It's Official - Convection Oven Beats Microwave

[launderess]

Have been using my Maxim convection oven (see other posting about having the damaged glass door replaced), and have to say am that well pleased with meats done with this method versus microwave.

Previously would do chicken pieces in the (Panasonic) microwave as have done for ages in the Sharp or others. However one day sitting down to dinner just didn't appreciated the rubbery skin MC done chicken often has and that quite allot of water escapes making the whole process more like poaching than roasting. The only chicken that really comes out well is batter and breaded coatings.

So far have done turkey breasts, rack of chicken thighs, pork and beef roasts, all coming out each and every time wonderfully! Batter and breaded coated chicken pieces pork chips are the next best thing to deep fried!

One thing have found that it is important to use a good probe oven thermometer, and make sure it is inserted properly. Convection can cook things very fast including meats and if one isn't careful you can end up with an overcooked and dried out brick.

 

[mrcleanjeans]

She was a sister who really cooked

That's just grand Laundress, I haven't seen a Maxim oven for so long,now you'll need to have a cup of Maxim coffee (the spoonful rich enough for a mugfull) with your luscious chicken,lol!

 

[cuffs054]

I bought a "NuWave" years ago and use it all the time instead of the big convec oven. It does a great job and put the whole mess in the DW to clean.

 

[ozzie908]

Whats a Maxim oven?

Ok having never seen or heard of it can someone tell me what it is?

Austin

 

[whirlcool]

We had a countertop convection oven years ago. Things like biscuits, roasts, bacon, etc all came out much better in the convection oven than when made in anything else.
So when it came time for a new stove we made sure it had a convection oven inside!

The thing to remember is the best candidates for convection ovens are those things that are cooked in low sided open containers like roasting pans, flat baking sheets, etc.

 

[henry200]

Launderess, NOW you're cooking

Perhaps I'm a purist but I can't imagine anything being remotely palatable after cooking it in a microwave oven.  I use mine for defrosting frozen items and for warming leftovers but that's about it.   I could very easily go without using a microwave oven at all but I wouldn't dream of giving up my convection and conventional ovens.  I bought the Farberware countertop oven 30 years ago and hardly a day has gone by since then that it hasn't been used with highly flavorful and visually appealing results.

 

[henry200]

A good rule of thumb when cooking meats by convection (and many other things as well) is to reduce the temperature by 25-50 degrees from what is called for when using a conventional oven or, start the cooking process at a high temp of 425-450 for about 10-15 minutes until the meat is browned and then reduce the temp to 300 until desired doneness is reached.

 

A convection oven is also great for dehydrating fruits and vegetables and making jerky.  I'm not a fan of jerky, but I enjoy having dried fruit on hand for snacking.  The Farberware oven has a set of fine-meshed drying racks for the purpose.

 

[launderess]

@ Ozzie908

During the 1980's or so there was a table top convection oven craze. Faberware, Cuisinart and Salton Maxim were the three main ones out there. Know that Salton/Maxim's version was sold in Canada, the UK and parts of Europe as well.

See link for picture of the Salton/Maxim model.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?33907

 

[launderess]

Roasting Meats

Have found for joints/roasts one should balance time and temperature carefully. Too low temps equates to longer cooking times which because of the dehydrating nature of air blowing in the oven interior can lead to dried out foods.

I do pork and lamb roasts at about 325F, and beef 300F to 350F. One first needs to use a good oven thermometer to get a reading of how accurate the temp set from the controls. Once you have that bit of information thing go smoothly from there. Again I always recommend using a probe meat thermometer when doing roasts.

Personally do beef only until internal temp reads about 130F, take out of the oven, tent with tin foil and allow to rest until carry over heat brings things up to 140F or a bit above. Find roasting until temps reach anything above 150F or even 160F will result in an over done roast, especially after the thing sits and the aforementioned carry over heat does it's magic.

Same with lamb, chicken and pork, though with the latter one has to be more careful to stay within ranges set to kill off any "bugs" inside as pork can be tricky.

 

[maytagbear]

The United States Department of Agriculture

says that Trichinae (of trichinosis infamy) are killed at 137F. When I cook pork, I take it to no higher than 145F in the oven, and when it is resting before carving, it goes up to 150-155F, safe and juicy.

The USDA says it, I believe it, and that settles it, at least for me.

To use a microwave to its best advantage, discard all notions of it being any sort of oven, and think of it as a marvellous STEAMER. I love microwaved vegetables, fruit, and fish. It is also the only way I will melt chocolate or butter.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[vacbear58]

Austin

Those ovens were sold here too, dont recall the name - might even have been under the Magimix name or even Robot-coupe. I am sure you will recognise it yourself anyway. But its basically just a small fan oven. If I remember right, from your previous avitar, you have a Neff oven. This should give you the same result, especially of you use the Circotherm grilling setting

Al

 

[petek]

I've seen those as well.. Not absolutely positive but I think they were made by Braun if memory serves.

 

[launderess]

Yes, The Salton/Maxim Units Were Sold Badged As Braun

Purchased a copy of Madame Benoit's "Convection Oven Cookbook" because the oven pictured on the cover matched mine.

http://www.amazon.ca/MADAME-BENOITS...r_1_20?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314767610&sr=1-20

 

[petek]

Ah Jehane Benoit. She was a Canadian cooking icon, did tv commercials as well for different food/cooking related products over the years.

Re your Maxim.. where and by who does it say manufactured it on the plate

 

[sudsmaster]

Best final temp for pork depends on the cut.

Of course, 145F is enough to kill trichina parasites. Interestingly, a common variety of trichina is also killed by freezing. But not all trichina varieties are killed by freezing, so it's not a reliable method of control. And one definitely doesn't want to get infected - it can cause all sorts of systemic problems.

But my point was that for tender cuts, 145F is fine. But for gristly cuts like pork shoulder ("butt"), it's recommended to do lengthy cooking with a final temp of 185.

I set my slow cooker temp probe cycle for 175F, and that seems to do a very good job with pork butt. Tender, but not so overcooked it falls apart. For an 8 lb shoulder, it takes about 8 hours to get there. Falls off the bone but is intact enough to be sliced for sandwiches etc.

Back to the original topic... I've found the convection mode on my little Cuisinart toaster oven works well for some things, such as upscale (Trident brand) fish sticks or french fries. I've seen larger commercial quality counter-top convection ovens for sale at restaurant supply sections of box stores, but have refrained from diving into that because 1) they are not cheap (over $200) and 2) I have run out of room for such gadgets, and 3) They are not "true convection" anyway (as far as I can tell).

 

[mixfinder]

The Best is Both Worlds

I have long bored you to death with pictures of dinners and pastries emerging from my GE Profile Convection range in great volumes and greater perfection in the finished product.  Last spring Gansky gifted me a NIB Whirlpool Convection Microwave.  It functions perfectly in each mode albiet the microwave is mighty zesty.  The real cat's meow is being able to cook on mix power with both the gentle heat of convection to give browning, caramelization and wonderful taste with microwave power to speed the cooking process and increase the moisture content in finished meats and cakes.  I love it, use it daily, depend on it for an extra oven and love the way is saves my "bacon" by getting food on the table in record time when I am running later than my guests.  Convection is simply the baker's best friend (next to Greg and his Turquoise Frigidiare or perhaps just Greg) and does a bang up job on most meats and poultry.

 

[ozzie908]

Maxim

Are now understood

Thank you Launderess and Vacbear58

Yes your right I do have the larger version its a good oven it roasts and bakes to perfection just as long as you remember it cooks quicker than a conventional one, Now I have got used to it I am fine had a few burnt offerings to start with...lol
My microwave is also a fan oven with a halogen grill and thats handy for doing small amounts it saves electricity its mostly used for pizza and Pan au chocolate..

Austin

 

[joe_in_philly]

Nice! It looks like the middle rack slides out like a regular oven. Have a old faberware convection oven my grandmother gave to me, but it is at my mom's house. It really comes in handy for family get-togethers. I don't have much extra room in my kitchen, and my toaster oven is pretty old, so I am thinking of replacing it with a convection toaster oven. I like the Breville Smart Oven, but also feel guilty buying something new when my old toaster oven is still working.

 

[launderess]

Re your Maxim.. where and by who does it say manufactured it

Per my oven: "The Maxim Company" "Made in the USA"

 

[passatdoc]

I have an Australian-designed Breville from Williams-Sonoma. It can toast bread (six slices) as well as function as a convection oven. I have a convection range, but when cooking for one or two, it's awfully large (great for multiple loaves of bread or cookies, but...). The Breville heats up quickly and cooks evenly. Roasts and bakes, either with or without convection. And it can toast, too.

http://www.brevilleusa.com/cooking/the-smart-oven-tm.html

 

Amazon sells it. I bought mine at Williams-Sonoma when they had it on sale, after re-discovering an old $150 gift card from W-S that had been AWOL in a kitchen junk drawer for years. I only had to pay the remaining $75, plus sales tax on $225.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Jim:

You got a great deal on your Breville oven. Using a 20% Bed, Bath, & Beyond coupon, I could get it for $200. If I got it during a shopping trip to Delaware, I would also save on sales tax. Are you happy with it? Is there anything you don't like about it?

Joe

 

[passatdoc]

@joe: love it. Comes with two racks, one of which auto-opens/closes by magnetic link to door. Easy to keep clean. Keeps very even temperatures and pre-heats very rapidly. I can't think of any negative other than it's large and takes up a lot of counter---but it's an OVEN. It's large enough that I've baked two loaves of banana bread in it. You can easily roast enough meat for four persons. It's basically replaced my range oven for most every day tasks.

You might want to check the reviews of the item on Amazon. Last time I checked there were over 100 reviews.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Thanks, Jim. I want one more than ever. The only down side I see is the size, but I think I have a place for it. Right now I have my current toaster oven on an IKEA shelf that allows me to store plates under the oven. While it would be too high to use for the Breville, I may be able to find a similar type of shelf.

 

[oldskool]

Various Ovens/Cooking Methods

I find this interesting and amusing - reading the various perspectives. Must admit - I agree with previous member who restricted the microwave to warming or defrosting, etc... From a true food-a-holic, I prefer conventional ovens - done low and slow.
On a separate but related subject - what is going on with the new electric ovens? Last year, due to electronic component failure, my electric wall ovens were replaced by the Home Warranty Co. due to lack of availability of parts. Also replaced my 12 year old Kitchen Aid range with convection oven with a new Kitchen Aid range, also with convection. All the new ovens have hidden heating elements which are slow to heat up, un-even in heat distribution, resulting in hot spots in the ovens, and terrible results. Cakes/rolls/breads all have to be baked at 15-20 degree lower temps - middle rack only. Meats and vegetables are fine at regular temps with acceptable results. The new convection oven is also the pits. Items closer to the wall of the convection oven brown quickly, while the middle is not done. Overall, poor results. What is happening with appliances today that we the consumers are being shafted while paying more and more for poorly designed products. I'm seriously considering buying an older range that is still in good shape that will last. Growing up we had an old Frigidaire range that baked everything perfectly - no sensitivities - just great results. Does anyone know what year/range one would look for to invest in and any cautions to be aware of? Thanks.

 

[mattl]

Just a thought but have you calibrated the oven?  I did my best with my new TOL Electrolux and found it off by a fair amount.  I have a service tech mercury oven thermometer, but somehow the mercury separated into two blobs so the next best thing I had was mercury candy thermometer.  I put it in a let the oven stabilize then adjusted the digital read out.  If you haven't tried this it might be worth the effort....

 

[henry200]

A friend of mine has a relatively new Whirlpool wall oven with the hidden bottom element.  It heats up quickly and works beautifully, even cooking on two racks simultaneously.  

 

My 1952 Gibson range has concealed bottom elements and I'm very happy with how the ovens perform.  The thermostat in the larger oven needed to be recalibrated a bit but the small oven was spot-on.  Both top and bottom elements cycle on and off during baking mode, but at different wattages and I think that has a big influence on how evenly the heat is distributed.  I have checked with a thermometer on both the highest and lowest rack positions and the temperature is barely a couple degrees different.  If a range built 60 years ago can work that well there's no excuse for a new high-end one not performing at least as well if not better.

 

[golittlesport]

We recently had to replace our over-the-range Whirlpool Gold microwave and found a great deal on a Maytag microwave/convection combination at Home Depot. I don't do a lot of cooking and this convection thing is new to me, but I gotta tell you that thing turns out the best meatloaf I've ever tasted...and fast!

 

[passatdoc]

@mattl: my MOL Frigidaire gas convection range was running high as well. I didn't have fancy thermometers, but I bought two more cheap ones (three total, three different brands) and turned it up to 350F. All three registered 370-75, so the oven is running hotter than the electronic controls. The manual showed me how to calibrate the electronic controls, so now when it's set to 350F, with convection off, it runs at exactly 350F (unless all three thermometers are off by the same amount). When convection is turned on and it's set for 350F, the oven runs up to 370 F(all three devices match) which is my cue to reduce temp by 20 degrees when using convection. My convection has a manual on/off switch and does not "auto-convert" cooking temps and times.

 

[whirlcool]

Our Maytag convection oven automatically reduces the oven temp by 25F when using it in convection mode. So if you set it at 375, it'll heat up to 350F. I just love the way it bakes!

 

[passatdoc]

In Europe, where news ovens without convection are unusual, people just "know" to reduce the temp by 10-15C (and reduce cooking time 5-10 mins/hour) and the oven usually doesn't do the conversion for you. Frigidaire offers two levels of convection on its gas ranges:

Speed Bake: simple convection with a fan, manual on/off switch, no additional heating element. You set ovem temp on the electronic pad, but activate the convection with the Speed Bake switch. Actually, some high end commercial ovens also have manual on/off switches for convection. You have to remember to reduce the temperature and cooking time.

True-Convection: additional heating element behind or around fan; operated by electronic pad, you select either "Bake" or "Convection Bake". It does the temperature/time conversions for you.

I have a model with Speed Bake. Today, the price gap between the two versions on similar models is about $70-80. It was more like $150 when I bought mine ten years ago so I chose the simpler system. It allows me to bake four pies all at once, everything comes out evenly cooked. I used to have those aluminum pie crust rim protectors and I just got rid of them because now nothing burns on one side while not cooking well on the opposite side. I do have to remember to reduce time and temp myself.