How A Convection Oven Cooks

So you’re thinking about buying a new convection oven, but you’re scratching your head wondering about how a convection oven cooks? I mean it looks like a toaster oven, so what’s the big difference that makes a convection oven so special? Well, fear not. You don’t have to scratch your head any longer. Here are some basic principles that explain how a convection oven cooks.

There is a built in fan. One of the main differences in how a convection oven cooks versus their regular oven counterparts is the fan built inside. A regular oven, or small toaster oven, often heats food from the bottom up. A convection oven differs because a fan in the convection oven circulates the air evenly throughout the cooking chamber. This reduces cold spots and allows the food to be heated from all sides equally.

The cooking time is faster. Another important aspect of how a convection oven cooks is that it prepares the food faster. Because the food is being heated from all sides, it cooks quicker as compared to a conventional oven which simply heats from the bottom up.

Food cooks at a lower temperature. Another advantage to how a convection oven cooks is that the food cooks at a lower temperature. Why? Because cooking food is all about the internal temperature that it reaches. So in a conventional oven where food is heated from the bottom up, it takes a hotter temperature to move the heat around the food and raise the temperature. In a convection oven, because that food is surrounded by heat, it will reach the internal cooking temperature significantly faster.

Tips

• Because of how a convection oven cooks there are less burns. Because the heat is surrounding the food evenly, there are not “hot spots” and “cold spots” on the food. This balance in temperature reduces the risk of one of those “hot spots” burning.
• More food can be cooked simultaneously in a convection oven because of the air circulation. In a conventional oven, a large platter on the bottom rack can block the heat flow to the top rack. Because of the internal fan and how a convection oven cooks, more items can be added on multiple racks.

Resources:

Today’s Concept Website