Convection ovens force heated air, via fans located on the rear oven wall, over and around the food racks. This provides more even cooking speed, better heat efficiency, and a better product--cooked more evenly and thoroughly. Oven temperature settings can be reduced from 25% to 75%. These ovens also accept heavier work loads for greater business volume.
| Selection Guide - Convection Ovens | |
| Meals Served | |
| 50 to 100 | 1 - ½ size convection oven |
| 100 to 400 | 1 - full convection oven |
| 400 to 750 | 1 - double convection oven |
| 750 up | 1 - double convection oven, plus 1 single convection oven |
From 750 meals up, consideration should be given to mobile roll-in or drive-in style ovens.
Meat roasting capacity is doubled in convection ovens; casserole capacity is more than doubled; baking capacity is doubled, tripled and in some cases five times greater than in conventional ovens.
Using convection ovens instead of conventional ovens reduces energy requirements per pound cooked and at the same time increases production capabilities. Energy savings are especially dramatic when new reduced input convection ovens are compared with conventional ovens.
Combining cooking technologies, when applied appropriately, will result in high quality food products, reduced cook times and reduced steps in preparation. Convection and microwave cooking have both proven themselves as stand alone technologies. However, when both are used simultaneously, the operator produces food in a reduced time frame that has a better appearance.
Steam is an extremely efficient heat transfer medium. It carries a great deal of energy which readily transfers directly to food (in steamers) or indirectly through a heat transfer surface (such as a kettle wall) and then into food. Steam is water (a liquid) that has been converted to its gaseous state by the application of heat energy. Heat energy typically is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). The BTU is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at sea level. It takes only 180 BTUs to raise the temperature of one pound of water from 32°F (0°C) to 212°F (100°C), the point at which it starts to boil. However, to evaporate that same pound of boiling water into steam requires 970 BTUs. As a result, steam carries many times the energy of boiling water. Steam readily gives up that energy load when it condenses back into water (condensate) upon contact with the food.
Always consider water treatment for steam equipment. Many service problems can be eliminated by purer water. Most steam cookers are operational on direct steam. When connected in this manner, a steam separator should be used to separate the steam from the condensed water. It is also best to install a steam pressure gauge on the incoming steam line before the final steamer connection.
TYPICAL PREHEAT TIMES FOR ELECTRIC COOKING EQUIPMENT
| Broilers | 15 - 20 minutes | |
| Fryers | Average 6 minutes | |
| Grills | to 325°F 5 - 8 minutes | |
| Tilt Fry Pan | 10 minutes | |
| Steam Kettle | 10 - 15 minutes | |
| Compartment Steamer | 10 - 15 minutes | |
| Ovens | ||
| Range | 20 minutes | |
| Deck | 40 minutes average deck | |
| Convection | 9 - 10 minutes | |
| Ranges | ||
| Hot Top | 50 minutes | |
| French Top | 30 minutes | |
| Open Burners | 5 minutes | |
A deck oven lends itself to a wider variety of menu items. They are simply designed and usually require less servicing. The deck oven does require a higher skill level to operate. Conveyor ovens reduce bake times and out-produce deck ovens due to the dynamic of forced air. They also offer increased consistency. Because no tending is necessary, conveyor ovens can be used by lesser skilled employees.
The most important piece of equipment in any pizza operation is the oven. Pizza ovens deliver high heat, rapid temperature recovery and a high production environment. These "specialty" ovens range in size from countertop to large, multi-level floor models. The oven is an expensive investment, and selecting the proper one is crucial.
Some things to consider when selecting the right pizza oven for your operation:
If you are batch cooking pan fried, sautéed, or sauced products, a tilting skillet is an economical solution to your kitchen needs. If you are boiling or preparing large amounts of sauces in addition to the sautéed and pan fried products, your tilting skillet(s) could possibly replace your steam kettle or range stock pot. Tilting skillets can handle up to 40 gallons of sauces, stocks or soups.
The life of the frying oil can be indefinitely prolonged by filtering the fat twice every day (or at the end of every shift) and then adding 10% new oil which is enough to rejuvenate the original oil. If less than 10% of the oil was absorbed by the fried products, dip out enough to permit the addition of the 10% new oil. The oil removed can be used on the griddle or for other cooking needs. For example, for a 35 lb. fryer, 3.5 lbs. of fresh oil must be added. With this method, high annual savings in fat costs can be realized.
| French Fries - Temp 350°F | ||
| Size | Desired Condition | Fry Time |
| 1/4 cut | Raw to done | 5 minutes |
| 1/4 cut | Blanched | 2½ minutes |
| 3/8 cut | Raw to done | 6 minutes |
| 3/8 cut | Blanched | 3 minutes |
Keep your oil at the proper temperature. (Around 340°F). Oil will breakdown at double the rate for every 10 degrees over 350°F. Keep your oil free of any contaminants such as:
Water--never load frozen foods over the frypot.
Soap--clean, rinse and dry the pot extremely well.
Salt--never salt your food over the oil.
Food Particles--filter in a consistent manner.
Air & Light--keep frypots covered when not in use.
If you fry breaded, watery or battered products in large quantities, you will need to filter more often. Remember to rinse well. Soap residue is the number one enemy of cooking fat as it accelerates cooking fat breakdown.
According to several master fry chefs, water is one of the major causes of rapid breakdown of cooking oil. Ideally, if a balance can be maintained between the frying of dry items (such as breaded products) and wet items (such as French fries) the life of the cooking oil can be considerably extended. When this is not possible, and most or all of the fried items are wet, several slices of dried bread can be nested between the twin baskets periodically, and "fried" to absorb the water which has been added by the wet products.