What is a Convection Oven? What are the Advantages of Convection Oven?

What is a Convection Oven? What are the Advantages of Convection Oven?

Among the many ways to cook the food we eat, convection ovens might not be the obvious choice. Why? That’s a good question. Most people use an electric range, a gas stove or a microwave to cook their meals. Some people choose to cook on a charcoal or gas grill when the weather permits. But there is another good way to prepare food that has significant advantages over other methods.
Choosing Convection

In basic terms, a convection oven uses air movement to distribute heat around a closed area. Electric fans circulate this heated air so that food cooks more evenly. In a standard electric or gas oven, the heat is not distributed as evenly because air is essentially standing still. Heat rises and moves of course, but with a standard oven the air immediately around the food item may be different from other sections of the oven – by several degrees.

The even distribution of heat inside a convection oven not only allows you to cook food more quickly but it also saves you money. How does a convection oven lower your cooking costs? First of all, you are less likely to burn food since heat is so evenly distributed and the air is moving. If you have two or more items in a standard oven you may find that one cooks faster than the other. This is less likely in convection oven.

Temperature

There is second major benefit with a convection oven. Because you may be able to cook at a lower temperature you should save a few dollars on your electric or gas bill. Even distribution of heat also allows you to cook two or more items in the same oven and be sure that you won’t waste money by destroying one while preparing the other. In a convection oven, the items on a lower rack will cook at the same temperature and in the same time as food on a top rack. This is not always the case with a traditional electric or gas oven.

Details

You may have to adjust your cooking habits when you start using a convection oven. The temperature is generally 25 degrees lower than with a traditional oven. In addition, you should be able to cut your cooking time down quite a bit. For example, if classic recipes call for baking for 30 minutes you might be able to prepare the same item in a convection oven in 24 minutes.

Because convection ovens use fans to move air you must be sure to keep the covering securely on some food items. For example, aluminum foil should be carefully folded over the edges of a dish or even held down with a non-flammable object of some kind. When shopping for a new oven, consider a convection oven with a rotisserie feature. Be sure to ask the salesperson about convection vs. traditional ovens. You should be able to find one that is well within your budget.