a novelty. If you are a lover of pampering yourself and loved ones with culinary delights, convection in the oven will be a useful and pleasant function for you. From the article you will learn everything that convection is, and why it is needed.
Forced convection in the oven: what is it
In a rare kitchen, you can now find a gas stove with a gas oven. Modern stoves are mainly equipped with an electric oven. Such a cabinet has at least two heating elements: bottom and top. It would seem that food should be cooked evenly. But not so simple. Natural air circulation in the electric oven is extremely slow and uneven. And in the end, we get a baking sheet with a dish, partially burnt and partially baked. No matter what tricks the needlewomen go to, they put a baking tray with water, a pan with sand at the bottom of the device, and tiled ... Fortunately, manufacturers of ovens and microwave ovens found a solution to this problem - this is the forced air convection mode in the oven.
Convection (from the Latin convectiō - “transfer”) is a heat transfer method in which air flows move. Convection is based on the principle of the natural movement of air flows, when the cold layer of air, heating up, rises, and the upper, cooling, gets heavier and falls. This process is endless.
Natural air circulation in nature
Forced convection in the oven acts in exactly the same way due to the operation of the built-in convector installed in the wall of the oven. The fan mixes the layers of air, creating an atmosphere of uniform temperature. The result is evenly cooked food. When the optimum temperature is reached, the convector switches off.
Oven circulation mode
Advantages of Convection
Are there any advantages to air circulation, or is this another move by marketers? You can, of course, do without this function, put up with burnt buns, fallen biscuit and damp meringue. But those who tried to cook in a device with convection will never refuse it. Yes, this mode has a lot of advantages, and here are some of them:
- always uniform cooking of delicacy, regardless of weather, room temperature and other factors;
- the ability to cook food on two or more baking trays at once, which saves time and energy;
- the scope of the menu for the oven will expand significantly.
In addition to baking and frying, you can use the air mixing mode for other culinary needs. Putting it into practice:
- in a cold oven, by turning on a convector, you can dry herbs without losing their taste and medicinal properties, spicy roots, lemon zest, pieces of fruit, nuts, raisins, mushrooms, chopped vegetables. You can defrost foods from the freezer;
- at a temperature of 155 degrees, crackers and pumpkin seeds are perfectly dried;
- at a temperature of 160 to 220 degrees, the convector will provide a uniform rise of any kind of dough, from the lightest custard to a dense sand. A large piece of meat, a chicken or turkey carcass will find an appetizing crust, preserving the juiciness and tenderness under it;
- dishes stewed in a pot are especially delicious, as is baked milk.
Thanks to the air circulation function, you can never stop looking into the oven so that the dish does not burn. In moments when the mode is not needed, you can simply turn it off.
Always perfect baking
The most useful programs in the oven
Using the modes in the oven, you can achieve amazing results:
- Air circulation is useful for heating dishes for a hot dish at family celebrations; for spreading the yeast dough. It is convenient to dry herbs, berries, mushrooms, slices of vegetables and fruits. By turning on this mode, you can thaw a piece of meat, fish or a large bird without hassle.
- Convection + lower heater is useful when baking bakery products, biscuits, pizza.
- The convector + lower TEN + grill is ideal for frozen semi-finished products. They are methodically thawed, baked and covered with a delicious crust.
- The convector + top heater + electric grill is useful for large pieces of meat, poultry carcasses, the formation of a golden crust.
However, combinations of these modes work if the oven prepares the dish on the same level. If there are baking sheets at different levels, the combinations lose their strength, and the result will be different.
Convection in gas ovens
Gas convection ovens are less common than electric ones. They cost an order of magnitude higher. It is better to take such a stove from a well-known manufacturer, for example, Zanussi or Korting, as well-known companies take care of their good name and, accordingly, the safety of their client. The gas oven with convection mode must be designed so that when the fire blows out, the gas supply is turned off in order to avoid poisoning. Air circulation in the gas model allows you to cook at once in several levels, which significantly saves gas and the strength of the cook.
Korting OGG 742 CRSI
Double convection in the oven
Some oven models have two convectors. They are located one above the other. Such models are found, for example, in the Samsung line. The manufacturer claims that such models are more efficient in operation, each convector processes its own level. Of course, the cost of such devices differs significantly from the others. When buying such a stove, you need to seriously weigh it, do you need such an option as the presence of two convectors?
Double convection oven
Wet convection: what is it
Wet convection is an innovative technology. Due to the presence of a water tank located on the back wall or in the door, not only air circulates in the oven, but also steam, which is converted from water by a special generator. With this function, baked meat or pastries will never be dry. Fans of healthy food got the opportunity to cook "steamed". When steam is formed, droplets of fat are released from the food, which subsequently become a crispy, but harmless crust, and the food will retain vitamins and minerals.
Wet convection can be applied:
- when cooking meat, vegetable dishes, baking;
- heating ready-made food;
- sterilizing cans for marinades and baby bottles.
Miele H 6160 B - Excellent Results
What are the icons on the oven talking about?
The icons on the oven are easy to decipher by looking into the technical passport of the device. Some of them are applied directly to the oven itself, some - only in the data sheet of the device.
If the oven is mechanically controlled, it has a degree scale and a timer.
If the oven is electronically controlled, the temperature and time scales are more accurate.
In the oven with touch controls, LED icons are located on the LCD
Designations for Ovens
As a rule, the symbolic icons of different oven modes from different manufacturers are denoted identically.
Forced convection in the microwave - what is it and why is it needed
Microwave air circulation is based on the same principles as in the oven.Air flows also rotate in a closed circle inside the microwave space.
Microwave operation with convection function is much more efficient. Those who are used to using such models put a microwave along with an oven. These devices differ from their counterparts without a convector in large dimensions and the ability to fully replace the usual oven. Food from a microwave with a convector is obtained evenly baked, in a crispy crust.
Advantages and disadvantages of microwave convection:
- mouth-watering crust;
- the ability to select several modes for cooking;
- perfectly saves the time and strength of the cook;
- the ability to select auto mode;
- in the volume of ready-made dishes, nevertheless loses to the oven;
- special dishes;
- high power consumption;
- convection microwaves are an order of magnitude higher than conventional microwaves.
If the size of your kitchen or the lack of material means does not allow you to purchase a full oven, such a microwave will become a godsend. If a microwave oven is needed only for heating food, the convection mode in it will be unclaimed and, consequently, a waste of money.
Convection Microwave
By the way, if, due to circumstances, a full-fledged stove with an oven is an impossible dream for you, and a microwave oven is still small, there is an intermediate option: a mini-oven. It often has two levels, that is, more than in the microwave, this device is much more compact than a full-sized oven. In the line of mini-ovens, you can easily find convection models.
