Convection Oven Cooking
Convection oven cooking is a skill that needs practice and a keen eye to master. Because of how convection ovens work, you need to adjust the cooking times of foods or risk them being burned. This is due to the fact that convection ovens are more efficient at cooking than standard ovens.
Poultry and Lighter Roasts:
It is suggested that most poultry, with the exception of turkey, be cooked at the same temperature as a standard oven. The cooking times may be decreased as far as thirty percent, though the decrease in cooking time is typically around twenty percent. When you are cooking poultry, you will need to watch for when the bird is nicely browned. This is often a sign that the poultry is done. Check the inner temperature of the meat to confirm that it is cooked thoroughly.
Turkey and Dense Roasts:
Denser roasts, such as turkey, require slight modifications when using convection oven cooking methods. It is suggested that the temperature is lowered by approximately twenty-five degrees. This results in longer cooking times, but a more juicy meat. Meat will also shrink less when cooked at a lower temperature.
Cakes:
Cakes will require a reduction in heat when using convection oven cooking methods. Depending on the density of the cake, you may have to reduce the temperature more than initially thought to prevent the cake from burning. Cakes can be particularly temperamental in convection ovens, requiring multiple adjustments during the cooking time to ensure the cake is properly baked. If the outer layer of the cake is browning and the inside of the cake is still wet, you will need to lower the temperature further to ensure that the cake evenly bakes.
Breads, Muffins and Yeast Breads:
For many breads, with or without yeast, as well as many cookies, you will need to reduce the convection oven cooking temperature down by twenty-five degrees from the standard recipe. The cooking time may be reduced between ten to twenty-five percent. When you are baking these types of goods in your convection oven, you will want to keep a close eye on the items being baked.