How Convection Microwave Ovens Work
If you’ve been shopping for a new microwave, you’ve probably noticed some more expensive models that offer convection cooking. If you’re like me, you may have initially wondered what convection microwave ovens do and why they’re pricier than standard microwaves.
Put simply, convection microwave ovens use a fan to circulate hot air inside the microwave, browning and crisping food at lower temperatures. Other benefits of convection cooking include:
- Faster baking and roasting
- Keeping meats juicy instead of drying them out
- More evenly cooked food
The theory behind convection cooking goes like this: With hot air constantly blowing on food, not just surrounding it, the food tends to cook faster. The chemical processes that occur when food cooks also become quicker; thus, pastries turn out flakier, meat retains its juices, and vegetables have a crispy outside and moist, flavorful inside. Also helpfully, convection microwave ovens cut down cooking time by about 25 percent.
As anyone who has ever baked cookies in a conventional oven knows, the cookies can vary in consistency based on whether they were on the top rack or the bottom rack. Convection ovens eliminate that inconsistency, evenly browning food no matter where it’s located in the oven. With hot air circulating evenly throughout the oven interior, you’ll get food baked or roasted uniformly and won’t have to worry about those tricky hot or cold spots with each mouthful.
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Brittany Rowland researches new developments in Appliances, Kitchen and CE products features with a vigor to which few would aspire… but someone has to do it. See more about Brittany |
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