Ovens

Ovens

1. Microwave

   • good for:
     • reheating foods
     • defrosting
   • you can cook foods using anything except metal!
   • foods cook from the outside in
     • make sure to place the thickest foods towards the side of the microwave
   • how it works:
     • the magnetron produces small waves (microwaves)
     • the waves go through the waveguide and into the stirrer
     • the stirrer sends waves into the main part of the microwave oven where they bounce back and forth off the metal walls
     • the waves cause water molecules in foods to vibrate back and forth, therefore creating heat
   • other important facts
     • cooking=cooling too
     • the larger the food, the longer the cook time
     • steam that gets built up in confined spaces can lead to the food exploding

2. conventional (radiant-heat)

   • cheaper
   • how it works:
     • the same as a convection oven but does NOT have a fan
   • the heat in this oven rises
     • the top of foods will cook faster and could burn
   • cooks foods slowly and unevenly

3. convection (thermal) oven

   • use something lighter (color) to cook stuff on in this oven
   • how it works:
     • Heat elements (top and bottom of oven) produce heat waves which cooks the food and the fan circulates the heat all around the oven therefore cooking the food evenly.
   • unlike conventional ovens, convection ovens have a fan, which helps:
     • it helps distribute heat evenly
       • so it doesn't matter which or how many racks you use
     • heats the entire oven
     • cooks foods faster
     • cooks food quicker
   • if you normally use a conventional oven, then you need to one of the following:
     • cook foods 25° lower than you would in a conventional oven
     • lower the cooking time by 20%
   • expensive