Cooking in a Convection Oven was something I was really hesitant about at first. I read the whole manual (even the microwave instructions) and googled a lot of recipes, tips and videos.
Starting with some basic well known pre-made foods as a test seemed like the best idea. Now, I have never claimed to be the healthiest cook, so please don’t judge. LOL!
The Chicken Kiev (I’m an Aldi Nerd) turned out wonderful. The juices stayed in the chicken this time. It was golden and crispy and cooked thoroughly. Very good. Now hubby thinks it needs to be added to our weekly grocery list.
Next was a frozen Digiorno Pepperoni Pizza. It turned out just as good. We were very pleasantly surprised by how nicely it baked up. The crust was a little softer than when it’s baked in the oven at home, but we really liked it.
The next night, I baked pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough. Since this was new to me and it’s never ok to ruin chocolate, I baked 6 at a time. They also turned out really good. They were a little crispier than the oven, but if I had reduced the time a little and they would have been perfect.
Note: I used the round metal raised pan that came with the convection oven for all of these items.
My newfound confidence got the best of me and I made a chicken dish in a 9×13 aluminum pan. The link for the recipe is listed on this page. Initially, my WalMart order included aluminum CAKE pans, however, they were out of stock and were substituted for the rectangle pans. This turned out to be a problem. Since the pan I received is rectangle, it can’t turn on the turntable in the convection oven! I decided to continue on with the recipe and see what would happen.
Although the pan couldn’t turn, it did manage to rotate itself a few times from the pressure. After about 15 minutes, I stopped the oven and turned the pan, then restarted the oven. After 45 minutes, the chicken in the outer part of the pan was cooked, however the chicken in the middle was not. I baked it for 15 more minutes and it was good.
My favorite convection oven creation so far was the baked potatoes. Make 3 slits in both sides of your potatoes. Cover the potatoes in oil and salt. Place on the metal pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The best baked potatoes ever!
The banana bread turned out really good too. I baked it in a glass loaf pan and put it directly on the turntable. It probably should have been placed on top of the metal pan for circulation. The bottom of the bread was almost done, but not baked evenly. It was still delicious hot with butter. The link for this recipe is also included on this page.
The pre-made croissants turned out nice as well. Just roll them up and bake accordingly.
The convection oven is turning out to be a wonderful surprise. Although I don’t think I’m ready to bake Thanksgiving Dinner in the convection oven, it has been fun learning about it. Just remember to make time and temperature adjustments and get to know it. The rule of thumb is to drop the recipe temperature by 25 degrees and bake for 1/2 – 3/4 of the recommended time.
We’d love to hear what your favorite convection oven creations are. Leave a comment!
