Steam Cooking: Useful Feature Or Gimmick?

Steam cooking is a cooking method that uses hot steam instead of hot air to cook food. It has become an increasingly popular trend in kitchen appliances over the years. This method of cooking is considered to be a healthier alternative to traditional cooking methods as it helps lock in moisture, eliminates the need for extra oil and fats, and helps retain the natural vitamins and minerals of the food. Steam cooking is also said to preserve the main nutrients, enhance flavour and colour, and make food lighter and easier to digest.

Health benefits

Steam cooking is a healthy cooking method that has been used for thousands of years. It is a gentle and natural process that preserves the nutrients in food, making it a great option for health-conscious individuals. Here are some of the key health benefits of steam cooking:

Retains Nutrients and Enhances Flavor

Steam cooking helps lock in nutrients that are typically lost during conventional cooking methods like boiling or frying. It preserves the natural vitamins and minerals found in vegetables, meats, and other foods. For example, steaming retains about 50% more essential minerals like zinc, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. It also helps retain water-soluble vitamins like B and C, as well as vitamin B-12, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin. By steaming, you get to enjoy the full nutritional benefits of your ingredients.

Additionally, steam cooking enhances the natural flavor of food. It brings out the colour and taste of ingredients, making your meals more appetizing. The gentle steaming process preserves the natural juices of the food, resulting in tender and flavourful dishes.

Lowers Cholesterol and Reduces Fat Intake

Steam cooking is an excellent way to lower your cholesterol intake. It helps remove fat from meats, such as pork, lamb, and beef, making it easier to separate and discard. This reduces the overall fat content of the meat, providing a healthier option. Steam cooking also eliminates the need for additional oils or butter, further reducing the amount of saturated fat in your meals.

Easier Digestion

Steaming softens the fibre in food, making it easier for your stomach to digest and process. The gentle cooking process ensures that your body can easily absorb the natural health benefits of the ingredients.

Efficient and Versatile

Steam cooking is a faster and more energy-efficient method compared to traditional cooking techniques like boiling or roasting. Steam transfers heat more effectively, resulting in quicker cooking times and lower energy usage. Additionally, steam cooking allows you to cook multiple dishes simultaneously without transferring flavours, making it a versatile and time-saving option for meal preparation.

Taste and flavour

Steam cooking is a healthy and effective method to prepare tasty dishes with reduced calorie content. It is an excellent way to retain the flavour and texture of your ingredients without introducing foreign elements. Steam cooking is ideal for those who want to avoid using oils and fats, as it cooks food with just heat and water vapour in an enclosed space. This means your dishes remain light, healthy, and produce minimal mess.

Steam cooking is perfect for those who want to enjoy the natural flavours of their food. It is a gentle cooking method that does not alter the ingredients' original flavours and textures, bringing out the best in your ingredients without the need for added seasoning. The steam works to seal in the flavours, enhancing the taste of your dishes.

Steaming is particularly suitable for fish and vegetables, as it helps to retain their genuine flavour, allowing you to "rediscover" their real essence. It is also an excellent way to cook meat, as the steam dissolves the fat, making it lower in calories and easier to digest.

Additionally, steam cooking is a quick and inexpensive way to prepare meals. It allows you to cook several different foods simultaneously, saving time and reducing the number of pots and pans to wash. It is also versatile, as you can use it to cook almost anything, from bread to meat, providing a combination of taste and crunchiness.

Overall, steam cooking is an excellent option for those who want to enjoy healthy, tasty, and flavourful meals. It is a gentle and effective cooking method that enhances the natural flavours of your ingredients while retaining their texture and nutritional value.

Cooking versatility

Steam cooking is a versatile method that can be used for a wide range of dishes, from vegetables and grains to meat, poultry, and casseroles. It is also suitable for delicate foods such as custards and seafood. The gentle nature of steam cooking means that it is difficult to overcook food, and it helps retain the original flavour, texture, colour, and nutrients of ingredients.

Steam ovens offer a variety of cooking modes, such as straight steam, convection steam, sous vide, broil, and proof, making them extremely versatile appliances. They can be used for cooking, baking, roasting, grilling, steaming, defrosting, and warming leftovers. Steam cooking is also a quick and inexpensive way to prepare dishes, as it allows you to cook several foods at the same time while saving time and reducing the number of pots and pans to wash.

One of the benefits of steam cooking is that it does not require the use of oils or fats, making dishes lighter and healthier. This is especially beneficial for fish and chicken, as the steam dissolves the fat, making the food lower in calories and easier to digest. Steam cooking is also ideal for those who are health-conscious, as it helps lower cholesterol and enhances flavour while sealing in nutrients.

Steam ovens with built-in recipe catalogues allow you to explore different cuisines and techniques at the press of a button, further adding to the versatility of steam cooking.

Ease of cleaning

Steam cooking is a great option for those who want to spend less time cleaning up after preparing a meal. The steam cooking method is known for producing minimal mess, and it does not leave behind greasy pans or pots. The steam simply dissipates, and there are little to no oil splatters or crusting to clean up.

Some steam ovens, like the SteamPro, have a removable oven door that provides easier access to the interior in one simple motion. The SteamPro also has an AquaClean feature that removes grease and stubborn residue from the oven's surfaces, making it a self-cleaning unit. Other steam ovens, such as the Miele Steam Oven, have a Perfect Clean finish on the inside of the oven cavity, preventing anything from sticking and making cleaning a breeze.

Additionally, the steam produced can be used to your advantage when cleaning. For example, if you have any pans or baking trays with baked-on food residue, you can place them into the steam oven, turn on the steam mode, and let the steam help dislodge the food particles, making your clean-up much easier.

So, if you're someone who loves cooking but hates the tedious task of cleaning up afterward, steam cooking may be the perfect solution for you.

Faster cooking times

Steam cooking is a quick and efficient way to prepare your food. Steam ovens have a smaller cavity than traditional ovens, so they preheat faster, reducing cooking times. Steam cooking is also a more efficient way to reheat leftovers, as it restores moisture to your meals, making them taste as good as when they were first cooked.

Steam ovens can also save time by allowing you to cook several different foods at the same time without any flavour transfer. This means you can cook a salmon and a roast beef at the same time without them tasting like a strange combination of the two.

Steam cooking is also a quick way to prepare dishes, as it is a gentle form of cooking. It is difficult to overcook your food with steaming, and the worst that can happen is that you are left with mushy food.

Steam cooking is also a quick and easy way to cook vegetables. The steam simply dissipates, leaving you with extremely flavorful, mildly crunchy, and beautifully vibrant produce.

Frequently asked questions