Convection ovens
use lower temperatures.
Convection ovens are used to cook foods that you would bake in a conventional oven. They cook food in basically the same way as conventional ovens except for one major difference, according to a University of Kentucky website. The website states, "In addition to a heating element, convection ovens use a fan which forces the heated air around inside the cavity of the oven to surround the food being cooked." The heated air allows for faster cooking and browning time at a lower temperature. This cooking method helps the foods retain moisture. Does this Spark an idea?
Meat and Poultry
You can cook a roast beef or roast a turkey in a convection oven using less time and temperature than a regular oven. You can reduce the convection oven temperature about 25 degrees from a regular oven. The hot air circulating in the oven crisps the juices that come to the outside of the beef or turkey and makes a crusty and flavorful seal. The interior of the meat stays moist. Another advantage of the convection is that it evenly browns the meat evenly without the cook having to turn it over.
Breads and Desserts
The convection oven also evenly browns baked goods including breads, pies and cookies, while sealing in the moisture. The oven works on the same principle as with a roast and seals in the moisture and texture of baked goods while allowing for a crust on top of a pie or bread. Cookies can be baked in bigger quantities in a convection oven; you can put up to three cookie sheets on three racks and they bake evenly. You do not need to rotate the sheets as you would in a regular oven.
Vegetables
Vegetables roasted in a convection oven also cook faster and the sugar caramelizes sooner, which results in a juicy vegetable with good texture. Cooks usually toss the vegetables with some olive or vegetable oil before baking. Potatoes are a good vegetable to cook in a convection oven because they can be baked with a crispy skin and tender pulp inside. The potato skin can be rubbed with a little butter to get a crispy skin.
Drying Fruits and Vegetables
One option to preserve fresh and ripe fruits and vegetables is to dry them in a convection oven, according to a Washington State University website. Some convection ovens have drying trays as accessories. Dried vegetables can be used as a snack chip or reconstituted to add to other foods. Dried fruit is also a good snack chip, pieces of it can be used in baking and it can be reconstituted to add to a side dish.
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