Hi everyone. I'm new to this community and very new to cooking. I just purchased a Cuisinart toaster oven for cooking meat; beef, pork, fish and poultry. I read the instructor's manual and it says I should broil my meats. I have no idea what that means. Just a few simple quesitons, what temperature should I use, how do I know when the meat is done and can I use toast and bake option on my meats as well?
Need help using toaster oven.
- Thread starter Chuck
- Start date
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GB
Chief Eating Officer
Hey Chuck. Welcome to the site!
Broiling just means that the top heating element will be on. Baking means both the top and bottom heating elements will be on. When Broiling, that is the temp. For baking you can actually set the temp and the heating elements will turn on and off to try and keep that temp. Both of these ways will work for cooking your food.
You would not use the toast setting for cooking meat or fish though. The toast setting is basically baking, but it is on a timer. It is usually a short time limit so your toast does not burn.
As far as when you meat is done, that will take some practice. A good item to invest in though it a thermometer. That takes the guess work out of it.
Broiling just means that the top heating element will be on. Baking means both the top and bottom heating elements will be on. When Broiling, that is the temp. For baking you can actually set the temp and the heating elements will turn on and off to try and keep that temp. Both of these ways will work for cooking your food.
You would not use the toast setting for cooking meat or fish though. The toast setting is basically baking, but it is on a timer. It is usually a short time limit so your toast does not burn.
As far as when you meat is done, that will take some practice. A good item to invest in though it a thermometer. That takes the guess work out of it.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
For the trout, it is done with the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque. Fish will cook quicker than beef or pork.
There are thermometers called probe thermometers. You insert the probe into the meat and then attach it to the thermometer part. The meat, probe and all, goes into the oven and the readout stays outside. On most of them you can set the desired target temp you want and a lot of them even have settings for chicken, pork, lamb, beef, etc. An alarm goes off when you hit that temp so you know your food is cooked.
Polder is a popular brand of probe thermometers (but not the only kind).
There are thermometers called probe thermometers. You insert the probe into the meat and then attach it to the thermometer part. The meat, probe and all, goes into the oven and the readout stays outside. On most of them you can set the desired target temp you want and a lot of them even have settings for chicken, pork, lamb, beef, etc. An alarm goes off when you hit that temp so you know your food is cooked.
Polder is a popular brand of probe thermometers (but not the only kind).
GB
Chief Eating Officer
My pleasure!
Just an addendum to what GB said: check to see which heating elements actually come on (in your toaster oven) during the Broil, Bake and Toast functions. Broil is going to be the top element and is going to be full on power, Bake is normally just the bottom element (although on some models they will use both top and bottom but the majority of the heat will come from the bottom element) and is temperature regulated, and Toast is both top and bottom elements (heating both sides at the same time like in a bread "toaster") - some regulate the heat of the elements by having a "browning" setting - like a toaster.
Corey123
Washing Up
I've never owned one of these.
I always thought they were a complete waste of time & money because they are way too small for cooking roasts.
~Corey123.
I always thought they were a complete waste of time & money because they are way too small for cooking roasts.
~Corey123.
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Actually they are VERY useful and energy conserving. I have begun using mine to roast peppers, warm twice baked potatoes (although the microwave will do that), bake a couple of biscuits at a time, rewarm leftovers that I would do in the oven. Think about the difference of heating that small oven vs. a full size one.
Corey123
Washing Up
Gretchen said:
Which is why I own the Flavor Wave Convention Oven for baking cakes, pies
and other deserts. It heats up very fast, requiring no preheating before you use it.
I also have the George Jr. Rotisserie for roasting chickens and small roasts, and the Rival BBQ Pit Countertop Slow Cooker for slow-roasting babyback ribs, pork roasts, briskets and chicken quarters.
Plus, my Kenmore Toast N Wave microwave oven has a toaster built into it.
Now let's see, what else would I need a toaster oven for? And where would I be able to put it?
Thanks for the suggestion, but trust me, I'm pretty much all set with the appliances mentioned above.
~Corey123.
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