Your Help Will Be Kindly Appreciated
I'm not good at ovening or broiling. I also don't like the ambient effect of firing up either.
So I bought a convection toaster oven. The basic oven/broiler/grill functions I can handle. But, I've now spent about an hour on the internet and no one is able to tell me how the convection changes what you do with the machine.
The little booklet that comes with the machine is useless. It tells me, truthfully that the convection fan will more evenly bake and broil whatever I put in it. It also tells me that what ever I put in it will cook faster, or I can set a lower temperature and cook whatever I'm cooking using less electricity.
What no one is willing to tell me is what the ratio is. If I'd broil something for fifteen minutes, if I set it for convection broiling, what should I subtract?
If ya'll don't know, it's ok. I'll just use it without the convection setting. The key selling point was that it was only thirty-five bucks. But, please, one of you smart people must know what I'm supposed to do.
11 comments:
I live in a convection oven. It's called Phoenix Arizona.
Lay a piece of tin foil out on the sidewalk for about 10 minutes. If it's between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, cook meat for 5 minutes on one side, flip over and cook 5 minutes on the other side. After 4 pm but before 10 pm add 5 minutes to total cooking time for each hour after 4 pm.
Does this officially make me a smartass? :-)
Enjoy your new oven!
No clue. I have one of those too, and I don't have an option for turning off the convection setting - when I have it on Bake it is always on. So, I just watch my food while it's cooking.
And in case you're wondering, yes, I do also watch ice melt, paint dry, grass grow, {insert your cliche here}.
Everything you said sounds right, but I have never seen any kind of conversion formulas or tables. Our oven has convection, but we rarely use it. I think PDM has. He is the food science geek of the household.
I really hate it when people comment with nothing meaningful to add, but seriously, Dave. If God meant for us to cook, she wouldn't have invented take out.
Wish I could help you there but, in the words of Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heros - "I know NAWTHING!" And yeah, I know that applies to a whole lot more than convection ovens too! LOL
Phoenix is a convection oven only if there's a breeze.
In my initial foray last night I cooked some pork chops. The "check often" method works. And, the convection did cut the time by about 10%.
Hedy, you can make unmeaningful comments anytime you want to. I may be in trouble if God's a woman. Does She have a sense of humor? She must. I always picture Her as Alanis Morrisette, a great movie.
Go and get a thermometer. When your food reaches the proper temperature, it's done. There's a start. As far as steak goes, just use your thumb. Touch your thumb to your index finger, if your steak is as soft as the part of your hand at the base of your thumb, then it's rare. Middle finger = med. rare. Ring finger = medium. Pinky = well done. I hope this helps.
Paul, thanks. I actually have a probe thermometer, being the poor cook that I am, I'd not thought of using it.
The thumb and finger thing sounds interesting, and a bit weird. Does it account for calluses?
Eww. Your steak has callouses?
Oh, and I found this link that you might find helpful:
http://www.cadco-ltd.com/convectioncook.html
Pos, you are an internet searching god. For the rest of you still interested, or interested in the first place, the link answers all of my questions.
Oh, Hedy, it may well apply to leftover takeout.
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