Steam Convection Oven: The Ultimate Guide To Cooking Perfection

Convection steam ovens, which originated in professional kitchens, are now a popular appliance in homes. They combine the functions of a regular oven and a steam oven, allowing for versatile cooking. Steam ovens use hot steam instead of hot air to cook food, and are known to be faster and healthier than traditional ovens. They are particularly good for cooking dishes that require added moisture, such as chicken, fish, meat, bread, vegetables, fruits, grains, and desserts. The combination of steam and convection cooking results in food that is moist, flavourful, and has better nutrient retention.

How to cook a roast dinner with a convection steam oven

A convection steam oven is an excellent choice for cooking a roast dinner, as it ensures even cooking and helps you achieve juicy and flavorful meat with a crispy exterior. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to cook a roast dinner using a convection steam oven:

Step 1: Preparing the Roast

Start by preheating your convection steam oven to the recommended temperature, typically around 375°F (190°C) for roasting meat. While the oven is preheating, take your roast beef, pork, or lamb out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. This step helps ensure more even cooking.

Step 2: Seasoning the Roast

Drizzle some olive oil over the roast and rub it all over the meat. This will aid in browning and sealing in the juices. Next, generously season the roast with your chosen herbs, spices, salt, and pepper. Feel free to experiment with the seasonings to suit your taste preferences.

Step 3: Placing the Roast in the Convection Steam Oven

Place the seasoned roast on a roasting pan or baking dish, ensuring there is enough space around it for the hot air to circulate evenly. This step is crucial for achieving a crispy exterior. If you have a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the roast, away from any bones.

Step 4: Roasting the Meat

Once your oven has reached the desired temperature, carefully place the roasting pan with the roast inside. Close the oven door and let the convection steam oven work its magic. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and type of roast you are using. As a general rule of thumb, plan for approximately 20 minutes per pound (450 grams) of meat.

Step 5: Monitoring the Internal Temperature

Keep a close eye on the internal temperature of the roast as it cooks. Use the meat thermometer to ensure the roast reaches your desired level of doneness. For a medium-rare roast, aim for an internal temperature of 135-140°F (57-60°C), while for medium, the temperature should be around 145-150°F (63-66°C). Remember that the roast will continue to cook slightly, even after being removed from the oven due to residual heat.

Step 6: Resting and Carving the Roast

Once the roast has reached your desired level of doneness, remove it from the oven and loosely tent it with foil. Let the roast rest for about 15-20 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in tender meat. After resting, carefully carve the roast into thin slices and serve it with your favorite side dishes.

Tips for a Perfect Roast Dinner:

• You can cook vegetables alongside the roast in the convection steam oven. Place the vegetables in the roasting pan alongside the meat, ensuring they are cut into uniform sizes for even cooking.
• To prevent the roast from drying out, baste it with its juices or a marinade during the cooking process. Additionally, you can cover the roast with aluminum foil for the first half of the cooking time to retain moisture.
• If you're cooking a large joint of meat, such as a leg of lamb, you can use the slow-roasting function of your convection steam oven for tender and juicy results.
• For a crispy finish on your roast potatoes, cook them separately in a hot convection oven (200-220°C/392-428°F) until they're golden and crunchy.

How to cook a whole chicken with a convection steam oven

A convection steam oven uses hot steam to cook food instead of hot air. This method of cooking is faster and more effective than a traditional convection oven. Cooking with steam also helps retain flavour, texture, and nutrients.

• Ensure your chicken is fully defrosted.
• Season the chicken and let it sit out of the refrigerator for at least an hour before cooking.
• Move your oven rack to the second-lowest position to allow room for your roasting pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Prepare the chicken by removing any giblets, picking off any remaining feathers, and patting the chicken dry with paper towels.
• Make a butter mixture by melting butter and mixing it with garlic and your preferred seasonings.
• Place an onion and any other aromatics (such as carrots, apples, and lemon) into the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and seasonings.
• Brush the butter mixture evenly over the chicken.
• Place some aromatics on the bottom of the roasting pan and put the chicken on top (breast side up). Tuck the wings under the chicken to prevent them from drying out.
• If your oven has a "Convection Bake or Roast" setting, turn it on to 325°F. If not, roast the chicken at 350°F.
• Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F and the skin is golden brown.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for a minimum of 10-15 minutes before carving.

Enjoy your delicious and juicy convection steam-roasted chicken!

How to cook fish with a convection steam oven

A convection steam oven is an excellent appliance to cook fish in, as it offers a variety of cooking modes and helps retain moisture in the food. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to cook fish using a convection steam oven:

Choosing the Right Fish

Select a firm white fish such as cod, haddock, tilapia, or halibut. These types of fish are suitable for breading and baking, holding their shape and texture well.

Preparing the Fish

Before breading the fish, ensure you pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This crucial step helps the breading stick better to the fish, resulting in a crispier coating.

Breading the Fish

Prepare a delicious breading mixture by combining breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. You can adjust the seasoning according to your taste preferences. In a separate bowl, beat some eggs. Dip each fish fillet into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess to drip off, and then coat the fillets with the breading mixture. Gently press the fillets to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere well.

Cooking the Fish

Preheat your convection oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the breaded fish fillets on a greased baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil to promote crisping. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the breading is golden brown and the fish is cooked through. Thinner fillets will require less cooking time, so adjust accordingly.

Serving the Fish

Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Serve it with fresh lemon wedges to add a burst of citrus flavor. Enjoy your delicious and crispy fish, paired with your choice of sides, such as rice and vegetables.

Alternative Cooking Methods

In addition to baking, you can also cook fish in your convection steam oven using other methods such as steaming, roasting, or a combination of convection and steam. Steaming is an excellent option for poaching fish, while roasting works well for thicker, meatier cuts of fish. The combination of convection and steam is perfect for baking or roasting fish, ensuring moist and flavorful results.

How to bake bread with a convection steam oven

Baking bread with a convection steam oven can be a straightforward process. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to bake bread using this type of oven:

Prepare the Oven and Dough

First, preheat your oven to the desired temperature. If you are using a baking stone or steel, place it inside the oven to preheat as well. You will also need to boil some water and pour it over the towels in a rectangular baking pan. Place the pan in the oven 10-20 minutes before loading your bread.

Prepare the Dough

Place each mass of dough on a separate piece of parchment paper. You can use a pizza peel to help you load the dough into the oven. If you are using a spray bottle, mist the outside of your loaf with water before putting it in the oven.

Bake the Bread

Open the oven and slide the dough (with parchment) onto the baking stones or steel. You can also lay a towel on the oven door glass (optional). Then, carefully toss 1 cup of ice into your cast-iron pan with lava rocks. Quickly spray the loaves with a hand spritzer (optional).

Finish Baking

Close the oven door and watch your dough rise. After about 20 minutes, remove the steaming pans to stop the steaming process and allow the loaves to crisp up and harden. Finish baking until the bread is done.

Tips for Great Bread

• Watch the proving time: The dough proving setting in a steam oven provides a reliable and fast way to get perfectly proved dough. However, the temperature is warmer than average room temperature, so a cooler rise is generally preferred as it allows the dough to ferment more slowly, resulting in better flavour and texture.
• Don't cover the dough when proving: There is no need to cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel when proving in a steam oven, as the setting already uses humidity.
• Use a baking stone or steel: This makes a huge difference in the oven spring. Preheat it along with your oven and slide the dough or loaf pan onto it when it's time to bake.
• Use a lot of steam at the beginning: A good burst of steam at the beginning of baking promotes a quick rise and prevents the surface of the dough from drying out too quickly.
• Finish in a dry oven: Finishing the bread in a dry oven gives the best crust formation. You'll get a chewy crust that's golden and a little glossy.

Recipe for Honey Oat Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 5 cups unbleached white bread flour (around 12% protein)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp instant yeast (1 x 7-gram packet)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp neutral-flavoured oil (e.g. sunflower or rice bran)

Instructions:

• Put the oats in the bowl of a stand mixer and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed until a soft, sticky dough forms. You may need to add lukewarm water (up to 1/2 cup).
• Turn the mixer to medium-low speed for about 5 minutes, until the dough is cohesive and mostly pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Set your steam oven to 95°F/35°C (or lower if possible). Use the dough proving setting or the steam setting and put the bowl into the oven until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Scrape the dough onto a floured bench and gently press it into a rectangle (about 30cm x 20cm). Fold it lengthwise into thirds, gently press back into a rectangle, turn it 90°, and fold again.
• Lift one of the seam ends of the dough and roll it away from you, tightly tucking it as you go to form a neat, loaf-shaped blob a little smaller than your pan.
• Gently put the formed loaf into your pan, seam side down. Tuck the ends down if needed so it looks neat on top. Cover the pan loosely with a plastic bag or a damp towel.
• Either put the covered pan in the fridge for 8-12 hours, or leave it at warm room temperature (20°C) for about an hour. The dough will rise, but this prove is more about doneness than size.
• About 15 minutes before you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C with a combination steam setting. If your oven has variable humidity, use 50%.
• Bake the bread for 12 minutes, then turn off the steam and continue baking with dry convection heat until the bread is dark golden brown on top (about 20-25 minutes longer).
• Remove the bread from the oven and turn it out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool.

Troubleshooting

If your loaf is burnt on the outside but raw on the inside, it may be due to under-proving or your oven running too hot. Experiment with the humidity levels to find your preferred crumb and crust texture.

How to cook vegetables with a convection steam oven

A convection steam oven combines the functionality of a steam oven and a regular oven. Steam ovens cook food using hot steam, while convection ovens circulate hot air inside the oven. Cooking with steam is faster and healthier than cooking with hot air, as it preserves more vitamins and minerals and doesn't require the addition of oil.

When cooking vegetables with a convection steam oven, you can either steam, roast, or bake them. The right approach depends on the type of vegetable and the desired texture.

If you want to steam vegetables, simply place them in the oven and set it to steam mode. This is a good option for vegetables that you want to keep moist and tender, such as broccoli, asparagus, and greens like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale.

For roasted vegetables, preheat your oven to 375 °F. Use either the Convection Bake or Convection Roast mode, as these will ensure even cooking without drying out the vegetables. Place the vegetables on a rack in the middle of the oven, or on the lowest rack if you want them extra crispy. Root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and beets, are ideal for roasting, but you can also roast greens. Cut the vegetables into uniform shapes to ensure even cooking, and consider adding some olive oil, seasonings, or herbs to enhance their natural flavors. Roast until tender and browning at the edges, checking every 15 minutes to avoid overcooking.

Baking vegetables in a convection steam oven is also an option, but keep in mind that regular steam ovens cannot brown food, so you'll need a combination steam and convection oven if you want to bake.

Frequently asked questions