Modern ovens are equipped with convection - a useful function that simplifies life and makes dishes tastier. Many believe that you do not need to overpay for an additional option, because it is enough to adjust the temperature and choose the right time for baking. However, owners of convection ovens have already seen that investing in this useful addition is definitely worth it!
Convection is a process in which the temperature is evenly distributed throughout the space of the oven using a fan. The natural movement of air leads to the fact that the food is baked unevenly, it can burn at the bottom, while at the top it will remain half ready.
The convector equalizes the temperature in the center and in the corners, provides constant air circulation, improving the taste characteristics of the dish.
There is free convection, where air moves naturally due to the inhomogeneous density of oxygen, which changes when heated. The forced type is caused by external forces, and air is transferred polar to the desired zone.
for example, this is how they recommend making buns or bread. Both functions are available in most modern ovens and are marked with special images on the control panel.
Modern ovens have a humid air treatment mode. Such models are equipped with a steam generator, tanks that are attached to the front or rear wall. Water is poured into them. In this case, the products are blown with hot steam, making them more juicy.
This function will reduce the amount of oil used without compromising the taste of the dishes. In advanced models, you can adjust the humidity level by choosing steam depending on the intensity (from 25 to 100%).
Wet steam in its properties is equivalent to a double boiler and will be useful to fans of a healthy diet, as well as those who are forced to follow a diet for health reasons. The moment of steam supply is automatic, but you can also use the manual mode, directing flows to specific products or steaming the entire inside of the oven.
Manufacturers are constantly working on improving the ovens, equipping them with increasingly progressive convectors. They fall into the following categories:
- electric and gas;
- built-in or stationary;
- connected to the hob or functioning autonomously.
Sometimes there is not enough free space to install the oven. A worthy alternative is a mini-oven with a convector, which in appearance resembles a small microwave.
In ordinary models, which were produced 10-20 years ago, everything is arranged simply: there are shelves with baking sheets and burners. Heating is carried out only from below, and natural convection allows you to cook a dish with a golden brown.
Everything would be fine, but sometimes the product already burns near the far wall, and its part near the door is not yet ready. You need to take out a baking sheet, turn it with the right side and even shift the dish to even out the heat. Such manipulations are not always possible.
For example, baking is a very sensitive product. The biscuit may not turn out so magnificent, and the meringue will lose its delicate foam, which gives it a unique texture.
Even if you use a modern model without convection, but with several heating elements around the perimeter, it is still difficult to achieve uniform cooking. This is because natural convection is a slow movement of air, and it is subject to external factors.
For example, if the pan is too wide, then the absence of gaps will not allow air to circulate freely from the bottom up. As a result, the crust will not even begin to form, and the bottom will begin to burn. Forced convection comes to the rescue, thanks to which the cooking process will be greatly simplified.
Finding the convection icon on the control panel is easy - usually this is a fan image with a mark illustrating which surfaces will heat up. You can select heating only from below, above or from all sides.
If you plan to cook a lot and variably, it is better to choose an oven with convection. This useful function will allow not only baking pies, but also drying herbs, making dried fruits. You can even thaw vegetables or meat from the freezer using the cold mode.
This mode allows you to cook several dishes at the same time, placing the baking sheets on top of each other - everything is evenly baked. Fear of increasing bills for electricity or gas is also not worth it - you can use the function if necessary:
- when you need a crisp;
- if a lot of liquid is released from the product, and you need to remove it
- so that the carcass of the bird is better baked, the cake is browned.
IMPORTANT! Cooks are advised to use convection to prevent odors from mixing during the preparation of several dishes. Therefore, this mode will allow you to cook a pie and meat on different baking sheets, but at the same time.
The oven will heat up faster and the cooking time will decrease. You can always combine convection with various heating functions that are present in modern technology, choosing the mode that is most optimal for a particular dish.
The convection mode will help any housewife to cook tasty and fast. Remember this useful option when you go to the store for a new oven - it will come in handy!
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