What is convection and why is it needed in an electric oven?

Today, almost all ovens have additional functions. But forced convection is considered the most useful and frequently used - in the oven it is indicated by an icon with a fan. With it you will forever forget about burning food. Convection allows you to occupy 80% of the oven space. Fluffy baked goods? Please. Roasted whole goose? No problem. Dried herbs, berries? Will be done.

Convection in the oven - what is it?

Convection in the oven is an additional function responsible for improved heat transfer. In older oven models, heating was carried out exclusively from below, which caused many problems: burning, poor rise of baked goods, raw core, hard edges. Housewives were forced to “dance with a tambourine” to make a beautiful and tasty dish.

Convection in the oven helps to evenly heat the food inside the cabinet. Pressing the button turns the fan, which moves hot air. As a result, the temperature in the oven becomes the same everywhere. Even if you fill the entire space with dishes, they will warm up equally well from below, above and on the sides.

What is convection like?

There are two main types of convection - natural (available in absolutely all ovens) and forced (improved, activated by a button).

• Natural convection in gas and primitive electric ovens is determined by the laws of physics: warm air rises and cold air moves down. This heat exchange is quite slow, and it is very easy to interfere with it. For example, if the oven door does not close tightly, it is often opened or wide baking sheets are used, a large number of dishes are baked at once, the circulation of hot streams is disrupted. The result is burnt, unbaked dishes, fallen biscuits, and a hard, unappetizing crust.
• Natural convection in modern electric stoves. Here the situation is a little better. As a rule, new stoves use several heating elements located around the perimeter of the cabinet. When using bottom and top heating, hot air moves more actively. Dishes are not so afraid of opening the door or other negative factors. However, natural convection cannot be compared with a special function.

Forced convection

Forced convection is called convection, which is caused by the action of external forces. In an oven, the fan becomes that force. It comes in several types:

• Ordinary. Moves air through simple blowing.
• Fan with heating circuit. It not only blows air, but also heats the oven, which increases its efficiency.
• Reinforced fan. Creates a more powerful flow of hot air, which makes food bake faster and better.
• Double fan. To enhance convection, two fans are sometimes built into the oven. They are located one above the other and blow air at each level. This is very convenient when baking several dishes at once.
• Moist convection. Relatively new technology. In addition to the fan, the oven has a steam generator that evaporates water from a special compartment.The fan circulates moist air throughout the chamber, so the food remains juicy and does not dry out. Dishes are steamed or stewed rather than baked. Moist convection allows you to preserve maximum benefits in products. In some oven models, the humidity level can be adjusted.
• Convection with grill. The function activates the fan and grill simultaneously. This combination allows the heat to be concentrated around the food being cooked. The dish turns out juicy, with an appetizing crust. Recommended for cooking large pieces of meat, whole vegetables, and fish.

Convection in gas and electric stoves

Today, almost every modern electric stove is equipped with a convection mode. The models differ only in the type of fan. It can be regular or with “bells and whistles” - reinforced, double, with a steam generator, etc.

The situation is different with gas stoves. The blowing function is only available in expensive models. This is due to the need to install additional protection. After all, if the fan blows out the flame, a gas leak will occur. Therefore, manufacturers, along with a fan, equip gas stoves with a gas control system and a protective shutdown. When the fire goes out, the gas supply is blocked.

Advantages

Convection in the oven is one of the most useful additional features. Its advantages are obvious:

• the fastest possible heating of the oven;
• speeding up the cooking process;
• high-quality baking of even thick pieces of meat and fish;
• maximum dough rise;
• drying excess juice released by the dish;
• formation of a golden brown crust on all sides;
• uniform baking;
• preservation of juiciness;
• cooking with a minimum of fat and oil;
• the ability to fill the oven space to the maximum;
• using convection for drying herbs, crackers, fruits;
• high-quality sterilization of containers for preservation;
• defrosting food;
• heating plates for serving dishes.

With the forced convection function, the range of dishes that can be prepared at home expands. These include meat dishes, biscuits, meringues, pizza, and much more. What is important is that the housewife does not need to make any special efforts: often turn the food over, substitute a bowl of water, lay a brick or use other cunning folk tricks.

Flaws

There are not many disadvantages of forced convection in an oven, and they are all relative.

There are only two drawbacks:

• a running fan consumes electricity;
• the price of a convection oven is higher than that of a conventional oven.

On average, you will have to pay an additional 2,000 rubles for the forced convection function in an electric oven. But considering that the equipment will serve you for many years, and convection will also replace the electric dryer, this amount cannot be called large.

How to use?

How to properly use convection in an oven is described in the instructions included with the appliance. We will mention only 3 general principles:

1. It is not necessary to preheat the oven to use the function.
2. The fan can be turned on and off at different stages of cooking.
3. Airflow can be combined with other modes: grill, top heating, bottom heating.

Different combinations allow you to prepare very tasty, ideal dishes:

• Airflow with bottom heating - baking pizza, open and thin pies, homemade bread.
• Fanning with top heating - cooking casseroles, vegetable dishes, meat.
• Airflow with combined heating. Multifunctional mode.Lush pies and pastries made from yeast dough are baked at 170–190 degrees. At 200 degrees and above, large pieces of meat, cookies, gingerbread, and puff pastry are cooked.
• Air-flow with grill and top heating - roasting whole carcasses and large pieces of meat such as leg of lamb.
• Fanning with minimal heat (up to 60 degrees) – drying berries, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, as well as defrosting food, preparing dishes for serving dishes.
• Blowing with steam - preparing healthy dietary dishes from fish, meat and vegetables, sterilizing jars, as well as baking baked goods.

As a rule, when using convection, adjustments are not made to the recipe. The cooking time does not change significantly, nor does the temperature. You can use an old cookbook, but still cook with the comfort and skill of a professional chef.

Without a doubt, convection is a useful function for an oven. With it, dishes turn out tasty, beautiful, rosy on all sides. The regime will be appreciated by all housewives without exception - those who regularly prepare baked goods, lovers of ruddy juicy meat, and adherents of a healthy diet.