Baking is the lifeblood of a quality chef, and convection ovens can make life simpler if it’s something you often do. However, convection ovens cook food differently than conventional ones, which can lead to mishaps and frustrations. Before calling an oven repair specialist because you think it’s broken, here’s how convection cooking affects your dishes.

How to Cook Smarter With a Convection Oven

1. Don’t Overfill It

Convection ovens rely on the circulation of heated air to efficiently and evenly cook foods. If you cram the trays full of dishes, the ones in the middle won’t have as much air circulating around them. An overcrowded convection oven means middle dishes cook slower than the outer ones, which could lead to longer cooking times or burnt items.

2. Check It Often

Convection ovens bake food a bit more quickly and efficiently than conventional ovens. Since most recipes go by conventional baking times, you may not need to cook your dishes as long. To avoid burning them, begin checking them with a food thermometer every five to 10 minutes in the last 20 minutes of cooking to ensure you don’t overdo it.

3. Turn Convection Off for Moist Breads & Pastries

While flaky breads like biscuits, pie crusts, and crusty artisan breads do well in convection ovens, items that you want to be fluffy and moist—like cakes, muffins, soufflés, and bread rolls—shouldn’t be baked with convection. The convection option means hot air circulates over the surface of your foods, which can wick away moisture from the top layer and dry them out. Because of this, it’s also wise to dry-brine meats for at least an hour before cooking; that way, the skin gets crispy and forms an excellent barrier to keep the juices in the meat, preventing it from drying out.

If your convection oven is cooking unevenly, hire a trustworthy oven repair professional. The appliance repair experts at Complete Appliance Service in Cincinnati, OH, have almost 40 years of experience servicing household appliances. Licensed and bonded, they offer competitive appliance repair services for every item in your home, including the washer, dryer, refrigerator, and dishwasher. Learn more about their services online, and call (513) 661-3708 to schedule your oven repair today.