The Basics of Combi Ovens

Combi ovens can be considered one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in a kitchen today. They give the chef the ability to cook virtually any type of food with the use of steam heat, convection heat, or a combination of both. This type of cookware has been adopted in kitchens all across Europe and Asia because of it’s wide range of uses.

Today’s combi ovens can be very sophisticated having computer controls and hookups to desktop computers to manage recipes to your most basic oven. All ovens though have the same three cooking settings: steam, convection oven, and a combination of both, steam and convection cooking.

The steam setting, allows you can cook items such as fish and vegetables in a pressure-less steam environment where the steam is moved around by fan. Since steam will not transfer flavors, you can easily cook many different foods all at the same time in this setting. The steam setting is ideal for re-heating product since it will not dry out your product during the re-heating process.

The next cooking style is convection cooking. This cooking method is identical to your big convection ovens. It’s ideal for cooking things like pizza, bread, cakes, and cookies. Convection cooking is faster than a traditional oven because the fan blowers constantly blow air around eliminating any cold spots in the oven.

The last cooking mode on combi ovens, is the combination of steam and convection cooking. This mode is where the true value of the oven will show. Depending on what you are cooking, you can choose what percentage of steam is injected into the chamber. When cooking meats in a convection oven, they will naturally dry out, and shrink in size. When you integrate steam in the cooking process, the moisture will not leave the product, giving you a plumper, juicier product. You can reduce shrinkage by nearly 20% by using a combi oven. The combi mode is also ideal for cooking crusty breads and other pastries.

On some of the more advanced combi ovens, fan speed settings can vary, or use high or low temperature steam. Some of these can be used as a proofer or slow cooker when used at low temperatures.

While combi ovens may be more expensive than other pieces of equipment, their versatility will justify their purchase price. One combi oven can serve the functions of at least two pieces of equipment. If you take that into consideration, the total cost can be less than purchasing a convection oven and steamer. By only using one piece of equipment, less space is needed thus freeing up valuable real estate in your kitchen footprint.

Although combi ovens can perform a variety of functions, it should be noted that they can not perform all the functions simultaneously. The cooking times, humidity levels, and temperatures for cooking a roast will be different than for baking cookies, so proper planning by the kitchen staff needs to be considered prior to using the oven.

If you are not sure if a combi oven is right for your establishment, very often the factory can send out a rep, advise you where there is a local test kitchen, or let you know if there is a show in your area so you can see one in action.