Full size oven with AF and convection

[EZ Bake Oven Cook]

I found a full-sized Maytag AF & convection oven w/ electric cooktop and am paralyzed. I am just coming from a GE 3 in 1 micro/AF/convection countertop model and got the full size because the GE had a very small clearance and could not handle a full sized chicken. Both, the GE and Maytag had NOTHING more than quick start guides. I found something for the Maytag with a little bit more than on/off buttons online, but precious little info.

What is it about these manufacturers that stopped providing more in-depth info? I understand the standard oven with bake doesn't need much, but with so many AF models - convection models, how much food do I have to destroy to figure this out? I am even willing to pay for a cookbook specific to my oven... after all, this is my 4th AF and they are all different, with very different processes (GE no preheat).

Call me frustrated - new toy, no idea how to use.

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi and welcome to Discuss Cooking The cooking appliances I've bought recently come with quick-start guides and a separate booklet that included a table of functions and how they work and recipes. If yours didn't come with one, you may want to check the manufacturer's website.

 

[EZ Bake Oven Cook]

Thanks, the manufacturers website provide instructions on disabling the AF and convection functions, how to tell if a pan has a smooth bottom (not joking). However, I did find books on Amazon on convection cooking (something I am new to) and another airfry cookbook to add to my collection.

 

[jennyema]

Air fryers are just convection ovens. IMO the combo ovens are just gimmicks

 

[pepperhead212]

Welcome to the forum!

It seems that just about everything anymore doesn't have a booklet, or if they do, it's got a minimal amount of info in it, and the just tell you to "go to their website"! It is really annoying, buy unfortunately, is the way of life anymore.

I got a countertop convection oven back in '77, before too many people knew what they were, except in commercial settings. I liked it so much that I had to get one, when I built my kitchen, in '83, and I got the only restaurant range available then - the home ranges hadn't started with them yet! I got one full size convection, and a half size regular - back then, it was one or the other.

You're lucky to be able to shut the convection off, and choose, as it isn't always the best for everything. Here's what I can tell you works best for various things, from my experience.

Yeast breads are what got me hooked on the CO! Most of them bake great on conv, but the best thing to do is reduce the temp to 300° - most loaves bake in about the same amount of time this way, or maybe 5 minutes less. Some of these ovens, from what I hear, are "smart", and you just punch in "yeast bread", but I don't know if they would do enough thinking. Narrow baguettes, FI, like a little hotter, at less time. But you figure out things like that, eventually.

For baking cookies, the convection is great for crispy cookies, and things like shortbread, that is totally dry. When I used to bake a lot of holiday cookies, I could put 3 full sheets in the CO at a time (you need help, for this, believe me!), at 325° (300° for shortbread types, 18-20 min) and get perfect cookies in 10-12 min, as a rule.
However, moist, or chewy cookies do better w/o the convection - it dried them out too much, and some ended up with a leathery chew to them.

Quick breads also do better in the regular oven. What happens with those, as well as cakes, and similar things, is that the batter in contact with the pan gets a crust quickly - even when temp was reduced way down to 275° - and since it has crust, the center bulges up, instead of rising evenly.

Pizza, and similar things baked on stones, at high temps, are also better in regular mode, IMO.

The convection is great for casseroles, where you want a crust. For thick ones, that need heated to the center, maybe reduce the heat to 325°. Otherwise, watch the top, usually for the browning of the cheese.

I'll let someone else chime in about meats, and much about them in in air fryers is basically the same - simply small convection ovens. That full sized oven was great the one time I baked a suckling pig in it!

You'll get used to it quickly, and get hooked on it, I'm sure! You are lucky, as I said, that you can shut off the convection mode, and bake in normal mode, for things where you'll find that's better. Good luck with it!

I forgot to ask - what did you mean by the smooth bottom pot? They actually have specifics on how smooth the pots need to be for your cooktop?

 

[summer57]

My range came with several book-size manuals. The oven manual is 48 pages (48 pages English, 48 in French, which makes it thicker).

For example, under Cakes it has the time, temperatures and rack positions for cupcakes, bundt cakes, angel food, etc. etc.
Plus when to use convection, top only, bottom only, error codes, Sabbath modes, dehydration mode and I could go on for another 48 pages.
That's just the oven part.

 

[jimmywang]

Luckily, the convection oven I purchased gave me instructions and they sent me their recipe.
I've started trying to make some simple recipes and they look good, but now I want to try more. Convection oven from HYSapientia.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Hi and welcome to Discuss Cooking The cooking appliances I've bought recently come with quick-start guides and a separate booklet that included a table of functions and how they work and recipes. If yours didn't come with one, you may want to check the manufacturer's website.

My 3 year old range came with more than I can fit in physical file folder.
I would think the manual may have been missing from the delivery? And maybe a call to the manufacturer may get her/him one?
OP. Take your range/stove model number and use that in your Google search. It may produce good results. Good luck and happy cooking.

 

[jimmywang]

我找到了一个带电炉灶的全尺寸 Maytag AF 和对流烤箱，我瘫痪了。我刚从 GE 3 合 1 微型/AF/对流台面模型获得全尺寸，因为 GE 的间隙非常小，无法处理全尺寸的鸡。GE 和 Maytag 都只有快速入门指南。我为 Maytag 找到了一些东西，其中包含的不仅仅是在线开/关按钮，而是宝贵的少量信息。

这些停止提供更深入信息的制造商是怎么回事？我知道带烘烤功能的标准烤箱不需要太多，但是有这么多 AF 模型 - 对流模型，我需要销毁多少食物才能解决这个问题？我什至愿意为我的烤箱专门买一本食谱……毕竟，这是我的第四次 AF，它们都是不同的，具有非常不同的过程（GE 没有预热）。

叫我沮丧 - 新玩具，不知道如何使用。

您需要在购买前向制造商提出问题，这可以降低很多风险。如果您想要食谱，请向制造商索取，或在 Google 中搜索。我有一个像你一样的对流烤箱

Believe this translates to:
You need to ask the manufacturer questions before buying, which reduces a lot of risk. If you want a recipe, ask the manufacturer for it, or do a Google search. I have a convection oven like yours