Cooking with convection By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Next time you roast or bake, guarantee perfection with convection -- and save time, energy and money as well.

Photo: Garlic Pork Roast
Photography by Yvonne Duivenvoorden

The convection setting is quickly becoming a rule rather than an exception on most new ovens. However, this feature often goes unused because people are wary of experimenting with cooking times and temperatures that differ from their favourite recipes. To encourage use of the convection features, we have created model recipes to highlight baking recipes, vegetables, turkey and a roast of pork that demystify this energy-saving, time-efficient and effective cooking method.

Convert to convection
In a convection oven, a fan blows heated air around the food throughout the cooking process. The advantages of this are that the food cooks more quickly and evenly than in a conventional oven. As well, because the shorter cooking times and lower temperatures save energy, cooking becomes more economical. Although you should always consult the manufacturer's instructions, here are general rules when converting conventional oven recipes to convection.
• When roasting, reduce cooking time by 25 per cent and cook at the same temperature as indicated in the original recipe.
• When baking, reduce baking temperature by 25°F(13°C), especially for less than 15 minutes cooking time, and cook for the same length of time as indicated in the original recipe.
• Remember to write down the new cooking time or oven temperature on the conventional recipe for future recipe.