How to bake in an electric oven. How to choose an oven - tips and tricks

Our life is becoming more and more comfortable thanks to the constant improvement of technologies aimed at creating convenient and functional household appliances. This process also affected the production of ovens - the most important appliances, without which it is difficult to imagine a fully equipped kitchen. Innovative solutions are constantly emerging, aimed at maximizing the diversity of heat treatment methods. This significantly increases the controllability of the cooking process, and many of its components are automated.

The capabilities of modern ovens allow you to create culinary masterpieces at home, the preparation of which was previously only accessible to professional chefs. First of all, this is achieved by uniformly distributing the heating elements over the upper and lower surfaces of the internal chamber of the device. Help in creating complex dishes There are also various functions that make the oven a reliable assistant for both experienced and novice cooks. Your oven knows exactly how to sear, bake, grill and bake. With it you can always please yourself and your loved ones with varied, tasty and nutritious dishes.

Basic heating methods

Top heating exposes heat treatment The top layer of the dish is especially important for browning meat and baked goods.

Bottom heating is carried out using a heating element located under the inner chamber of the oven. It is actively used when processing the lower layers of dishes.

Combined use of top and bottom heating is classical method, indispensable for preparing a wide variety of products according to many recipes. Simultaneous exposure from above and below is ideal for roasting meat and vegetables, as well as making bread and other baked goods, including cakes and pastries.

Grill and its varieties

The grill is used to prepare a variety of meat and fish products - from kebabs, sausages and sausages, to meat and fish steaks. The result is dishes that are in no way inferior to those prepared on a traditional grill. This method is suitable for frying both small and large pieces meat, since placing the baking sheet at different heights allows you to regulate the heating strength.

The combination of a grill with top heat creates a “super grill” effect, without which it is very difficult to cook big pieces meat. When used simultaneously, these two processing methods make it possible to quickly and thoroughly cook portions that a conventional grill would not be able to handle.

Adding a fan to the grill causes hot air to move around the oven chamber, affecting the entire surface of the food being cooked. This option is indispensable for frying large pieces of meat without using a spit. You don't have to turn the food you're cooking over like you would with a regular grill. The turbo grill function will ensure that they are processed on all sides at the same time, so the fat will not leak out and the meat will not become dry. It is advisable to place the baking sheet on the upper levels of the oven.

How convection works

The circulation of heated air, or convection, is created by the interaction of the ring heating element and the fan. Together they promote uniform air movement throughout the oven, resulting in:

• simultaneous cooking on several oven levels is possible;
• for a long cooking process, no preheating is needed;
• cooking is faster and energy is consumed more economically;
• This mode allows you to quickly defrost food, as well as dry mushrooms and berries.

Convection is great for cooking meat, fish and baked goods.

Circulation of heated air, supplemented by bottom heating, is recommended for baking dough products with an open top. In this case, even distribution of air throughout the oven is important, but a higher temperature is required from below. The mode is convenient for making pizza, open pies and cheesecakes.

Fan functionality

The fan ensures air circulation. Can be used separately without heating for defrosting or drying. In Hansa ovens, the fan is used in combination with a variety of heat treatment methods, which significantly expands the oven's capabilities:

• adding to top heat helps brown the top of the pies;
• together with bottom heating can be used for accelerated defrosting or drying;
• combination with top and bottom heating promotes best preparation dishes simultaneously inside and outside - suitable for both roasts and dough products;
• By using a fan to circulate air, you can also add top heat or a grill.

Additional option - spit

The spit is available in certain oven models. Suitable for preparing kebabs, as well as frying large pieces of meat or whole poultry. Helps create a crust on all sides of the prepared dish.

In conclusion, we note that this review describes only the basic means and methods of heat treatment of products in Hansa ovens. We recommend that you not be afraid to experiment by coming up with new combinations of cooking modes. This is the only way you can give maximum scope to your culinary skills and get more and more pleasure from preparing a variety of dishes over time.

Oven. Built-in oven. Hard to imagine modern kitchen in any or almost any apartment without this household appliance. Here is a story about what you should know and consider when buying a new oven. To finally get the required result - delicious dishes prepared quickly and with minimal effort. Many modern ovens, by the way, are quite capable of “transforming” a not very good cook into a passable cook - thanks to automatic cooking cycles. Details on how to choose an oven are before your eyes.

Gas or electricity

It is quite difficult to advise which oven to buy - gas or electric. Firstly, there is a subjective factor - who is used to what. Secondly, if you have gas at home, then using an electric oven, especially if you cook often, may slightly increase your electricity costs (this is an objective factor).

If we talk directly about the “culinary component,” electric ovens can boast significantly better functionality. A high-quality electric oven, even not a very expensive one, always has several heating modes, including convection heating ( the best option for various baked goods, but not only for it) and modes associated with it.

Please note that gas ovens with convection heating are also available in stores. Usually they have an electric grill and, anyway, a smaller number of heating modes than electric ovens, and worse functionality.

It is also important that expanding the functionality of the electric oven can be achieved by pairing it with a steamer (the design includes a container for water and a built-in steam generator) or with microwave(a magnetron is installed). Thus, by purchasing one device - an electric oven - the user can get two devices at once in one housing. This, at a minimum, saves space in the kitchen.

As for user preferences, they are clearly deviating more and more towards electric ovens. Not least because new housing in Russian cities, as a rule, involves cooking using electric stoves, electric ovens, and not gas appliances.

Dimensions and volume

Built-in ovens come in full size - 60 cm wide. This is considered the standard width. The height of such models is also usually about 60 cm, and the depth is 55-60 cm. There are also narrow ovens - 45 cm wide - perfect option for small kitchens. The height and depth of such models are usually the same as full-size ones. There are also models with an increased width - 90 cm. The height and depth here are about 45 and 55 cm, respectively. There are “ninety-centimeter” ovens that have an additional separate oven chamber 30 cm wide. Usually these are expensive Ilve and Restart models. Ovens with a microwave function are usually 60 cm wide, 55-60 cm deep, and about 45 cm high.

The volume of the working chamber of a standard oven is 60-70 liters. This is approximately the volume of the working chamber in most ovens with a width of 90 cm (due to the smaller height, but there are also wide ovens with a volume of up to 85 liters). This is quite enough to prepare any food or dishes in the usual quantity for an average family (of 3-5 people). The volume of a narrow oven is usually 37-45 liters.

Dependent and independent ovens, built-in kits

Built-in ovens are divided into dependent and independent. The difference is simple - the control panel of the dependent cabinet always contains not only the actual oven control elements, but also the control elements for the hob, which can even be sold complete with the oven (built-in kits). That is, the user can buy everything at once: both the oven and the hob. A built-in set can consist of a dependent electric oven and an electric hob, a dependent gas oven and a gas hob, or be combined (usually an electric oven and a gas hob).

The advantage of built-in kits is that they can often be purchased cheaper than a separate oven and hob. In addition, they are often made in the same design or the surface is made neutral in the sense appearance and fits perfectly into the oven - you don’t need to select anything separately or waste time on it. The main disadvantage is that if one appliance breaks down, for example, an oven, then it may be impossible to use the hob. It can also be noted that the combined control panel of the dependent set (which is placed on the front side of the oven) often looks somewhat overloaded with control elements.

An independent oven is an oven that cooks on its own. It has nothing to do with the hob. It can be installed where it is convenient for the user (for example, in a column cabinet for built-in kitchen appliances). This is impossible with dependent kits - there are logical restrictions due to the fact that the hob must be installed at a certain level. Also, due to the lack of connection to the hob, the user is protected from the risk of being unable to use the latter in the event of a breakdown of the oven (or control panel of the set). In addition, dependent sets are mainly sold with four-burner hobs. In the “independent” case, the user is free to install any hob in the kitchen: with two burners, or with five.

Culinary functionality

It is impossible to answer the question “How to choose an oven?” without information about culinary functionality. Most modern ovens, especially electric ones, are multifunctional. They have several heating modes (top, bottom, both top and bottom, convection, convection with grill, convection with bottom heating, etc.). At the same time, if five years ago multifunctional ovens belonged to the “upper middle” and “premium” price categories, now there are many multifunctional models at prices, in our opinion, quite affordable - from 9-10 thousand rubles*. If you love to cook, are going to learn culinary tricks, or want to develop your skills, we recommend purchasing a multifunctional oven. With different types of heating.

In addition to heating modes, which are generally more common in electric ovens, there are also automatic cooking programs. True, not every multifunctional oven has them. To do this, at a minimum, it must have electronic control. You will not find auto programs on ovens with electromechanical controls. There can be several dozen automatic cooking programs, depending on the specific oven model. They are designed for preparing various products and dishes (meat, fish and seafood, poultry, vegetables, dough dishes, etc.). The oven in this “automatic” case “focuses” on the type of product (for example, beef) or recipe (for example, roast beef) selected by the user in the device menu. In addition, the user usually enters the weight of the product. Next, taking into account all the entered data, the oven determines the cooking time and temperature regime(using factory settings) - the dish is prepared. After some time, the user receives ready-made roast beef. Using this example, I think it is quite possible to understand the principle of operation of automatic cooking programs in modern ovens. Naturally, ovens with automatic programs are more convenient than those without them. At least for less experienced cooks.

As noted above, an oven, in particular an electric one, can be Equipped with a steamer or microwave module. In this case, the oven usually has several program menus, including a combination program menu (various heating with steam or heating and microwaves). In the first, “steam” case, combined programs expand the culinary capabilities of the oven and make it possible to cook a wider variety of dishes. In the second, In the “microwave” case, the combination also contributes to a noticeable reduction in the cooking time of some products and dishes. Naturally, it is also possible to use these modes - steaming and microwave cooking - without combination with other types of heating. Simply steam dishes or, for example, quickly heat food in microwaves.

Multifunction ovens with electronic controls also often have special programs. Such as “Defrosting” (and in this case there may also be a menu of auto programs - for high-quality defrosting of various products), “Simmering” or “Gentle stewing” ( slow cooking with relatively no high temperatures ah - to preserve the greatest amount useful substances), “Fermentation” (can be used for raising dough, for cooking homemade yogurt etc.). In general, when purchasing a multifunctional oven, do not forget to inquire about its “gear program” - a list of available heating modes and automatic programs. Using these parameters, you can choose exactly the model you need. Ovens with auto programs are naturally more expensive than models without them.

Also, when buying an oven, pay attention to such a point as the possibility of variable use of the grill. In many models, you can turn on a grill of a large area (and, accordingly, increased power), or you can turn on a small area - for different volumes and portion sizes of products. Spit - may well be useful for cooking various holiday dishes. The spit can be equipped with both electric and gas ovens. However, if the oven has convection cooking, coupled with convection heating modes, you can sacrifice the spit - convection ensures uniform distribution of hot air inside the oven, and the product, for example, on a wire rack, will be cooked no worse than on a spit.

A temperature probe is an important and, perhaps, quite necessary additional element that is included in the delivery of some ovens. In essence, it is a thermometer that measures the temperature inside the prepared product (most often it is used when cooking meat in pieces). When the temperature inside the product reaches the desired value at which the product is considered ready, the temperature probe sends a signal to the oven control system. If the temperature probe has an auto-shut-off function, the cooking process stops; if not, an audible or visual signal can be given to the user on the oven display. In some of the more advanced ovens, the temperature probe may be wireless. It can also be purchased separately - it will not be “tied” to the oven, but will simply show the temperature inside the product, based on which it is convenient to judge the readiness of the dish.

The maximum temperature at which food is cooked in modern ovens is 220-250°C. This temperature is quite enough for cooking a wide variety of products and dishes. In modern ovens, the user has the opportunity to set the cooking temperature, as well as change it at his own discretion (if there are automatic cooking programs). It is highly desirable that the oven display (if there is one) reflects not only the user’s temperature settings, but also the actual temperature in the oven. Note that the oven can be heated to higher temperatures if it has pyrolytic cleaning (see “Oven cleaning technologies, lighting”).

Additional Electronic Control Features

Electronic control not only helps expand the culinary capabilities of the oven, but also provides the user with other conveniences. Typically, modern electronic control includes a display that visualizes the process of “communication” between the user and the oven and simplifies it.

Modern electronic ovens often have touch controls. Some ovens are completely sensor controlled. There are models that have fairly large (up to 7 inches diagonally) touchscreen color displays. They are controlled in the same way as controlling a smartphone or tablet - the user touches the icons on the display and “flips through” the pages of the control menu. There are even models into which you can load various data (recipes, photographs, new “firmware”) by pairing with a USB drive (“flash drive”). Naturally, these models are still, as they say, “at the forefront of the oven industry,” which is why they are not cheap.

Electronic control allows the oven to have finer time settings than with electromechanics. The “electronic” oven can be programmed for the on time (the start of cooking) or the off time (the time by which the dish should be ready).

Oven door, cooling system

Most ovens have a door that opens from top to bottom - a hinged door. This is the traditional format that users are accustomed to. If necessary, you can put something on such an open door. But there are oven models in which the door opens to the left or right (hinged door). This format is relevant if the oven is not installed in a traditional place (under the hob), but, for example, in a column cabinet for built-in appliances. There are also ovens with retractable doors - baking trays, racks and trays in this case are fixed on the door itself and are pulled out along with it. This is convenient - it facilitates the cooking process (if, for example, the product needs to be poured with something), the process of removing finished product. Finally, on the Russian market you can find a model (Neff brand) in which the door “slides” under the oven - this is convenient, it ultimately does not interfere with the user in the process of “culinary witchcraft” or removing food from the oven.

Oven door glazing. Most modern ovens have double glazed oven doors. This ensures that the thermal conductivity of the door is minimized, the outer glass does not get very hot - there is no risk of burns. The inner glass is usually removable and occupies the entire area of ​​the door - for easy maintenance of the device. However, there are models with three- and even four-layer glazing. This further reduces heat loss and ensures high energy efficiency of the devices.

Oven cooling system. It is needed for safe operation, in order not to Furniture or other appliances in direct contact with the oven or near it became very hot. In addition, cooling is beneficial for the oven electronics. Typically, a special fan is used to cool the oven during operation, which pushes hot air into the air duct above the oven door, creates an air barrier around the oven, prevents the formation of condensation inside the oven (which provides excellent visibility and allows you to monitor the progress of cooking), and prevents moisture internal surfaces of kitchen furniture. The cooling fan turns on with the oven and can continue to work for some time after it is turned off. This type of cooling is called tangential and is provided in many modern ovens.

Tray guides and accessories

A modern oven is an oven with telescopic tray guides. This solution is user-friendly. In addition, “telescopes” provide additional safety, prevent accidental overturning of baking sheets, and make it easier for the user to work with them. Responsibly recommends when choosing an oven to pay attention to models with telescopic guides. Note that there can be several levels for baking sheets in the oven (3-4), while telescopic guides can only be on one level (they can be removable and rearranged to other levels). But it depends on the manufacturer, model and price. There are those manufacturers who equip their ovens with “telescopes” for all levels of cooking, and there are those that They offer to purchase the missing ones additionally. In the store, check this point with a consultant. There are ovens with telescopic guides and a special mechanism that prevents the baking sheet from hitting the back wall of the oven.

The equipment of a modern oven usually includes one or two metal baking sheets (they can be enameled, have a non-stick coating, or be made using some special technology, for example, preventing deformation from high temperatures). The baking sheets can be the same or of different depths. It happens that a glass baking tray is included in the package (but rarely). A wire rack is required for frying and baking foods. Typically, manufacturers offer various additional accessories that the user can purchase additionally. These include glass baking trays, stones for baking pizza or bread, and sets for steaming food in the oven (if there is no built-in steamer), and more.

Oven cleaning technologies, lighting, safety

How to choose an oven, cook delicious dishes in it, but not spend a lot of time and effort on cleaning the oven (the most unpleasant operational moment for the user)? It's not all that complicated. You just need to understand which of the oven cleaning methods offered by the manufacturer is suitable for you and will be affordable (after all, ovens of different prices usually have different cleaning technologies implemented).

So, the walls inside a budget oven are covered, as a rule, with ordinary enamel (that is, there is no special “technology” - there is trivial manual cleaning). It’s not that it’s extremely difficult to clean, but it’s still more difficult than, for example, special catalytic enamel, which helps break down the fat that gets on it into water and carbon (soot) right during the cooking process. This is called "catalytic purification technology." After the oven has cooled down, the user should simply wipe its insides with a damp cloth. Premium models often use a more effective oven cleaning method - pyrolytic. When activated, the oven heats up to approximately 500°C. The fat simply burns off. After the oven has cooled down, you just need to remove the remaining soot with a cloth. There are also models with steam-water cleaning (often these are ovens with steamers, but not necessarily) - wet steam softens dirt on the walls, and they can then be easily removed with a soft cloth.

Such a seemingly trivial option as oven lighting. This thing, by the way, is absolutely necessary for visual control of the cooking process. Even despite the presence of auto programs, it’s interesting to watch. In addition, if the oven has a backlight, the door does not need to be opened often in order to control the degree of readiness of the dish if necessary. This means less heat loss, faster cooking process, less electricity consumption. The vast majority of ovens (except for very budget ones) now have lighting.

Safe operation of the oven is the most important point. For electric ovens, it is important to have a lock on the control panel (“child protection”) and lock the oven door (during pyrolysis or generally during the cooking process)—again, a relevant option for families with children. However, there is usually a blockage during pyrolysis in any case (if this cleaning technology is implemented). But about blocking simply during the cooking process, check with the consultant in the store if you consider this option necessary. For gas ovens, it is necessary to have electric ignition (the ability to light a flame without matches) and gas control - a technology that monitors the presence of a flame and turns off the gas supply if it goes out.

Products and prices

There are now many different built-in ovens available in stores. Gas and electric. Various sizes. Various functionality. That's why they have different prices. The cost of a multifunctional independent full-size electrical cabinet (the best-selling form factor) starts from 9-10 thousand rubles (Candy, Zanussi, Indesit, there are even models from Bosch and some other brands). The upper limit is 190-230 thousand (Restart, Gaggenau, Miele models). Accordingly, between these price indicators there are many models with different functionality - the user has the widest scope for choice.

Independent ovens with a microwave module are sold at prices starting from 14 thousand rubles (Samsung). Ovens with a steamer - from 25-30 thousand rubles (Hansa, Electrolux). The cost of narrow independent multifunctional electric ovens starts from 13-14 thousand (Nardi). Prices for electric ovens 90 cm wide - from 21 thousand rubles (Hotpoint-Ariston).

Prices for built-in kits (dependent oven and hob) start from 22 thousand rubles (Hansa). Gas multifunctional (with convection) full-size ovens can be purchased at prices starting from 12.5 thousand rubles (Zanussi). Naturally, there are gas models that are more expensive.

Various ovens are produced by many manufacturers. Today the market can be called saturated. The main brands we recommend include Bosch, Siemens, Neff, Hansa, Electrolux, AEG, Zanussi, Ardo, Indesit, Hotpoint-Ariston, Nardi, Gorenje, Korting, Samsung, Candy.

In this material, the site answered the question “How to choose an oven?” Here are the main points that should be taken into account and clarified when purchasing an oven. We will be happy to answer any questions related to modern ovens (leave them in the comments to the text). Information about new ovens, other kitchen appliances and more can always be found in the “Company News” section. In the “Kitchen Appliances” section you will find reviews of the best kitchen appliances, recommendations for choosing kitchen appliances.

* - All prices in the material are indicated based on the results of monitoring of Russian online stores. As of April 2013. Depending on the region, the cost of equipment may vary.