Cooking In A Convection Oven? 3 Things To Think About First
Oftentimes, at-home cooks wonder what all the hype is about with convection baking. While many people wonder how much of a difference a simple fan could make, those fans are instrumental in helping you to achieve evenly browned, delicious baked and roasted goods from the comfort of your own home. Here are three little things you should know about cooking in a convection oven.
1. Oven Temperature
Convection baking is a term for baking in an oven with a special fan designed to circulate air around the items you are cooking. Because air is pushed through your oven, you can enjoy faster cooking, more even browning, and crispier finishes. However, because convection baking tends to be more efficient, you need to lower the temperature of your oven by around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. For instance, if a recipe calls for bread to be cooked at 400 degrees, lowering the temperature to 375 would be best to give the oven a chance to work its magic.
2. Air Circulation
Additionally, because great convection baking relies on air movement, it isn't a good idea to overcrowd your oven by putting in too many pans at once. Instead, focus on allowing air to circulate through the space, and pay attention to how much you are cooking at one time. When you use pans, use as small as possible of a pan, so you don't block as much air movement around your items or from the lower rack space to the upper rack area.
Additionally, try to use shallower pans to allow the items you cook as much air exposure as possible. If you use higher rimmed pans, not as much air flow will wrap around your baked goods, which can hamper your results.
3. Over-Browning
Because convection ovens are so efficient and easy to work with, they can also lead to another problem: over-browning. This effect generally happens towards the end of the cooking process, so take steps to prevent it. Consider wrapping the edges of items like pies with aluminum foil, or covering roasted goods during the last part of cooking after they have achieved their desired level of browning.
If you are thinking about cooking something delicious today, give the convection setting on your oven a try. With the touch of a single button or the flip of a simple switch, you could make the things you bake even more delicious and beautiful. Remember, always set timers when you bake so you at least remember to check your items.
For more information about convection ovens, contact a company like Bulger Equipment LLC.
