Let's talk CONVECTION cooking

[passatdoc]

The problem with uneven cookie baking would be far worse without convection. I used to have to use crust protectors on my pies, but with convection it's a thing of the past. Plus now I can bake four at once rather than one at a time as I did with the old, non-convection model.

Several people here have mentioned they DON'T use convection if cooking with a covered pan. I agree, except that my oven heats up faster if I turn the convection on, and I don't have the extra heating element (obviously a third-element oven would heat faster). I suppose the fan is distributing the heat more evenly. In any event, sometimes I've used convection bake to preheat rapidly, and then turn convection off (example: baking French bread at 425 F) for the actual baking. It's a bit cumbersome in my model, which has an "on" button for the fan, but no "off" button---you turn off the fan by turning off the "Bake" function button. So to preheat rapidly with convection to 425 F, I turn on "Bake" and the fan button, wait until preheating is complete, turn the oven button to "off" (which cuts off fan) and then turn oven function back to "On". This takes a few steps (default temp is 350, so you have to up temp back up to 425) but is worth it for the time saved.

 

[yogitunes]

you will be amazed at the offerings of doing a Turkey with a convection oven.....

granted it wont be a stuffed bird, but that doesn't mean you can't flavor enhance your bird with spices tucked inside.....

several things I have tried...

always sprinkle the skin with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder....

I have poured in 2 cups red wine, no other water added.....

or stuffed it with onions and garlic cloves.....

or stab 4 navel oranges, and stuffed inside....

the ideas are endless......and using convection makes it quick.....

if your not sure about timing to have everything ready at the same time......take a day and do a test bird, maybe a 15lb, and adjust your timing from there......enjoy dinner and leftovers....

you can also do an adjusted temp......start out with 450 for the first hour, and reduce it to 350 to extend cooking time, and a slower cooking...

 

[countryguy]

Martin,

Why do you not do a stuffed turkey when using convection? I also use convection with a stuffed turkey without problems.

Gary

 

[brib68]

We had a GE range (purchased new, mid 2000's) at our old house with a convection oven. We didn't use it a lot because we were unsure how to make time/temp adjustments to recipes. The times we did use it were typically when doing multi-rack baking--especially when doing multiple pizzas and that sort. Without the air circulation, we'd have one with a burnt crust and cold cheese, and the other would have burnt toppings and a soggy crust. The convection helped with that quite a bit.

I have no idea what sort of element set up that oven featured--at the time I was unaware of the differences.

 

[whirlcool]

If you notice on Martha Stewart's show "Martha's Baking School" she always uses a commercial convection oven when baking. She never mentions it, but you can easily see the fan turning back there when she puts items in or takes them out of the oven.

As for preheating, when convection is selected our fan will not turn on until the proper oven temp has been reached.

 

[ronhic]

An Australian angle

Our oven is a 34 year old Australian made Westinghouse double oven. Both ovens are roughly the same capacity, though different in operation.

 

The top oven is a pure fan-forced oven. That is, the element is around the outside of the fan and fully concealed. There is one key difference compared to most similar ovens though and that is that my fan is a dual speed fan with a 'slow' and 'fast' option. Slow is perfect for biscuits (cookies), scones (biscuits) and cakes. High is ideal for roasting meats.

 

The bottom oven has a top element that is used for grilling (Broiling) or when the rotisserie is usedy and a bottom one that comes on with the conventional oven aspect is used.

 

It's a fabulous bit of kit that would have been VERY expensive when new and would probably cost close to $2500-3000 to replace with a similar model today.

 

The pic is of a later model, though the layout is the same.

 

[passatdoc]

@brib68: When I replaced my gas range (builder special, supplied with the house when new) in 2001, I was not remodelling, as cabinets and counters were only 12 years old. Rather, I was upgrading appliances: over-range microwave, new gas range, new dishwasher. I had to work with a gas pipe and a 110V outlet behind the range. Most convection ranges at that time were electric, but there were four non-commercial brands with gas convection then: GE, Jenn-Air, Kitchen-Aid, and Frigidaire. All of them were priced $1400-1800 and had an additional heating element around the fan, except for Frigidaire, which offered the no-element, fan-only "Speed Bake" model at $800 and a model with additional heating element around the fan ("True Convection") for about $1000. To the best of my knowledge, all GE convection gas ranges included the additional element, without a fan-only model in their lineup.

I've owned the Speed Bake model since October 2001 with no service or performance issues whatsoever, other than having to calibrate oven temperature once in thirteen years. The only buyer's remorse I have is that I wish I'd ponied up the extra $200 for the upgraded model, no so much because of the heating element, but because that model had grids that extend across the cooktop surface, whereas my model has grids only over each burner. The updated model from Frigidaire today has all-across grids and a central fifth burner: http://www.frigidaire.com/Kitchen-Appliances/Ranges/Gas-Range/FGGF3054MW/ and looks like it can be had for under $1000 with discounts. Frigidaire makes higher end models with double ovens and a similar feature set, with self-clean in both ovens and convection in the lower (larger) oven, but not in the upper (smaller) oven.

My only other beef with the range is that the "high output" burner is a whopping 12,000 BTU, way less than what today passes for high output, but back then 12K was state of the art. On the plus side, the grates are porcelain-coated cast iron and are described by the manufacturer as DISHWASHER SAFE. I think they're right, they are washed monthly in the DW and look brand new 13 years later. A big plus vs bare cast iron in terms of reduced maintenance.

@Allen/Whirlcool: I believe the fan in my oven activates only above 300 F, similar to yours. If I turn on the oven and hit the Speed Bake (fan) button when I start the oven, I hear the gentle whrrrrrr of the fan several minutes later, before it reaches set temperature.

ps if you look up the specs on the range link I posted, it appears that the convection system (fan plus presumably the element) consumes 350 W when in use.