Methods of food preparation are constantly being improved. Mankind has come a long way from cooking on fire to microwave ovens, which allow you to heat up or cook food in a few minutes. However, sometimes old and tried-and-tested cooking methods are the best. The convector oven is one such successful example of the combination of new technologies and time-tested cooking methods. These ovens will be discussed in this article.
History of convection ovens
The convection oven is a logical extension of the conventional oven. This technology appeared only at the end of the twentieth century in the United States, and quickly gained popularity not only as professional equipment for restaurants, but also as a home device. Such ovens work using the principle of convection - the process of forced air exchange and distribution of heat coming from the built-intubular electric heaters.
The circular fan installed in them allows you to heat the product as evenly as possible. This is what distinguishes a convection oven for home or restaurant from a conventional oven.
Oven Applications
As with the process of cooking in the oven, in a convection oven you can cook, fry, bake and simply heat food. The convection oven is ideal for baking flour products or for sterilizing food. Since the cooking process is due to the influence of hot air - cooking is possible without the use of oil, fat and other things - this is extremely important for all connoisseurs of a he althy lifestyle.
For the same reason, convection ovens have become indispensable in the kitchens of any restaurants. You can cook or heat up food in such ovens in any heat-resistant dishes that are sure to be found in any kitchen. Due to the speed and uniformity of airflow in convection ovens, any cooking process is carried out at an increased speed, saving the cook time.
Pros of convection ovens
Many people will not find it convincing to choose this appliance the fact that a convection oven, in fact, is an oven with a powerful fan. However, the difference in preparation is very significant. A convection oven for the home has a number of advantages - the main of which is the speed of cooking. Yes, convection ovens heat up food more slowly thanordinary stoves, but cooking in it comes out much faster than in a conventional oven.
For those who prefer to cook food without excess oil and fat, this is ideal. The energy consumption of conventional ovens is also very low, and pre-set timers and cooking programs make cooking much easier.
Convection oven cons
There are very few pronounced shortcomings in such devices. These include perhaps the need to allocate a separate place in the kitchen. The next problem stems from this - the relatively small volume of most convector ovens for the home. The larger the amount of food you need to cook at a time, the more space the oven will take in the kitchen. Prices can also be attributed to the disadvantages of such devices. Due to the industrial orientation of most stoves, the abundance of functions and their general popularity and indispensability - such stoves are not cheap.
Steam convection ovens
Convection ovens with steam for the home are more advanced versions of conventional convection ovens. The main difference, as the name implies, is that during the cooking process, hot steam is also supplied to the oven. Depending on their complexity and high cost, they have additional options for cooking, and the ability to set a precisely defined humidity makes it possible to conduct culinary experiments. Such ovens come with manual water supply or automatic.
Steam convection ovens provide undeniable advantages over conventional ovens or ovens - due to moisture, food does not dry out, a magnificent crust-glaze is formed on pastries, and vegetables and fruits more fully retain their beneficial properties. However, their main disadvantage is the price - the more complex the device, the higher the price will have to be paid for its acquisition. However, there are plenty of options on the market for stoves for the home and with the function of steam humidification and with many others and at quite reasonable prices.
How to choose a convection oven for home?
When choosing convection ovens, it is important to pay attention to their basic parameters. Of course, the first step is to decide where the oven will be placed and take measurements to know what the maximum size it will fit. Next, you should pay attention to its power and capabilities. Furnaces with large capacities will not necessarily be better than those with more modest parameters. Many convection devices are designed for food production and their capacity will be overkill for a conventional kitchen.
The same applies to the functionality - a huge number of functions of a convection oven for the home may not be used in everyday life, so you should carefully study all its modes and possibilities. Well, the most important thing is to pay attention to the manufacturer. Large manufacturers that have proven themselves in the market usually offer a much better product with longer warranty periods. And the last - it is worth paying attention to the doors. In quality ovensthe glass in them is usually double - this improves the performance of thermal insulation and prevents you from getting burned on hot glass.
