Convection ovens are the smarter and more powerful brothers to conventional ovens. They get things done faster, more efficiently, evenly, and way better.
However, they aren’t as popular as conventional ovens. Therefore, conventional oven temperatures are the standard guidelines for creating different recipes. In other words, professional cooks set forth food cooking time based on the standard conventional oven cooking temperatures, therefore, to make it easier, you need a convection oven conversion chart.
Setting cooking temperatures and times for conventional and convection ovens is simply about being vigilant and doing your calculations right. Knowing how to adjust the convection temperatures and cooking time, adds fun to the entire process of cooking with convection ovens.
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In this article:
Conventional Oven to Convection Oven Conversion Chart
Every oven is uniquely and innovatively designed. The functionality, efficiency, and reliability of each brand and model of oven you will come across will differ. That doesn’t mean you should be worried though as all ovens are mostly classified as convection, microwave or conventional.
As stated earlier, most recipes use standard bakinng time and temperatures as set in traditional ovens. You can still prepare mouthwatering and delicious meals using a convection oven. All you need is to know how to adjust your convection oven to meet the ascribed traditional cooking guidelines.
There are 3 ways in which you can adjust your recipe cooking temperatures and time to cook in a convection oven.
1. Convection Oven Cooking Time Chart – Reduce Cooking Time By 25%
Cooking Time Chart: Reducing Time By 25%
| Conventional Oven | Convection Oven |
|---|---|
| 28 | 21 |
| 32 | 24 |
| 36 | 27 |
| 40 | 30 |
| 44 | 33 |
| 48 | 36 |
| 52 | 39 |
| 56 | 42 |
| 60 | 45 |
Cooking Times In MinutesWhen you want to cook lighter foods like small meat steaks, vegetables, and fish, you have to lower the cooking time by 25% but maintain the temperature.
In this case, if the cooking time was set at 30 minutes and the cooking temperature at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, you have to set your convection oven cooking time at 22.5 minutes and the temperature at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Convection Oven Cooking Temperature Chart – Lower The Cooking Temperature By 25 Degrees
Temperature Chart: Reducing Temperature By 25 Degrees Fahrenheit
Conventional Oven | Convection Oven |
|---|---|
| 170 | 145 |
| 210 | 185 |
| 225 | 200 |
| 245 | 220 |
| 275 | 250 |
| 300 | 275 |
| 310 | 285 |
| 345 | 320 |
| 390 | 365 |
Cooking Temperatures in Degrees FahrenheitWhen you are roasting huge chunks of meat, reducing the convection cooking temperature by 25ºF is recommended. It will allow the meat chunks to cook evenly, faster, and taste better.
So let’s say for instance the chunks of meat should be cooked for 30 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit in a traditional oven, you need to set your convection oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Lower The Cooking Time And Temperature
This is the most efficient and reliable regular oven to convection oven conversion technique. It’s the trickiest and most demanding way to implement, though. For many, it still remains an impossible technique that doesn’t always work.
If you are to bake some cakes and it happens the cooking time and temperature are set at 40 minutes and 400 degrees Fahrenheit respectively, you ought to adjust the cooking time and temperature to about 12.5% lower.
This simply means that you should set your convection oven cooking time at 35 minutes and cooking temperature at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chart: Reducing Cooking Temperature and Time By 12.5%
Temperature in Degrees (F) | Cooking Time (min) |
|---|---|
| 200 | 24 |
| 280 | 32 |
| 320 | 40 |
| 400 | 48 |
| 480 | 56 |
| 520 | 64 |
| 560 | 72 |
| 600 | 80 |
Conventional Oven| Temperature in Degrees Fahrenheit | Cooking Time in Minutes |
|---|---|
| 175 | 21 |
| 245 | 28 |
| 280 | 35 |
| 350 | 42 |
| 420 | 49 |
| 455 | 56 |
| 490 | 63 |
| 525 | 70 |
Convection OvenConvection Oven Cooking Guidelines
Pay attention to these guidelines for keeping food under watch while cooking in a convection oven.
1. Check The Food Shortly Before The Set Time Is Oven
Professional cooks use technical mechanisms and calculations to set the cooking temperatures and times for different recipes. All recipe cooking temperatures and time are accurately calculated so if you set your oven accurately, your food will cook evenly and properly. It’s normal for people to want to check the cooking state of their food regularly.
Pro cooks advice you check the food only once. If preparing recipes that require cooking for less than 30 minutes, you have to check the food 5 minutes before the cooking time is over. As for recipes set at 30 to 60 minutes, check the food cooking state 10 minutes earlier. And if your food cooks for more than hour, you have to check it 15 minutes before the timer sets off.
2. Make Use Of A Food Thermometer
Utilize a food thermometer (see it on Amazon) to check the temperature of all cooked foods before you serve. Any food should reach the inner safe temperature as set by the basic centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines before it is served.
You should never attempt to serve foods before checking them with a food thermometer to be sure they have attained the recommended temperature.
3. Don’t Cover The Dishes
Convection ovens are mostly perfect for crisping and browning foods. That simply means that covering the dishes as they cook can affect the cooking time.
Experts advise that if you are to cover certain dishes, be sure use regular cooking time and temperatures. For foods that need more than an hour of cooking time, you have to lower the time by 25 degrees Fahrenheit, though.
4. Position Your Racks And Food Well
The hot air forced around and within the food being cooked in a convection oven is extremely hot. It heats food super hard and that’s why food cooked in a convection oven doesn’t require preheating. If your food has to cook well and evenly, you have to position the racks and the dish properly.
Proper food position will allow even cooking and minimize issues with some food sections not cooking. The oven doors should be fully closed to avoid heat discharge which can make food not to cook properly.
Mistakes To Avoid When Cooking With A Convection Oven
A convection oven isn’t like your kid’s first doll. It’s technical, mechanical, and demanding. You can play around with even the most intricate of convection oven settings but only if you learn and master the cooking guidelines.
Wrongly setting or using a convection oven exposes the oven and the user to serious problems. Wrongly setting the time and food can make your food cook badly. Here are a few mistakes that you need to avoid when using a convection oven:
1. Never Assume The Settings Are Accurate
Assuming the settings of a convection oven is the biggest mistake anyone can ever make. Convection oven cooking is all about setting the time and temperature correctly. Not setting the temperatures and time properly can result in overcooked or undercooked food.
No matter how accustomed you are to your convection oven, you should never assume the settings when preparing a recipe. Always keep in mind that not setting the cooking time and temperature as recommended will always result in badly cooked food.
2. Never Use A Convection Oven Before Adjusting The Time And Temperature
The standard cooking time and temperature in many recipes today are essentially made for cooking in conventional ovens. Setting your convection oven to such time and temperature limits is completely wrong.
Since convection ovens are smarter and more efficient, experts recommend you adjust the cooking temperature to 25 degrees Fahrenheit lower.
There is an exception, though. Certain convection ovens come already set to cook at 25 degrees lower. So, check whether your oven has this functionality to avoid lowering the cooking temperatures further.
3. Misunderstand Your Recipe Guidelines
Not all recipes are intended to be prepared in a conventional oven. Some recipes have updated time and temperature details. That simply means the time and temperature guidelines are intended for convection ovens.
Make sure you read and understand the cooking guidelines in any recipe to avoid ruining your dishes. If the temperature and time are intended for conventional ovens, never forget to adjust them.
