MathersLacroix99
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 is the traditional static cooking mode using top and bottom elements with no 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 compared to bottom shelves so it's good for cooking desserts for example pavlovas, meringues and sponges at lower temperatures. It is also ideal 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 from above. 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. If your oven includes a fan grill function that 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 such as Asparagus, Eggplant, Capsicum, Sausages, Hamburgers, Chicken, Beef Bacon Fish Burritos Garlic Bread Melted 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 surrounded by a triple ring heating element that will evenly distribute hot air throughout the oven there are no 'cold' spots. The hot air is produced when the fan is started up 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 distributed to the meals cooking temperatures could be lower than those employed for conventional ovens. This is ideal for multiple baking (e.g. you are able to cook muffins on a single shelf and biscuits on another) where a level temperatures are required. This function is the best for general cooking and readymade meals but it is not good for meals with special cooking requirements for example pizzas, flans or grilled recipes.
MEALS TO COOK USING THE FAN FORCED FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Just about everything!
Ideal for foods that need to be tender or rare on the inside and well done on the outside for example lamb, roast beef and whole fish.
Defrosting:
Defrosting in the oven requires the light and fan standing on but no heat. Defrosting in the oven is better than the microwave as this mode does not dry or par-cook food. The only real disadvantage compared to a microwave is the fact that defrosting is a slower process in the oven.
MEALS To prepare While using DEFROST FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Anything that is frozen and requires to be defrosted
Fan Assisted Cooking:
If you're asking yourself 'what may be 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 in the rear pushing heat around. When using the fan assisted function the oven will need to be pre-heated for the similar amount of time as a conventional oven so cooking times aren't reduced. The cooking temperatures, however, will be the just like fan forced ovens. If your oven has both fan assisted and fan forced cooking functions you would employ the fan assisted rather than the fan forced if you're preparing food that needs either top or bottom heat concentration.
MEALS TO COOK USING THE 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 must be cooked through but cooks well with bottom and top 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 such as that necessary for stews and casseroles. Bottom element with a fan is great for foods including quiches, pastries and pizzas.
MEALS To prepare While using BOTTOM ELEMENT FUNCTION INCLUDE:
Stews Casseroles Quiches Pastries Pizzas
Top Element:
This function uses the very best element only. It is ideal for 'au gratin' style cooking for a firm crust.
MEALS To prepare 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 as simple as no means exhaustive. You may even 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 might not need these extra functions. For the average home cook the oven modes that we have outlined are more than sufficient.