Convection Cooking, Good And Bad

[susanm9006]

Due to the sudden death of my stove I upgraded a few weeks ago to one that has convection baking and roasting options. Thanksgiving was a chance to try it out with a turkey and some sides.

The Good: Convection roasting of the stuffed turkey resulted in a golden, perfectly cooked, juicy turkey in three hours, exactly 25% less time than a conventional oven. I started out my side dishes on conventional bake but switched to convection bake when they weren’t cooking fast enough. They were done in a flash after that.

The Bad. Convection roasting produced and exceptional amount of grease spatter. The turkey started sizzling within fifteen minutes of putting it in the oven and by the time it came out there was grease everywhere from the front to the back of the oven to the point where the only option was to run a self clean cycle. Fortunately, it is warm enough today that I can leave a window open to get rid of some the stink of the self clean.

I would probably use the Convection roast cycle again but will try to research if there is some way to reduce the splatter.

 

[Furballsmom]

I was thinking about you and wondering how things went - what a pain in the neck, but I'm glad it turned out tasty for you

 

[lizzie]

Due to the sudden death of my stove I upgraded a few weeks ago to one that has convection baking and roasting options. Thanksgiving was a chance to try it out with a turkey and some sides.

The Good: Convection roasting of the stuffed turkey resulted in a golden, perfectly cooked, juicy turkey in three hours, exactly 25% less time than a conventional oven. I started out my side dishes on conventional bake but switched to convection bake when they weren’t cooking fast enough. They were done in a flash after that.

The Bad. Convection roasting produced and exceptional amount of grease spatter. The turkey started sizzling within fifteen minutes of putting it in the oven and by the time it came out there was grease everywhere from the front to the back of the oven to the point where the only option was to run a self clean cycle. Fortunately, it is warm enough today that I can leave a window open to get rid of some the stink of the self clean.

I would probably use the Convection roast cycle again but will try to research if there is some way to reduce the splatter.

What about a roasting pan with a lid (I used to have one years ago) or using the roasting bags?I got a new stove a few months ago,and it has self clean too...which I've never used.I've been cleaning mine with babo,a scrubbie and a damp cloth.Guess I need to try mine out!

 

[susanm9006]

Definitely will look at a covered pan and those bags. Did do a self clean cycle yesterday but the door didn’t clean so shopping for Easy Off today to degrease. It is way past scrubbies.

 

[Winchester]

I do pork roasts using our convection cycle....haven't had a big mess. I like using convection because I can insert the convection thermometer into the roast, set it for Rare and it's really good that way. The resting time will take it up just a wee bit into the medium zone (better for pork). (I've never used it for chicken or turkey, largely because I don't roast birds in the oven; we have an electric roaster). I can also do more than one sheet of cookies using convection and they'll all get done without having to move the sheets around. I love doing squash with convection; it gets done beautifully.

Did you, by any chance, pour a bit of broth, water, or apple juice in the bottom of your roasting pan? Not a lot; you don't want to cover the rack the turkey is resting on in your roaster because that won't let the skin get crispy. Maybe a cup or so of liquid. As your turkey roasts, you may need to replenish the liquid from time to time.

 

[susanm9006]

Winchester, no I didn’t pour anything in the pan. Never have but maybe with convection I really need to. Although next time I do think I will try the bag. That seems like such easy cleanup. No temperature probe on my stove, but that would have been nice. I shopped so quickly I really didn’t look at features.

 

[artiemom]

I used my convection option for the second time, yesterday.

I really like it. It cooked so evenly.

I had a Trader Joe's Turkey breast, en croute...similar to a beef wellington.

It has turkey breast, with stuffing, wrapped in phyllo dough..

With the convection, It cooked so evenly. The crust was uniformly browned and at a shorter time. I was really impressed with the results.

 

[susanm9006]

I used my convection option for the second time, yesterday.

I really like it. It cooked so evenly.

I had a Trader Joe's Turkey breast, en croute...similar to a beef wellington.

It has turkey breast, with stuffing, wrapped in phyllo dough..

With the convection, It cooked so evenly. The crust was uniformly browned and at a shorter time. I was really impressed with the results.

That turkey sounds delicious. I have a Trader Joe’s nearby so I might need to try one.

 

[LTS3]

I did the TJ turkey en croute last year. I wasn't impressed with the zero stuffing or turkey within two inches of either end