.

What Y'all Shouldn't Melt in the Convection Oven:

Anything with a delicate concoction that can exist altered by blowing air on it. This includes:

Quick breads
Custards
Delicate pastries
Cakes
Souffles

What Y'all Should Melt in the Convection Oven:

There are nonetheless quite a number of foods that do well in the convection oven. The hot air will give yous a result that's evenly cooked through with a browned, crispy exterior. Here are some examples of foods that will do well in the convection oven:

Roasted meats and vegetables
Casseroles
Cookies
Pies
Annihilation you're toasting or dehydrating

How to Use a Convection Oven

Convection cooking is not as simple as turning on the convection setting. This is considering most recipes are written for conventional ovens, which means you'll need to adjust your temperature and cooking time to accommodate.

It is recommended that you reduce the cooking temperature by 25 degrees F. As for the cooking fourth dimension, Whirlpool suggests multiplying the cooking time by 0.75. So this would mean a recipe that normally has a cooking time of 40 minutes should be cooked for thirty minutes on the convection setting.

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

Related:

How to Air Fry Without an Air Fryer
How to Melt Multiple Dishes in the Oven at Once
How To Buy The Best Microwave Oven