Convection Microwave

[Rwake901]

We have a Convection Microwave in our motorhome. We have never used the convection oven part of it. For those of you that have do you leave the turn table in the oven when using it or take it out? Thanks

[Bill_Satellite]

Be sure to read your owners manual. I cannot leave the turntable in "all the time" as microwaves do not play well with the metal turntable. Strangely enough they play great with the metal racks but they have some kind of isolators on the ends that seem to make it OK. For convection there is no microwave action so it's just an oven, just it just like you would use an oven at home.

[Scottiemom]

The turntable stays in all the time, microwaving or using the convection. A convection oven is an electric oven with a fan. That's all. You can do everything in there you would do in a regular oven.

We have fulltimed for going on 14 years and that is all I have, no gas oven. I have loved it from the get go even though I didn't know anything about it when we started out. I also have one in our second motorhome and we built a Texas room in Texas and put one in there. They are easy, don't heat up your coach and can do anything you would do in a regular oven except maybe cook at 24 pound turkey. Just have to go smaller.

While the turntable stays in, the racks are used for only convection or perhaps combination cooking, not microwave.

Because air circulates during cooking, the convection cooks more evenly and sometimes a little quicker. I normally set mine for the minimum time when baking.

Dale

[AlaskaShooter]

1st time I tried cooking with a Convection microwave in Convection mode I was fixing a very nice calzone I had picked up. I followed the instructions on the calzone for normal oven cooking. Timer ticked down and I was ready to eat. Calzone looked great. Slipped it on a plate and attempted to cut into it. The interior contents was like the inside of a Presto Log. Rather then breaking a few teeth it went in the garbage and it was on to plan B for dinner.

[doxiemom11]

Turntable stays in and the metal racks MUST be used according to my manual. If they aren't you will eventually cause damage to the microwave. Our MH is a 2000 and I did notice in a newer one that the turntable was not the heavy stoneware type one like I have but something lightweight. If that's what you have, your manual under "how to use the convection" should tell you.

[Bill_Satellite]

wa8yxm wrote:
I keep wondering why they call a Oven with a forced air fan "CONVECTION".. But I do not think it really matters if you leave the turntable in so long as it is heat proof.. .. Just an opinion though.

My "Convection" oven is NOT a mirrowave and my Microwave not a "Convection oven".

I am not sure you are talking about the same thing. I have a convection/microwave oven. You can use one or the other or a combination of both. They call it a convection oven because that's what an oven with forced air is called be it home or RV. They call it a microwave for the same reason. They call it a convection/microwave for the same reason as both options are available PLUS combo.

[2gypsies1]

Can also depend on your baking pan. If it can rotate no harm leaving the turntable in. . . better yet, elevate the pan for more even baking. If you can turn your turntable off for oblong pans then every so often rotate the pan for better baking results.

We used our micro/convection all the time with excellent results... turkey breast, roast, casseroles, breads, desserts.

Also, read your manual on how you should use it or look up the model # online and you can probably find the manual.

[Tripalot]

DaveG39 wrote:
I leave mine in plus set the metal rack on top of turntable. If using a large rectangular baking pan I shut off the rotation motor.

X2 - exactly what I do - works great.

[wa8yxm]

I keep wondering why they call a Oven with a forced air fan "CONVECTION".. But I do not think it really matters if you leave the turntable in so long as it is heat proof.. .. Just an opinion though.

My "Convection" oven is NOT a mirrowave and my Microwave not a "Convection oven".

[DaveG39]

I leave mine in plus set the metal rack on top of turntable. If using a large rectangular baking pan I shut off the rotation motor.

[wvabeer]

We remove ours but I don't think you have to. I think the convection/microwave oven is the best thing since sliced bread in an RV.

[Bill_Satellite]

If you have a glass turntable I think you should take it out when using convection. The metal turntables stay in and do a good job giving a more even brown is you use it.

[Tripalot]

I leave the turntable in. Mostly I make up cake mixes using a round silicone pan, homemade biscuits and pizza. I also have used it many times for cooking casseroles. As mentioned, the biggest drawback is the amount of time to pre-heat. I have learned to be patient and don't mind when the camp fee includes electricity. I think twice when paying by the kw hour, especially in Florida.

[BB_TX]

Convection microwaves I have seen have a metal rack or metal pan on short legs you leave in on the turntable to allow heated air to also circulate under the food for even cooking and browning the bottom.

[DSDP_Don]

It depends on your microwave. Our one at home has a metal flat rack that slides in like a typical oven rack when using convection. Our RV convection is a Sharp. It has two round racks, high and low that sit on the turntable. You can put food on both racks and while cooking. Having the turntable on, helps with even cooking. On ours, you can turn the turntable off so when we put in a cookie sheet, it doesn't try to turn.

I do most of the cooking and I originally feared the convection oven. I finally decided to give it a try. One of the things that I didn't like about it, was that it had a long warm up time, over a half hour. To me, that just didn't make it convenient.

To circumvent this long warm up time, I would just turn up the temp and put my food in right away. As an example....if I was typically cooking chickn at 350, I would instead put it in at 400. I know the chicken we usually eats takes baout 35 minutes. I set the oven for 40, so I could stop it at 35 minutes and check it, without changing my settings, in case it wasn't done.

I find that I can make chicken, ribeyes, pork chops and other meats juicier by cooking them in the convection oven. The way I do that is to use those black BBQ mats that everyone sells, I cut them to fit my racks and then place my meat on top of the BBQ mat while cooking. The juices stay on the mat and in the meat.

I created a 3x5 card that I write down the times and temps I used to cook certain meats, since we usually use the same cut of pork chops, chicken, etc. Now I can set the convection, throw in the meat, set it and I'm done.