Conventional Ovens Vs. Microwave Ovens

The Conventional Oven

• The oven that most people are familiar with is the kitchen range or a wall-mounted unit. The air inside the oven is heated by an electric element or a gas burner and regulated by a thermostat to maintain a specific temperature. Food placed inside of this heated air cooks from the outside in as the surfaces of the food absorb the heat. Cooking continues until the food reaches the desired temperature.

The Convection Oven

• A conventional oven uses heat in the still air and some radiated heat from the oven walls to cook the food. The food passively receives the heat, which can vary depending on the position of the food in the oven. The convection oven improves the efficiency of the standard design; adding a fan to circulate the heated air within the enclosure. The heat is actively introduced to the food by the movement of the air, improving the heat transfer into food. The end result is shorter cooking times and more even distribution of heat throughout the oven.

The Microwave Oven

• Unlike the conventional oven which uses heat around the food to cook it, the microwave oven uses the food to cook itself. A microwave oven generates microwaves which bounce around the interior of the oven, striking the food from many directions. Microwaves at a certain frequency are absorbed by the molecules in the water, fat and sugars of the food. The absorption excites the molecules and is converted to heat, cooking the food from the inside out.

Cooking With the Microwave Oven

• The regular use of the microwave oven is to heat foods, and for many dishes, this is all that is needed. For some cooking however, the microwave is not the answer. Baking or roasting processes that rely on the dry heat of the oven to build a crust or to brown the food are not possible in the microwave because the radiant heat does not exist. On the other hand, boiling water for tea or coffee does not result in a hot cup because the microwaves are not absorbed by the cup in the same way they are absorbed by the food.

Exchanging the Conventional Oven for a Microwave

• No cook will be tempted to exchange the microwave oven for a conventional oven alone, or vice-versa. Both appliances have a place in the modern kitchen and few cooks are willing to live without one or the other. Recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of each one lets the cook tailor his recipes for preparation in the least amount of time.