by Roxanne Prather, Member Services Representative

Convection Ovens

A convection oven works by circulating hot air around the oven’s cavity with the help of a fan and exhaust system. The fan and exhaust help blow hot air over and around the food, surrounding the food so that it cooks evenly and quickly by creating a current of moving air throughout the cooking cavity. A convection oven moves relatively cold air away from the food and replaces it with hot air, resulting in quicker cooking times.

There are things that you should not cook in a convection oven; this includes anything with a delicate batter that can be altered by blowing air on it, such as quick bread, custards, delicate pastries, cakes and souffles.

Things you should cook in a convection oven: roasted meats and vegetables, casseroles, cookies, pies or anything that you want to toast or dehydrate.

When using a convection oven, it is recommended to reduce your cooking temperature by 25 degrees F. Whirlpool recommends multiplying the cooking time by 0.75. (So, if your recipe calls for 40 minutes, you should cook it for 30 minutes in a convection oven.)

Bakeware is also important. Make sure you use bakeware with low sides so that the air can circulate properly. Always use the right size pan for the amount of food you are cooking. When cooking more than one dish at a time, allow space between the dishes for air to flow evenly.