Anyone use a Combi Microwave/Oven/Grill got any cooking tips?

Gobsh

Anyone use a Combi Microwave/Oven/Grill got any cooking tips?

Most foods don't include cooking instructions for Combi-Microwave so I'm wondering whether you can use printed cooking times to work out combi timing?

joedenise

With mine the combinations don't really work well so I just use microwave or oven on their own.  The oven isn't bad as the timings are the same as they would be for an ordinary electric oven but definitely heats up quicker being a smaller space to heat, pretty much like air fryers!

I have decided when this one packs up I'm just going to get a straightforward microwave and use the air fryer, Remoska or the small oven on my main cooker.  The main oven only gets used when I'm doing several things at once!

Katiehound

There  might be something useful here
https://experience-fresh.panasonic.eu/recipes-by-product/combi-microwave-oven/

In the past I have used such an oven- but long ago. I seem to remember that you could cook thre item in the microwave and then use cooker to finish off/ brown it.

Worth having a google

Here's another one, but you are going to have to check thro the recipes! HTH
https://www.miele.co.uk/media/ex/gb/cookbooks/Microwave_combi _oven_cookbook.pdf

and another that you can download
https://www.scribd.com/doc/50867645/The-Combination-Microwave-Cook-Annette-Yates-Caroline-Young

DullGreyGuy

Katiehound said:

In the past I have used such an oven- but long ago. I seem to remember that you could cook thre item in the microwave and then use cooker to finish off/ brown it.

Those are the older style ones where you use one function or the other at a time. In the more modern ones you can use them simultaneously (as long as you have the right cookware). For example in the Miele cookbook you linked to for a veggie lasagna it recommends using a built in programme (fairly standard for Miele) but give the alternative of using Fan 180C + 300w Microwave simultaneously or in a fish recipe Grill lvl 2 + 450w Microwave

Looked at the Panasonic one too but they dont tell you to set the microwave by wattage but by some arbitrary power level. Will make translating recipes across different devices harder unless there is a table somewhere that gives the wattage by power level.


Dont like microwaves so have a Steam/Oven combi instead but there is still some challenge to work out how to adapt a recipe to make use of it. It is easier though probably as it's mainly about if you want to keep something moist/soft (high steam) or dry/crispy (no steam). When its a mix (eg roast chicken) its a bit of trial and error or revert to the built in programmes, which typical for Miele again are highly complex with "roast chicken" having something like 8 steps (different temp/humidity settings) but it does it all itself so dont care.  

PipneyJane

I have a combi oven.  It’s been my primary oven for the last 25 years, but I never use it on the combination setting.  I think I cooked a couple of baked potatoes that way, when we first got it, but nothing since.  It came with a small recipe book, which included recipes and suggestions for the combination setting, so my suggestion would be to contact the manufacturer of your oven and ask them if they have a recipe book that you could buy/download.  That’ll cut out much guess work.

HTH

- Pip



PS: You’d be amazed how much you can fit in the combi, when using it as a fan oven.  I regularly do roasts, with all the accompaniments.  My roasting pans are either round, deep-pan pizza trays or square lasagne dishes.  Largest thing I’ve cooked in it was a duck.  (It was our only oven for 7 years, while we saved up to renovate the house.)

Rosa_Damascena

I too tend to use the oven function as its much cheaper than running even my half-oven. I find it ideal for heating ready-meals from frozen (not my preferred choice of food and I am clearing my freezer of them this winter). I rarely cook but this is my gadget of choice.

But if I was doing jacket potatoes I would microwave and then crisp up on the oven setting. Ditto anything that I prepare for myself and freeze, although I would have to take it out of the plastic takeaway container before turning the oven setting on. 

wort

Like the others I use the functions separately, I don’t use the grill it takes ages. I use the micro to warm stuff or cook a potato, then use the oven bit instead of the big oven.

EssexHebridean

I love my combi for things like reheating batch cooked pasta bakes, cottage pies and similar - 10 minutes on combi gets it hot through and crispy on the top at a fraction of the energy use or time of running the main oven. Jacket potatoes get 10 minutes too - albeit on a hotter convection temperature, then a further few minutes if they're not quite cooked through enough. 

luvchocolate

I love the convection oven...being on work top much easier than bending down 

Gobsh

wort said:

Like the others I use the functions separately, I don’t use the grill it takes ages. I use the micro to warm stuff or cook a potato, then use the oven bit instead of the big oven.

You should combine to take full advantage of time saving. Grill/Microwave should cook without preheating and literally take half the time of grilling alone. Microwave at around 300 watt to avoid over cooking

ScarletRibbons

I'm on to my second Panas*nic combi, I use it a lot.
The very comprehensive instruction book has recipes and charts which are very helpful.
I don't use my double oven half as much as I used to, and you don't need to pre heat either.