Microwave Convection ovens

[shelle007]

We are looking at some older motorhomes that have the microwave/convection combo instead of the traditional oven. How does it compare as far as baking? I tend to bake more when we are in the RV than at home for some reason so I am interested in how other's like them and tips you might have.

Thanks

Shelle

[Davel]

shelle007,

We, and by that I mean Linda doing the cooking and me doing the eating, both love our convection oven. It does take a little getting used to, which we are still doing, but the cooking process is very good. I removed our propane cooktop/oven combination and installed an oak counter top and storage below so now we cook everything in electric skillets, induction hot plate, or the new oven. It has worked great and it's amazing how many rattles went away when I remove that tin box.

Good luck with your purchase,
Dave

[Mr_D]

We ended up using our conventional stove for a bread box. We do use the convection oven, but be careful of the incoming voltage. They don't work very well if voltage is low. My wife saw a demonstration at an FMCA rally sometime before 2002 and just had to have one when we ordered the DSDP we now have, it's an Advantium 120. You do have to adjust times and temps from normal though.

[Arch Hoagland]

My wife at first was a bit leary of our convection oven.

She experimented a bit and now she wants one in the stick house. She says it heats more evenly.

[Frantz]

I insisted on an oven when we purchased our new motorhome because I, too, like to bake. Well I've started using the convection oven and I'm convinced No more burnt bottoms or barely done edges. Only limitation is size...we have learned how to cut a family size Papa Murphy pizza in half to fit on a cookie sheet.
I have not gotten comfortable with using it as a combo micro/convection but I'm sure the time will come. Biggest problem I have is forgetting to disable the turntable when I use a cookie sheet.
I'm now wishing for a dishwasher to replace the oven.

[jzick]

If you will start using your Convection/Microwave with the attitude that, once you learn the "tricks of the trade", it works well you will be successful. If you start out believing that there is no way this "new fangled" thing can ever work it never will for you. Use a cookbook at first and learn your times and temperatures.

We were out last week with our motorhome. I baked bread, cinnamon rolls, pizza, and a pork roast. The only drawback to convection cooking is that the fan is noisy and, during the summer it can make the inside of the rv hot. Enjoy your new unit when you find it.

[jillie]

Since the 'convection' part of the oven is just an electric heating element plus a fan to move the hot air around, it's not much different from baking at home in my oven. Just need to cut large items down to fit (like pizza), use a pan size to allow the air to circulate around the food (use smaller cookie sheets), use the rack/racks for hot air circulation and allow plenty of time for the preheat cycle if I need the higher temps.

I'm still working on the microwave/convection setting. I did use it for scalloped corn where I needed to get the middle of the dish to cook before the outside edges burned.

After learning to use the M/C in the motorhome, I find I'm using mine at home even more.

Just wish I had two in the motorhome. I cook the main dish on convection and want to microwave the veggies. That requires taking the hot rack out of the oven and finding a place to put it while it cools and using a high-temp-safe plate to put the veggies on to microwave. A bit of a balancing act.

[Vicap]

Baking with the convection oven is very easy. Cookies take 1/2 the time of conventional ovens using the same temperature, but batter breads need the same baking time as a conventional oven. I use pizza pans with circular silicon mats as liners for my cookie sheets and they turn out great (all available from amazon.com). Obviously you can't fit as many on a cookie sheet as a 13x9 sheet though.

Meatloafs, pot roasts etc. need the same time as conventional ovens too. The density of the item to be baked is the key to adjusting the time.

[jillie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicap Baking with the convection oven is very easy. Cookies take 1/2 the time of conventional ovens using the same temperature, but batter breads need the same baking time as a conventional oven.

Interesting. My cookies, breads, and cakes take the same amount of time as in a regular oven. That's on the convection setting alone.

[golden]

We have the combo MW/convection oven which we use quite a bit. This year, however, we bought a NuWave Infrared portable which we use extensively in our house, DESPITE having both a conventional and convection oven. We really like the taste of what is prepared plus it is small enough to easily fit on the counter in the kitchen area of the MH. Additionally, it doesn't heat the the surrounding area. I highly recommand that anyone who is interesting in cooking and wants more versitility in the RV look into buying one. If you do, I recommend buying the 3" extender ring which significantly increases the amount of food that can be cooked at the same time.

[shelle007]

Thanks for the replies! I definitely will give it a chance! I have no problem trying new things so hopefully i will get the hang of it. Sounds like it will work better for baking things like biscuits and cookies which scorch so badly in the regular RV oven even with the pizza stone. I will probably throw in my mini-roaster oven which is a lot smaller version and easy to pack in the RV for things like casseroles and such.

Shelle

[mundyecoco1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shelle007 We are looking at some older motorhomes that have the microwave/convection combo instead of the traditional oven. How does it compare as far as baking? I tend to bake more when we are in the RV than at home for some reason so I am interested in how other's like them and tips you might have. Thanks Shelle

We, and I do mean we, use our convection/microwave daily. Read the book and adjust it truly works. If you want a bigger convection oven/outside smoker check out a Traeger grill! You will be amazed.

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frantz Biggest problem I have is forgetting to disable the turntable when I use a cookie sheet.

That's the one thing the Advantium 120 is missing!!

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillie Interesting. My cookies, breads, and cakes take the same amount of time as in a regular oven. That's on the convection setting alone.

I'm betting the brand/model makes a difference. With our Advantium we do have to cut the temp and time down.