Convection conversion is a helpful feature found on some ovens that simplifies adjusting recipes for convection cooking. At its core, convection conversion is a function that converts a standard thermal bake cook time and temperature into an ideal cook time and temperature for convection cooking.
Understanding Convection Cooking
To understand why convection conversion is useful, it's helpful to know how convection cooking differs from standard baking:
- Standard (Thermal) Baking: Heat radiates from elements at the top and/or bottom of the oven. Hot air naturally rises, leading to potential hot and cool spots.
- Convection Baking: A fan circulates hot air throughout the oven cavity. This even distribution of heat cooks food more uniformly and typically faster than standard baking.
Because convection ovens cook more efficiently, using the exact time and temperature from a standard recipe can overcook or dry out your food.
The Role of the Convection Conversion Feature
Instead of manually calculating adjustments, the convection conversion feature automates this process for you. When you input the time and temperature required for a standard thermal bake recipe, the oven's convection conversion feature calculates and sets the appropriate settings for convection cooking.
This typically involves:
- Lowering the temperature: Often by about 25°F (around 15°C).
- Reducing the cooking time: The percentage varies depending on the oven and the food, but reductions of 15-30% are common.
The exact method of conversion (whether it adjusts temperature, time, or both) is determined by the oven's manufacturer and programming. The goal is to achieve the same desired cooking results as a standard bake but with the benefits of convection (more even cooking, potentially faster).
It is important to refer to the Owner's Manual to see if your specific oven model has a convection conversion feature and to understand exactly how to activate and use this feature on your appliance.
In essence, the convection conversion feature acts as a built-in guide, translating traditional baking instructions into optimized settings for your convection oven, taking the guesswork out of adapting recipes.
