What’s Best To Cook In A Steam Oven?

Jen

July 30, 2021

Last updated on September 24, 2021

what's-best-to-cook-in-a-steam-oven

What’s best to cook in a steam oven is a hard question to answer, this is because…When it comes to starting with a steam oven, there’s really nothing that you can’t cook!

As steam ovens are still relatively new technology (whilst ironically portraying one of the oldest methods of cooking), some are still concerned about what exactly they can cook in their steam ovens. As it propels a very moist heat and as we all have preconceptions as to what steamed food is, it can be a little worrying when someone mentions using a steam oven.

In actual fact, you can cook anything in a steam oven that you already cook in a convection, gas or electric oven! There’s really no need to worry.

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Roasted Lamb Shank with leeks, red pepper capsicums, and mushrooms casserole, with chopped parsley on a rustic wood background.

What Would You Use A Steam Oven For?

Steam ovens can be used just like a standard oven and are in fact far healthier for cooking your food than standard electric, gas or convection ovens.

Given that steam ovens simply use the water from a nearby container to create hot steam in the main cavity of the oven, there is no need for extra cooking oils, fats and grease, in order to prevent your food from sticking to pots and pans. This will of course save quite a few calories as well as money!

A steam oven can be used to cook all kinds of meals. Should you still be a bit concerned about what can go into your steam oven, then why not consider reading some cookbooks specifically made for steam oven dishes? Steam oven recipes are widely available online, too – and social media such as Instagram and Pinterest are also great places to start for delicious new ideas.

Of course, for dishes that you already know by heart, there may be a short learning period during which you will have to adapt your cuisine to this new form of cooking.

There is also the fact that your dishes will be moister than can be in standard cookers – and if you are not using extra oils, grease and fat, then they may taste slightly different. Yes, they will be far healthier, but you still may want to adapt the recipe a bit in order to attain your desired taste.

Is It Worth Buying A Steam Oven?

o learn how to make healthy food for themselves and their loved ones and a very common big change that people are making is the way in which they cook at home.

Although they are growing in popularity you will find that a steam oven is likely more expensive than other types. There are plenty of brand names out there that you will recognise and will therefore be able to trust, however you will have to be willing to put a considerate budget aside for the purchase of this type of oven.

Many recommend a good cooked meal or two out of a steam oven. Your food will undoubtedly come out faster, healthier and richer – depending on what goes in, of course. The health benefits of the steam oven go beyond the fact that you no longer will need to use certain greasy elements. In fact, a big selling point for steam ovens is that due to the heat being moister, fewer nutrients are lost in the heating process, automatically making meat and veg (as well as other foods) that bit healthier.

Yet another thing to consider before buying your steam oven is the maintenance. As opposed to standard ovens, steam ovens work with a water container nearby. This container must always have water in order to function, so you will have to remember to fill it up! This process will vary from oven to oven, however, NEFF have a nice demo on how to fill your water tank and what to do with the water tank after you have finished cooking.

In a way, it is similar to gas bottle ovens, as you need to be sure of always having enough gas in. Of course, this is a bit more of a pain for those who are used to electric, convection or gas line ovens, as these simply need to be turned on.

Speaking of the water container, you will need the required space for the unit, of course near where you plan on putting the oven. These containers are not exactly small, and will need wires and pipes to install. It’s worth asking for help from an expert.

Got the money for a steam oven and are ready to make a change? It could be the best thing you do in the kitchen this year.

convection-oven-rack-of-lamb-and-roasted-vegetables

Can A Steam Oven Replace A Regular Oven?

Yes, a steam oven can replace a regular oven. It’s just about getting creative with those recipes and dishes!

If you are considering buying a steam oven then chances are that you will not have the space or the money to keep your standard electric, gas or convection oven in place, too.

It is therefore only natural to wonder whether or not your steam oven can replace your standard fitting. You will be happy to know that yes, a steam oven can definitely replace a standard oven. As was previously stated, in order for your new oven to work the way that you want it to, there may have to be a brief learning period during which you try out your favourite meals. They will be prepared differently but should taste just as good, or even better (fingers crossed)!

That being said, why not choose the best of both worlds? You can in fact purchase a combi steam oven so that you get to eat healthier and still be able to brown off your roasts and other meals. You can use dry heat from a combi to make sure you keep things crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.

As you can imagine, having the best of both worlds does not necessarily come cheap but it could be worth it in the long run – if that is what you are looking for.

Why not treat yourself to the perfect combination? If you invest in the best foods, recipes, baked goods and so on for your family, then why not invest in a machine that can make your oven recipes that much healthier? At the same time, steam cooking is amazingly tasty – trust us on this, as well as millions already invested in the odd steam roast or bake!

Cooking with steam is a fantastic way of also replacing standard boiling, frying, baking and even using the microwave ( as the food cooks faster in the steam oven, anyway).

Can You Cook Meat In A Steam Oven?

Yes, you can cook meat in a steam oven. Some might even tell you it tastes even better through steam!
You can of course cook all kinds of food in a steam oven, including rice, potatoes, bread, eggs, pasta (in a casserole, for example), desserts, and yes, even your chicken, pork, beef, etc. The sky’s the limit as shown by these steam oven recipes from greatbritishchefs.co.uk

It may sound a little strange and you may be worried about your roasts having a bit of a soggy taste, but that simply isn’t the case! In fact, for the chicken, beef, pork, lamb – whatever you like – cooking with steam is a great way to cut down on unhealthy fats and oils and locking in the good stuff.

No matter how hard we try and how much we believe that we have perfected our roast chicken or pork, every now and then they do come out dry. In order to avoid any unwanted complaints from family members, we tend to cover the meats in oil and other such substances, in the hope that they lock in the moisture throughout. It also generally involves changing the temperature mid-way through the cooking process and setting timers in order to baste the meats.

As we all know, that is very time consuming and can be a bit of a pain! Thanks to steam oven cooking, your delicious meaty dish will not need half of the attention that it usually requires and it will taste just as good (hopefully better, of course). No more complaints – with a bit of luck your old recipe goes down a treat like never before.

As an added bonus, for the family members who crave pork crackling and slightly burnt chicken, your combination steam oven appliance can make sure that you get the juicy taste and the crack in every bite!

For tips on how to cook your Sunday dinner perfectly in your combination steam oven, check out steam oven recipes online!

Give Steam Oven Cooking & Steam Oven Recipes A Try!

We hope this guide has given you some ideas for stream oven recipes or steam cooking in general at home. Many home cooks are getting more and more into the power of steam, and providing you are prepared ahead of time with a combi steam oven or otherwise, there are no reasons why you can’t bake, cook or roast to your heart’s content.

Whether it’s bread, chicken or a completely new dish, choose a steam oven and write some brilliant new kitchen stories for years to come. Nutritious meals don’t have to be dry or lacking taste – you can prepare a delicious dinner, or breads, potatoes and dessert – with the help of a few steam features and good old hot air.

Grab a roasting pan and check out some steam cooking tips online – now’s the time to make your cooking healthier, bake after bake. Who says you need a conventional oven to get the best bake – set up a combi steam oven and crank that steam function up.

What’s Best To Cook In A Steam Oven? 1

Convection oven systems are ideal if you are struggling to get your food cooking through from outside to inside. Without that air circulating freely in the cavity, you are only really going to be giving your food so much heat and attention.

In our collective opinion, it’s a really good idea to get an oven with convection features as well as a microwave. You really can’t go wrong with more than a few cooking facilities in your arsenal.

Convection cooking is something we highly recommend. Why not take a look at your own oven settings or invest in a convection model of your own?

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