Convection Oven Conversion
Convection oven conversion charts are very important for those who have purchases a convection oven and do not already know how to modify their own recipes. As convection ovens do not cook at the same temperature or duration as conventional ovens, having a chart handy can help avert disaster.
There are usually four factors in a convection oven conversion chart. The first one is what is being cooked. This can be as simple as a listing of categories, such as poultry, beef, and similar foods, or something as complex as a listing of specific dishes. Next, you will normally have a label for how much the food weighs. Weight and size is critical in these conversion charts, as it is what determines how much heat must penetrate the food for all parts of the food to be completely cooked. Finally, you will have your listing of temperatures and cook times.
You will want to heavily rely upon convection oven conversion charts when you first get your convection oven. However, as you become more adept with using your ovens, you will learn how the temperatures will affect foods. This will help you experiment with your own dishes and recipes. If you plan on experimentation, it is important that you add your own entries to the convection oven conversion chart, so you can track what works well and what does not.
Having a solid understanding of how convection ovens work can help you understand why the charts are so important. In a conventional oven, food is heated by being exposed to an element that is heated. This heated element heats the air around the food, as well as the container the food is resting on or in. This heat is then transferred into the food. However, the air in these types of ovens is still, which does not aid in removing the cooler air from around the foods.
A convection oven functions in the same way as a conventional oven, but with one major difference. Instead of allowing the air to be still in the oven, the convection oven uses a series of fans in order to circulate the air. This air circulation removes the barrier of cold air from the food and allows it to cook more quickly. As such, it is really important that the temperature and cook times are modified to prevent the food from burning.
If you take care with your convection oven conversion, you can make delicious food in a lot less time.