Today, almost all ovens have additional functions. But forced convection is considered the most useful and often used - in the oven it is indicated by a badge with a fan. With it, you will forever forget about burning foods. Convection allows you to occupy 80% of the space of the oven. Lush pastries? You are welcome. Baked whole goose? No problem. Dried greens, berries? Will be done.
Convection in the oven - what is it?
Convection in the oven is an additional function that is responsible for improved heat transfer. In older oven models, heating was carried out exclusively from below, which caused a lot of problems: burning, poor raising of baked goods, raw core, hard edges. Mistresses were forced to "dance with a tambourine" to get a beautiful and tasty dish.
Convection in the oven promotes uniform heating of the products inside the cabinet. Pressing the button drives the fan, which moves hot air. As a result, the temperature in the oven becomes the same everywhere. Even if you make the whole space with dishes, they warm up equally well from below, above and on the sides.
What is convection?
There are two main types of convection - natural (there is absolutely in all ovens) and forced (improved, activated by a button).
- Natural convection in gas and primitive electric ovens is determined by the laws of physics: warm air rises and cold air moves down. Such heat transfer is rather slow, and it is very easy to prevent it. For example, if the door is not tightly closed in the oven, it is often opened or wide trays are used, a large number of dishes are baked immediately, the circulation of hot streams is disturbed. The result is burnt, unbaked dishes, fallen biscuit, hard unappetizing crust.
- Natural convection in modern electric stoves. Here the situation is a little better. As a rule, in new stoves several heating elements are located at once located along the perimeter of the cabinet. When using the lower and upper heating, hot air moves more actively. Doors are not so afraid of opening the door or other negative factors. However, natural convection cannot be compared with a special function.
Forced convection
Forced is called convection, which is due to the action of external forces. In the oven, the fan becomes such a force. It comes in several forms:
- Ordinary. Moves air by simple blowing.
- Fan with heating circuit. Not only blows, but also heats the oven, which increases its effectiveness.
- Reinforced fan. Creates a more powerful stream of hot air, making food bake faster and better.
- Double fan. To enhance convection, two fans are sometimes built into the oven. They are located one above the other and blow each level. This is very convenient when baking several dishes at once.
- Wet convection. A relatively new technology. In addition to the fan, a steam generator works in the oven, which evaporates water from a special compartment. The fan carries humid air through the chamber, so that the food retains juiciness and does not dry out. Dishes are rather steamed, stewed rather than baked. Wet convection allows you to maintain maximum benefits in products. In some oven models, the humidity level can be adjusted.
- Convection with grill. The function activates the fan and grill at the same time. This combination allows you to concentrate heat around the cooked products. The dish turns juicy, with a delicious crust. It is recommended for cooking large pieces of meat, whole vegetables, fish.
Convection in gas and electric stoves
Today, almost every modern electric stove is equipped with a convection mode. Models differ only in the type of fan. It can be ordinary or with “bells and whistles” - reinforced, double, with a steam generator, etc.
With gas stoves the situation is different. The airflow function is available only in expensive models. This is due to the need to install additional protection. After all, if the fan blows out a flame, a gas leak will occur. Therefore, manufacturers, along with a fan, equip gas stoves with a gas control system and protective shutdown. In the event that the fire goes out, the gas supply is blocked.
Benefits
Convection in the oven is one of the most useful additional features. Its advantages are obvious:
- the fastest heating of the oven;
- speed up the cooking process;
- high-quality baking of even thick pieces of meat and fish;
- maximum raising of the test;
- drying the excess juice secreted by the dish;
- the formation of a golden crust on all sides;
- uniform baking;
- preservation of juiciness;
- cooking with a minimum of fat and oil;
- the ability to fill the space of the oven to the maximum;
- the use of convection for drying herbs, crackers, fruits;
- high-quality sterilization of containers for conservation;
- thawing food;
- heating plates for serving dishes.
With the forced convection function, the range of dishes that can be prepared at home is expanded. This includes meat dishes, biscuits, meringues, pizza, and much more. Importantly, the hostess does not need to make special efforts: often turn over the products, substitute a bowl of water, lay a brick or use other tricky folk tricks.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of forced convection in the oven are not so many, and they are all relative.
There are only two drawbacks:
- a working fan consumes electricity;
- The price of a convection oven is higher than a regular oven.
On average, you will have to pay 2000 rubles for the forced convection function in an electric oven. But given that the equipment will serve you for many years, and convection will also replace the electric dryer, this amount cannot be called a big one.
How to use?
How to use convection in the oven correctly is prescribed in the instructions that came with the appliance. We will mention only 3 general principles:
- To use the function, it is not necessary to preheat the oven.
- The fan can be turned on and off at different stages of cooking.
- Blowing can be combined with other modes: grill, heating from above, bottom heating.
Different combinations allow you to cook very tasty, perfect dishes:
- Blowing with lower heat - baking pizza, open and thin pies, homemade bread.
- Blowing with top heating - cooking casseroles, vegetable dishes, meat.
- Blowing with combined heating. Multifunctional mode. At 170-190 degrees bake magnificent pies, pastries from yeast dough. At 200 degrees and above cook large pieces of meat, cookies, gingerbread cookies, pastries from puff pastry.
- Blowing with grill and top heating - baking whole carcasses and large pieces of meat like lamb leg.
- Blowing with minimal heating (up to 60 degrees) - drying of berries, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, as well as defrosting foods, preparing dishes for serving dishes.
- Blowing with steam - cooking healthy diet dishes from fish, meat and vegetables, sterilizing cans, as well as baking muffins.
As a rule, when using convection, adjustments to the recipe are not made. Cooking time does not change significantly, as well as temperature. You can use the old cookbook, but cook with the comfort and skill of a professional chef.
Without a doubt, convection is a useful function for the oven. With it, the dishes are tasty, beautiful, ruddy from all sides. The regime will be appreciated by all hostesses without exception - those who regularly bake pastries, and lovers of rosy juicy meat, and adherents of a healthy diet.