how to use combination oven / microwave?

blue-kat

this mightn't seem exactly OS, but still a case of making the best of a circustances

I've bougth a does everything Pansaonic combination microwave oven to replace dangerous fan oven.
http://www.johnlewis.com/Kitchen/Small+Appliances/Cooking+Appliances/Microwaves/540/230364942/Product.aspx

however it's really complicated !
any combi oven users out there?
any tips much appreciated.

guess it's deisgned ot be used as wonderful microwave eith extra features in addition to main oven, rather than as your only oven.

not complaining, just confused how to make the most of it.
it roasted a little chicken in 18 mins !
is it possible to roast meat and do spuds on the other tray?
I had to put the chciken to the side whilst put the pots on 'Combination of turbobake+grill+microwave', then do the veg next.

In time I want to get a new fan built in oven, but it'll be a while. The whole kitchen needs replacing and would benefit from a major rejig. which we can't find the finance for.

thanks very much !

MATH

You are getting three methods in one

MICROWAVE: Use just as any ol micro

CONVECTION: Use like any normal oven

COMBINATION: Need practice but you soon get used to it.

The two guidelines I used are:

Foods that you would normally micro, cook very quickly therefore the tradional heat doesn't really speed up the cooking times but will brown and crisp. I would cook on micro as normal and combine with convection heat on high to crisp and brown. Brill for chicken, jacket spuds etc.

I loved my combi and when I can afford one will get another.

For food that you cook conventionally, the micro can speed things up. I would start by setting the heat to the usual temp for that dish and combine with micro for half the traditional cooking time and test. It's not scientific but you will soon build up a list of times in your head.

I found my combi too small to multi cook meat and tatties together but because the cooking time is much less I found I could cook the tatties while the meat was resting.

One thing I did experience when I had a combi was that it was often in use as an oven when I needed a micro. I would consider, epecially if the combi is you only oven, getting a little £20 bog standard micro to run alongside for doing veggies/sauces etc

HTH

Three_Dancing_Dragons

I have a (slightly less flash) panasonic combi and haven't had any trouble. I'm not much of a cook so I only use the three individual settings (grill as grill, oven as oven, micro as micro). Personally, I find the tripod grill stand a bit of a !!!!!! but apart from that it works well. Rather than get an additional cheapie micro, I bought a Remoska mini-oven from Lakeland which is fab for roasting meat and baking cakes - I can recommend them. Crisping up veges needs the full oven, they seem to get too steamy in the remoska.

Ladygrim

MATH wrote: »

One thing I did experience when I had a combi was that it was often in use as an oven when I needed a micro. I would consider, epecially if the combi is you only oven, getting a little £20 bog standard micro to run alongside for doing veggies/sauces etc
HTH

Ive got both a combination oven, and a standard microwave oven so this means I can use them both at the same time (meat in one, steamed veg in the other). It also means I have never had to use the oven on my cooker. The smaller microwave was only purchased a couple of years ago for less than £25.00, so I am also finding I tend not to use the hob on the cooker either (and washing up is so much easier!).

I tend to just either use the convevtion or the microwave settings, rather than both at the same time (combination). The users manual should give you a clearer picture on how to use the combination setting to cook and crisp (for example, jacket spuds).

LG