DreVanatta87
Most ovens these days include Conventional Cooking, Closed Door Grilling, Fan Forced Cooking, Defrosting, Fan Assisted Cooking, Bottom Element and Top Element so we will discuss these functions below.
Conventional Cooking:
Conventional Cooking is the traditional static cooking mode using bottom and top elements without any fan. Our grandmothers cooked delicious meals using conventional cooking which is still a very good way to bake heavy cakes for example banana, mud, Christmas and fruit cakes. While there is no fan the traditional mode distributes heat unevenly with the top being warmer than the bottom shelves so it's great for cooking desserts for example pavlovas, meringues and sponges at lower temperatures. It's 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 can be a traditional grill function with heat radiating previously mentioned. This function is best for grilling/browning the top food. Most new ovens include closed door grilling that is a safer option to that old closed door grilling. In case your oven includes a fan grill function that you can do multi level grilling so you could cook sausages and chops on top level and baked potato on the bottom level.
MEALS TO COOK 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 may be the new standard, everyday cooking function. The fan at the back of most modern ovens is encompassed by a triple ring heating unit which will evenly distribute heated air through the oven so there are no 'cold' spots. The new air is produced as soon as the fan is switched on therefore the food starts cooking at the same time making it quicker while you don't need to pre-heat your oven. Also as the heat is efficiently given to the food cooking temperatures can be less than those employed for conventional ovens. This really is ideal for multiple baking (e.g. you can cook muffins on one shelf and biscuits on another) where a level temperatures are required. This function is the best for general cooking and readymade meals but it's not good for meals with special cooking requirements such as pizzas, flans or grilled recipes.
MEALS TO COOK USING THE FAN FORCED FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Almost everything!
Perfect for foods that should be tender or rare on the inside and well done on the outside such as lamb, roast beef and whole fish.
Defrosting:
Defrosting in the oven requires the light and fan being on but no heat. Defrosting in the oven is preferable to the microwave because this mode does not dry or par-cook food. The only real disadvantage over a microwave is that defrosting is a slower process in the oven.
MEALS To prepare While using DEFROST FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Anything that is frozen and requires to become defrosted
Fan Assisted Cooking:
If you are asking yourself 'what may be the difference between Fan Forced and Fan Assisted Cooking?' you're not alone! Both of these functions are compatible with many of the same meals. Fan Assisted Cooking uses the very best and bottom element with the fan at the rear pushing heat around. When using the fan assisted function the oven will have to be pre-heated for the same amount of time like a conventional oven so cooking times aren't reduced. The cooking temperatures, however, will be the same as fan forced ovens. In case your oven has both fan assisted and fan forced cooking functions you would employ the fan assisted rather than the fan forced if you are cooking food that needs either bottom or top heat concentration.
MEALS To prepare USING THE FAN ASSISTED FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Just like fan forced, just about everything will cook well in fan assisted cooking mode. Foods for example 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 bottom element only. Suitable for slow, gentle cooking for example that required for stews and casseroles. Bottom element having a fan is ideal for foods including quiches, pastries and pizzas.
MEALS TO COOK While using BOTTOM ELEMENT FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Stews Casseroles Quiches Pastries Pizzas
Top Element:
This function uses the top element only. It is suitable for 'au gratin' style cooking for a firm crust.
MEALS TO COOK While using TOP ELEMENT FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Potato Bake Cauliflower with cheese sauce
We've 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. Depending on your typical cooking style you may or may not need these additional functions. For the average home cook the oven modes that we have outlined are more than sufficient.