Can Convection Oven Be Used to Reheat Food?

There’s nothing new about the presence of leftover food in our refrigerators. And of course, you have to reheat it before eating. Now, microwaves are great at reheating food. But, what about convection ovens? Can convection oven be used to reheat food? 

Convection ovens can be used to reheat foods. Reheating in a convection oven preserves the taste of the leftovers. It also keeps the food healthy and gives an amazing texture to the food.

Undoubtedly, using a convection oven is a better and healthier way to reheat foods. But you need to keep in mind a few things while reheating your leftovers with a convection oven. And in this article, I will teach you all of that. So, keep on reading.         

Reheating Foods in a Convection Oven

Reheating foods is the best way to reduce food waste. If reheated correctly, you will also be able to have the same taste and almost the same health benefits from the leftovers as freshly cooked foods. According to an article by USDA, reheated foods should at least reach the temperature of 165° F to ensure health safety.

Though the most common method people use to reheat their food is microwave, it has many side effects. Also, many people do not have a microwave oven in their homes. So, a convection oven is a great rescue option for them.

Convection ovens are the type of ovens that use hot air circulation from fans to cook and reheat foods. As these are not similar to a microwave oven or regular oven, you might find it difficult to reheat foods in a convection oven. So I am going to share a few tips about reheating foods in a convection oven for your help. 

1. Reduce temperature and heating time

The convection oven uses a fan for heating purposes. Because of the hot air circulation, there is a high risk of burning the outside of the food. You have to keep in mind that convection ovens cook faster than regular ovens. So, it will also take less time to reheat in a convection oven without a doubt.

For that, Lower the temperature you usually use to reheat your food by 25 degrees and shorten reheating time by 25 to 30%. Make sure you preheat the oven only for a short time. 

2. Check frequently

As mentioned earlier, convection ovens take less time to cook. To avoid any hazards, you have to monitor your food often while reheating them.

It is great that you need less time to reheat your food in a convection oven. But it can be a con too if you fail to check earlier and monitor properly. At the end of the day, who would like to have burnt food? So, be sure to check now and then while reheating your leftovers in a convection oven.

3. Use oven-safe dishes

You have to be careful to use oven-safe dishes in your convection oven. Even if you are using oven-safe dishes, be sure to check the manufacturer to know the temperature limit.

Here are a few things for you to keep in mind:

• Avoid using anything made of paper or plastic.
• You can use dishes made of glasses, clay, or ceramics.

You can also use aluminum foil pans or metal pans in a convection oven. But, it is better to avoid using them if you have other oven-safe dishes in your house. Because using aluminum or metal pans for reheating purposes can sometimes result in overly cooked foods. 

4. Don’t block the convection fan

You can only get the best of your convection oven if you let the air circulate properly. Blocking the fan will prevent the hot air from flowing well over the food. And thus, decrease the effectiveness of the oven.

So, don’t cover the top of your oven and use dishes that have lower sides for better air circulation. Also make sure to not overcrowd the oven and consider reheating foods in smaller batches.

5. Avoid reheating foods with a delicate texture

Convection ovens are great for reheating fried foods. Unlike microwave ovens, these ovens keep food brown and crispy. But reheating food in a convection oven is a bad choice for foods that are delicate in texture and tend to dry out easily.

Avoid reheating foods like soup, stews, and noodles. Also, don’t reheat foods that you would like to stay moist like cakes, custards, or any kind of baked items.

Not necessarily all foods can be reheated perfectly in a convection oven. So, knowing what kind of foods to avoid reheating in a convection oven is a must.

Benefits of Using Convection Oven to Reheat Foods

One of the most effective and simple ways of reheating leftovers is using a convection oven. If you have a convection oven in your house, then you should not have to worry about reheating your foods. 

You can get a lot of benefits from using convection ovens to reheat leftovers. Let me describe the most significant benefits here:

1. Faster and evenly cooked foods

Using a fan and exhaust system helps the heat to be distributed properly around the food.  Constant circulation of hot air helps the food to get ready 25% faster than regular ovens. 

Also, hot and cold spots are eliminated and every part of food gets the same amount of heat. Every section of the food gets heated with the same temperature from every side. Thus, this unique technology of reheating presents you with more evenly and well-cooked foods. 

2. Keep your foods healthy and crispy

Convection ovens don’t destroy the natural nutrients preserved in foods because they work faster. Moreover, the taste of freshly cooked foods doesn’t change much if it is reheated in a convection oven. So, yeah, it has its health benefits.

In a convection oven, the moisture does not get locked in the oven. As the moisture has a way to escape, the inside environment of the oven stays drier and helps your food to stay dry and crispy. So, reheating foods in a convection oven not only has its health benefits but also keeps your foods tasty and crispy. Additionally, it gives an amazing texture to your foods.

3. More energy efficient

As a cherry on top, convection ovens are energy efficient. So, you can save money by eating leftovers and also by having to give lower electric bills than you used to. Amazing, right?

The convection oven uses less energy mainly for two reasons-

• It needs a lower temperature to reheat foods.
• It takes less time to cook food.

Lower temperature and faster cooking time make the convection ovens an energy-saving machine.

I’ve discussed only a few of the most mind-blowing benefits of using a convection oven to reheat your foods. Are you still confused about using your convection oven for reheating foods? Then try this out by yourself and discover lots of more advantages you can get from this amazing machine. I know you will love this process of reheating your foods.