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Most ovens these days include Conventional Cooking, Closed Door Grilling, Fan Forced Cooking, Defrosting, Fan Assisted Cooking, Bottom Element and Top Element therefore we will talk about these characteristics below.
Conventional Cooking:
Conventional Cooking may be the traditional static cooking mode using top and bottom elements with no fan. Our grandmothers cooked delicious meals using conventional cooking and it is still a very good way to bake heavy cakes for example banana, mud, Christmas and fruit cakes. While there is no fan the conventional mode distributes heat unevenly with the top being warmer than the bottom shelves so it is good for cooking desserts such as pavlovas, meringues and sponges at lower temperatures. It is also great for large roasts.
MEALS To prepare USING THE CONVENTIONAL COOKING FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Roasts Delicate Pastries Pavlovas, Meringues & Sponges Cakes including Banana, Mud, Christmas, Fruit Cake, Slow Cooking Cakes
Grilling Mode:
This is a traditional grill function with heat radiating from above. This function is best for grilling/browning the top food. Most new ovens include closed door grilling which is a safer alternative to that old closed door grilling. In case your oven includes a fan grill function you can do multi level grilling which means you could cook sausages and chops on top level and baked potato on the bottom level.
MEALS To prepare USING THE GRILL FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Grilled Vegetables for example Asparagus, Eggplant, Capsicum, Sausages, Hamburgers, Chicken, Beef Bacon Fish Burritos Garlic Bread Cheese on Toast Pasta Bake
Fan Forced Cooking:
The fan forced function is the new standard, everyday cooking function. The fan at the back of most contemporary ovens is encompassed by a triple ring heating element that will evenly distribute hot air through the oven so there aren't any 'cold' spots. The hot air is produced as soon as the fan is switched on so the food starts cooking at the same time which makes it quicker while you don't need to pre-heat your oven. Also because the heat is efficiently distributed to the food cooking temperatures can be less than those employed for conventional ovens. This really is perfect for multiple baking (e.g. you can cook muffins on one shelf and biscuits on another) where an even temperatures are required. This function is right for general cooking and readymade meals but it is no good for meals with special cooking requirements such as pizzas, flans or grilled recipes.
MEALS To prepare USING THE FAN FORCED FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Almost everything!
Ideal for foods that need to be tender or rare on the inside and congratulations on the exterior for example lamb, roast beef and whole fish.
Defrosting:
Defrosting within the oven involves the light and fan being on but no heat. Defrosting in the oven is better than the microwave because this mode does not dry or par-cook food. The only disadvantage over a microwave is the fact that defrosting is really a slower process within the oven.
MEALS TO COOK USING THE DEFROST FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Anything that is frozen and needs to be defrosted
Fan Assisted Cooking:
If you are asking yourself 'what is the difference between Fan Forced and Fan Assisted Cooking?' you are not alone! Both of these functions are suitable for most of the same meals. Fan Assisted Cooking uses the top and bottom element with the fan at the rear pushing the heat around. When using the fan assisted function the oven will need to be pre-heated for the same period of time as a conventional oven so cooking times aren't reduced. The cooking temperatures, however, are usually the just like fan forced ovens. In case your oven has both fan assisted and fan forced cooking functions you would use the fan assisted instead of the fan forced if you are cooking food that requires either top or bottom heat concentration.
MEALS To prepare While using FAN ASSISTED FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Just like fan forced, almost everything will cook well in fan assisted cooking mode. Foods such as bread (i.e. it needs to be cooked through but cooks well with top and bottom heat concentration) be more effective in fan assisted than fan forced cooking mode.
Bottom Element:
This function uses the underside element only. Ideal for slow, gentle cooking for example that necessary for stews and casseroles. Bottom element having a fan is great for foods including quiches, pastries and pizzas.
MEALS To prepare USING THE BOTTOM ELEMENT FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Stews Casseroles Quiches Pastries Pizzas
Top Element:
This function uses the very best element only. It's suitable for 'au gratin' style cooking for any firm crust.
MEALS TO COOK USING THE TOP ELEMENT FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Potato Bake Cauliflower with cheese sauce
We have covered typically the most popular functions on electric ovens but this list is by no means exhaustive. You may also have Rotisserie function, Pizza function, Fan Grilling, Bottom Element with Fan Forced, Bottom Element with Fan Assist, Top Grill, Fan Forced and Bottom Element, Half Grill, and Quick Start/Pre Heat. Based on your typical cooking style you might or may not need these additional functions. For the average home cook the oven modes that we have outlined tend to be more than sufficient.