Cooking Pizza in a Fan Assisted Electric Oven

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creative

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A friend of mine has an electric fan assisted oven and is having problems cooking a pizza without the outer crust going very hard or it burning. He places it on the central shelf. I have no knowledge of these kind of ovens so am asking here on his behalf.

Someone said that you have to keep turning the pizza...which sounds a bit ridiculous given that it is only for 7 mins or so and a fan assisted oven is supposed to provide even heat!

Does someone know how to cook pizza in this kind of oven without burning the edges?
 
A little help.

Does he use a pan or a stone? What temperature is the oven set to? Is it a thick or thin crust pizza?
 
He uses a baking tray and bakes it at the required temp i.e. it is bought pizza. Not sure if it is thick or thin crust - will ask him.

I guess someone who uses this kind of oven and buys bought pizza will have a similar experience and so be able to be of assistance.
 
Lots of recipes call for a slightly lower temperature in a fan assisted oven. Couldn't he just turn off that option. I can on my toaster oven.
 
We call that a convection oven. Mine can be set to regular or convection; I usually forget about that option, but most recipes I've seen say to lower the temperature by 25F. Or check it a few minutes sooner than the directions say and see if it's ready. If the cheese is bubbling, and the crust is browned, it's done. If not, check again in a few more minutes.
 
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Yes he is thinking of not using the fan device. He says he DOES keep checking it! I guess a pizza can turn from brown to black pretty damn fast!
 
It can when the temperature is really high, which it often is for pizza. He could also get an oven thermometer to make sure the oven isn't running too hot.
 
It can when the temperature is really high, which it often is for pizza. He could also get an oven thermometer to make sure the oven isn't running too hot.
Yes he has one and is still puzzled hence this thread.
 
The way I understand it, a convection (fan) oven is meant for helping to crisp something up, not only to cook faster. My new oven can be switched to convection, and when I used it on my recent standing chicken it had a wonderful crisp skin with that option.

I'm thinking he needs to just turn the fan off.
 
As you and I have the same stove, mine does the same. I love that.

Rick, have you done a standing chicken with yours? It's the best I've ever done!

I have not as yet. I usually do them lying on their back, but on a rack that allows then to brown all over. I haven't roasted a chicken yet with the convection setting, mostly because I keep forgetting that I have it. :rolleyes:
 
The convection feature with my Kithenaide toaster oven is one of the best things I like about the oven.
Crisps up foods and cooks faster.

If I had a full size convection oven, I can see myself using this feature more than not.
Probably leave it on convection for most all baking and roasting jobs..
 
I read on a baking forum once that convection doesn't work so well when baking bread, cakes, muffins, anything like that. Apparently it retards rising somewhat, especially with things that tend to form crusts since the crusts will form faster with the air circulation. So I always just use regular bake and have never tried to use convection since I'm not willing to risk a failure. Just throwing this out there. Like I wrote, I've never actually tried it to measure the difference so it could be the equivalent of an old wives' tale for all I know.
 
Bake bread in convection oven all the time. I think it is better than regular oven by far. As far as pizza, I'm obviously too late. But cook at the regular temp for a bit less time.
 
As you and I have the same stove, mine does the same. I love that.

Rick, have you done a standing chicken with yours? It's the best I've ever done!

When I use convection roast I too get a wonderfully crisp and brown skin. It's a feature that I enjoy a lot.

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