The Real Difference Between Convection And Conventional Ovens
Whether you bought a new house with an unfamiliar oven or you are planning to remodel your kitchen and are doing some homework on your options, chances are you might wonder what the differences are between the two main kinds of ovens: convection and conventional. Though both are good options and can use gas or electric for heat, there are some pros and cons of each type to consider (via AJ Madison).
Convection ovens are built with fans and exhaust systems so the heat blows all around the oven. This means that it cooks more consistently without any pockets of air that could be hotter or colder. Convection ovens also tend to help food get browner and crisper than a conventional oven can (via Whirlpool).
A lot of professional chefs use convection ovens for the even way they cook food, but also because they reduce cook times by up to 25 percent, which is quite a time saver. Another bonus is that the fans can often be turned off on convection ovens so they can be used like a conventional oven if desired.
There are some cases when conventional ovens are beneficial
While it might sound like a convection oven is the better option most of the time, there are some times when conventional ovens are quite beneficial. Conventional ovens are heated from the bottom of the oven and can have warmer or cooler pockets of air. That means it may not cook as evenly, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
While the uneven temperature in a conventional oven requires a lot of cooks to open it and rotate the food halfway through the cooking time, it also keeps some food from cooking too much on the outside and not on the inside. Cakes, for example, do better in conventional ovens or in convection ovens with the fans off. Otherwise, the cake could be cooked on the outside but raw on the inside.
So, whichever kind of oven you choose, you'll need to learn how to cook well with it. Whether it is checking your food 10 minutes prior to the end cook time or rotating it halfway through, learning to cook with either type of oven takes a bit of practice.