You can put almost any kind of food in the toaster oven, but, not all cooking materials should be used in a toaster oven. Only materials approved by the manufacturer can be used in a toaster oven because of its heat element and power.
Fortunately, utilizing a oven in your kitchen is almost like using a bigger oven but much better with energy-saving benefits. It is considered in a common standard in many household kitchens and restaurants.
The toaster oven is a flexible kitchen appliance which is used in many different ways. It is used to bake, roast, toast, broil, and reheat already plated food.
Toaster Oven Function
There are three basic function settings for a toast oven. The function of a toast oven at a time is due to the setting control applied to it based on temperature and position. There is a digital toast oven that comes with inbuilt presets with the already set cooking time for specific functions.
Note: Your traditional judgment is a much better option for cooking with a toaster oven than presets. The toast oven can be used for more than the three basic function settings like reheating, roasting, etc.
Baking with a Oven
Remember that the toaster oven can function as both and an oven, depending on the setting control you use.The toaster oven tends to bake faster than usual. The heat flow and the placement position within the toaster oven directly affect the final turn out of the recipe.
It is good practice to always remember to preheat. Preheating is necessary for a regular oven, toaster oven, and conventional ovens. The standard preheating temperature for baking is between 375°Fand 400°F.
Sometimes, ovens are deceptive about their temperature, so it’s advisable to make use of an oven thermometer for effective measurement of its temperature.
Remember, the heating element and food placement directly affect your food that how it s baked and how fast it bakes. So it will not be burnt. You can effectively bake cakes, bread, muffins, cornbread, and so on with your toaster oven.
We have seen how you have to adjust from one temperature to the other to perform a particular function to get a particular result. However, you must understand in full the toaster oven temperature.
Toaster Oven Temperature
The toaster oven possesses two electric heating elements which allow it to cook better than other cooking appliances. The heating elements are usually on the top and the bottom; this explains why the middle placement is the best while baking, cooking, or roasting.
A toaster oven can cook food with radiant heat transfer, conduction, or convection. There are two coil styles with which the toaster oven cooks. The standard coil and the convection coil, which circulate hot air in all directions within the toaster oven, thereby simultaneously cooking the food in the toast oven.
The baking tray that comes with most toaster ovens is a good conductor of the radiant heat that flows within the toaster oven. The tray absorbs the heat and transfers it to the food in direct contact with it; speeding up the cooking process.
There are different cooking temperatures for different cooking functions. Completely relying on the already programmed temperature preset might not be really helpful as your traditional experience with close attention to it. It could help you decide which temperature is best suited for your cooking process. Examples of cooking functions include convection cooking, broiling, toasting, grilling, defrosting, air frying, baking, and toasting, etc.
Toasting with a Toaster Oven
Toasting with the toast oven is as easy as toasting with the normal slot toasters you are used to. You only have to set it to the toast mode with the appropriate temperature and toasting time depending on the texture you want. The toaster oven has a toasting preset setting, but your traditional judgment is also very important to the process. As you may want to add toppings to your toast.
When toasting, both the heating element on the top and bottom come on for even heat flow within the toaster oven. The broiling setting would also work well for the toast function with a proper temperature setting.
FAQ
Can I put glassware in a toaster oven?
It is best not to use glassware in a toaster oven. Although some glassware is labeled oven-safe by manufacturers, most are not labeled. Knowing which glassware is suitable for use in your toaster oven would help avoid a thermal shock caused by temperature change.
The thermal shock can cause your glassware to crack or worse, set your toaster oven on fire.
Can I use parchment paper in a toaster oven?
Yes, parchment papers can be safely used in a toaster oven. It is designed to withstand high heat circulation with it. Its resistance helps it not to catch fire, but it can get darker in color while in the toaster oven. But it can set on fire on direct contact with the heating elements.
Can I put aluminum foil in a toaster oven?
The use of aluminum foil in your toaster oven is bad practice. Using aluminum foil has a lot of uses, but using it isn’t one of them. Some people say it’s good enough for small batch baking as long as you are careful.
That idea isn’t ideal enough because, like many plastic plates and papers, aluminum foil is also a fire hazard. Aluminum foil can cause overheating and cause a spark leading to a fire outbreak. Apart from being a fire hazard, it could also cause food to overcook.
Apart from the face values associated with the toaster oven. In-depth knowledge of how to use it and what is fit and not fit to be used with. It is also important, unless you want to purchase a new one. This article was written as a solution to frequently asked questions about the use of a toaster oven.
