As the name suggests,
steam ovens uses steam (instead of simply heat) to cook your food. While
conventional ovens can dry out food, steam ovens keep moisture in the oven
making your food more flavorful. We will take a look at what steam ovens are
and some of the benefits to make the switch.
How it Works
On the side of the
oven, there is a section where you add water to it. Some steam oven models, can
be hooked up to your water line to automatically fill up the water; in other
versions, you have to fill the water up manually. Once you turn on the oven, it will use the
water to turn it into steam. There is a valve that releases the pressure of the
steam into the oven similar to a tea kettle. Using steam is great to cook
delicate foods like croissants and specialty bread. You can also use steam to
cook vegetables, fish, meats, and even make your leftovers taste like they were
just made.
Leftovers
If you eat a lot of
leftovers, a steam oven will be your best friend. Most of the time when you
reheat your leftovers in a normal microwave, the food comes out dry and losses
it's flavor. When using steam to reheat food, it keeps the moisture in and you
have fresh tasting food all over again!
Space
There is more space to
cook food in a steam oven than a conventional microwave. Go ahead and put in a
big casserole dish or even a turkey inside.
Another great thing about using steam technology is that it can
eliminate flavor transfer. Meaning, if you have one item on the top and another
item on the bottom, you will not have the bottom item taste like what is on the
top dish.
Healthy Cooking
The
main reason cooking with a steam oven is getting more popular is because it's
the healthiest way to cook! Because it heats your food with water into steam,
there is less to no need to use oils, butter, and other un-healthy ingredients.
Steaming your food retains more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients than any
other way of cooking. All of your vegetables will be moist and taste much more
fresh.
Cleaning
With
steam technology, your cleaning worries will go away! The steam helps lift food
splatter off for the surface making it extremely easy to clean. Just remember
that after cooking, you can wipe down the inside and most of the spills will
come right off.
Technology Options
Steam
ovens can't do everything, of course. They aren't useful for browning meat, for
example. It’s no problem if you have a combi-steam oven—you can just finish
your roast off with the convection setting—but if you only have a steam
setting, you may want to finish it off with a quick range top sear. You should
consider getting a convection steam oven which combines the steam oven with the
capabilities of a convection oven. The two modes can be used separately or even
together giving you the luxury of both cooking methods. You can have your food
be moist and have them be browned at the same time! Make sure to check out all
the different steam cooking options.
The
steam technology is becoming more popular in some of the higher end brands like
Thermador, Monogram, Cafe, Miele, Bosch, and Jenn Air. Take a look at the
different features and types of ovens that use steam to find the right version
for you and your kitchen.
