Cuisinart Combo Steam/Convection Oven (Part 1)

[rotuts]

FP :  do you SousVide ?

 

that thread  ( massive as it is ) will give you and idea of how temperature, indeed temperature over time  affects meat.

 

a burger or any meat at the done-ness you prefer has a specific temp.

 

if you do not raise the temp above this, you will get that done-ness.  tenderness if a different story.

 

not so valid with ground beef, but valid with tough cuts that lack tenderness.

 

then there is the Problematic issue of the Char.

 

Good News ! Steam burgers have not Char ! 

 

they just need a bun to soak up that Oooozie delicious ness when you Chomp Down.

[FauxPas]

FP :  do you SousVide ?

 

that thread  ( massive as it is ) will give you and idea of how temperature, indeed temperature over time  affects meat.

 

I do not have any specific sous vide equipment although I know I can do quite a bit with a pot of water and a good thermometer. Or a beer cooler, right? 

 

I was seriously considering the Anova and then heard about the new one being developed now. I missed the good Kickstarter prices, but don't mind buying once they are commercially released. 

 

I started to read the Sous Vide thread several times but always got sidetracked. 

 

So, the answer is that I have started to look into it, but have not clarified the things I should try to do. 

[rotuts]

since you are busy w the SteamBoy, wait until the new Anova is released.

 

SV is just another 6th dimension of Studies and Must be Done.

 

with no Rush ill bet you will enjoy those Studies.

 

Cheers

[FauxPas]

rotuts, just noticed that the Cuisinart's Recipe Booklet has a recipe for Peaches, maybe that's what made me think of doing the nectarines though I do like to cook fruit now and again, anyway. 

 

The steam oven is lovely for cooking any type of braised dish, of course. I did a beef 'rouladen' stuffed with spinach and asiago cheese, slow-cooked in a tomato sauce. The steam oven requires less sauce/liquid, less chance of boil-over, easier clean-up. And of course generates less heat in the kitchen which is nice as we get into warm weather.  

 

I have cooked salmon in the oven also, but just used Steam Bake. I am going to do some fresh sockeye fillets tomorrow and plan to try the Broil Steam function - for some reason, I don't think I have used that setting yet! Salmon is lovely in the oven and I could see playing with a couple of functions and temperatures for that fish. Halibut and scallops and other seafood also.  

Edited June 10, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[Barrytm]

FauxPas, when I steam salmon, or most other fish, I usually brine it first,  or soak it in a marinade, otherwise you sometimes get that white oozing on top of the fish which is coagulated protein. It doesn't impact the taste, but I don't like the look. The same thing happens with sous vide.  BTW, nice job on the chicken and the bread.    

[rotuts]

Today’s experiments focus on sugar.  Would a coating w sugar burn in the SteamBoy under similar SteamBake as Yest?

 

New set of 88c CkThighs.  Did the same quick trim cutting off a bit of skin and any really big globs of fat on the underside of the thigh. Used the rack to see if sugar in the drippings might burn

 

400 degrees, about 40 min. Steam.  I thought Id preheat to see if there is a beep when the system reaches temp. The screen at start says Bake Steam Preheat.  Changed my mind.  Put the CkTh in and then started the oven.  The clock counts down at start.  It took 2 minutes for the Preheat indicator to go out.

 

Here are the results:

 

 

 

If you number these 1 - 6, w 1,2 being the back row, T to R, 3,4 mid row, 5,6 front row here are the toppings:

 

1,3  Mustard ( TJ’s dijon ) + real honey.  Mixed to get some sweetness but also some bite.

 

2,4  Maesri sweet chili sauce

 

5,6  Baroody pomegranate molasses

 

The Maesri and Baroody were a bit thin, and did not stay on top as well as the M+H

 

I was looking for burning and the color you see showed up in the last minute of cooking.

 

How was the skin this time ? : No stars. No crispy cracker like texture, about a C-, awful.    

 

It tasted like the skin you get off a poorly timed regular oven bake : tasty, but very flabby w pockets of Ck fat that had not melted.   

 

I thermapen‘d this time:  front about 188, back about 192.  Temps rose a few degrees while sitting.

 

Watching the cooking Im betting the back of the oven is a bit hotter than the front.  Bubbles did start on the skin, but back to front.  This may matter in baking, I cant say.

 

Here is the jus from the bottom pan :

 

 

7 oz total, 2 oz fat.  I remembered to do the KerryBeal w the drippings and put them in a jar, and will invert it then place in the refrig to pour off the Jus later. ( Thanks , KB ! )

 

You may note that the oven is on the front of my counter. This is on purpose to release the steam into the room, not to the underside of the cabinets above it.  In my case the oven was completely in front of the cabinets.

 

I also noted that the rack begins to tilt down if you pull it out too much.  That hot fat almost spilled on to the open door, and my big toe as the door was completely over the floor area, on purpose re steam release.

 

How did the meat taste ?  After eating the skin , ( taking a few Hits for the team ) the top meat was tasty and still moist, but you could begin to taste dryness.  The bottom parts of the meat did not have that tiny bit of dryness.  Basted on the thermapen temp the thighs were indeed over cooked.  At this finishing meat temp, the thighs would have been very dry if cooked in a conventional oven. So the steam is a bit forgiving perhaps.

 

What did I learn ? 

 

A wet sugary ( one or the other or both ) toping will give you flabby skin, with little merit.

 

You want crispy cracker skin ?  Dry rub.  Can’t say if salt in the rub matters.

 

Be very careful pulling out the rack/drip pan combo.  It begins to tilt downward while still in the oven. The door won’t like that hot fat spilled on it, nor will your big toe in the flip-flops ( seasonal ) nor your bespoke British Shoes in other seasons.  Im assuming the Ladies don’t wear their Jimmy Choo’s in the kitchen.   

 

Id prefer that the drip pan be a bit sturdier. It holds about 2 1/2 cups of liquid, to the brim. Id never let it get that full as it’s quite flexible. I took out the drip pan + pan rack as a whole on the oven grate.

 

In addition, the steam starts right away.  You get condensation on the front door after a few seconds.  The steam is not continuous.  It goes off and on, which you can hear. You can see it vent out a series of holes along the back.

 

Unlike the BV-XL  the CuisiSteamBoy had a light !  A nice one !    

 

Based on the possibility of a Hot Fat Spill, be very careful yourself, and do not let children use this oven.

 

Probably no Ck. Experiments tomorrow.  burp. All schmaltz'd out. Id need some Retsina w turpentine to burn a whole through the fat the skin had on it.

 

Bon Appetite 

 

PS: clean up was a breeze as before.  no splatter nor burned on bits

 

 

PPS  the "KB"

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

one last thing:  Cuisinart seems to expect some of us to move the SB around:  there are nicely designed hand 'holds' on each side.

 

[rotuts]

Wooops

 

one more thing Ive noticed, at least in my hands:   there is a tiny 'drip' pan on the very bottom

 

it collects a small amount of condensed steam through a small hole

 

you need to remove that after each Steam.  it might have a bit of fat in it so you wash it by hand w a bit of liquid soap.

 

you dry it.  here we use drip dry.

 

bad.

 

you might forget to slid it in it's home for the next Steam:

 

so I suggest :  wash   rinse  dry  and put it back right away.

 

 

[weinoo]

You may note that the oven is on the front of my counter. This is on purpose to release the steam into the room, not to the underside of the cabinets above it.  In my case the oven was completely in front of the cabinets.

 

I also noted that the rack begins to tilt down if you pull it out too much.  That hot fat almost spilled on to the open door, and my big toe as the door was completely over the floor area, on purpose re steam release.

 

Be very careful pulling out the rack/drip pan combo.  It begins to tilt downward while still in the oven. The door won’t like that hot fat spilled on it, nor will your big toe in the flip-flops ( seasonal ) nor your bespoke British Shoes in other seasons.  Im assuming the Ladies don’t wear their Jimmy Choo’s in the kitchen.   

 

Id prefer that the drip pan be a bit sturdier. It holds about 2 1/2 cups of liquid, to the brim. Id never let it get that full as it’s quite flexible. I took out the drip pan + pan rack as a whole on the oven grate.

 

In addition, the steam starts right away.  You get condensation on the front door after a few seconds.  The steam is not continuous.  It goes off and on, which you can hear. You can see it vent out a series of holes along the back.

 

Your steam boy shouldn't be at the edge of the counter, and you shouldn't be wearing flip-flops to cook   .

 

Wooops

 

one more thing Ive noticed, at least in my hands:   there is a tiny 'drip' pan on the very bottom

 

it collects a small amount of condensed steam through a small hole

 

you need to remove that after each Steam.  it might have a bit of fat in it so you wash it by hand w a bit of liquid soap.

 

you dry it.  here we use drip dry.

 

bad.

 

you might forget to slid it in it's home for the next Steam:

 

so I suggest :  wash   rinse  dry  and put it back right away.

 

 

 

Do remember to remove the bottom crumb tray when using the steam function so the condensate can drip down to the collector.

 

You need another set of cookware for steam boy.  Something like this...Nordicware..

 

Or some high quality 1/8 sheet pans. Like this from Katom.  You gotta spend the money you saved by using your 20% off coupon.

 

On another note, today for the first time I used the steam girl to make rice. Brown rice.  In a cazeula, rice, salt, water and a tiny bit of evoo brought to a simmer on stove top, put into 300 Super Steam for 40 minutes, perfect.

[rotuts]

Thanks 

 

weinoo

 

by the edge of the counter I only mean not under the cabinets.  my counter top is level  but I did notice that as you withdraw the

 

trays, at a certain point, the trays sag by their weight,  they do not seem to have a 'stop' that keeps the tray system level

 

if you know this , fine.   if you dont know this, you better be a good friend of Jimmy Choo.

 

(( well, FD  I was bare foot !    ))

 

Ohh Yea  the crumb tray has been ' Filed away '

 

thanks for the tips on better ' drip trays'

 

Ill look into into it

 

thanks

 

re Rice and Grains  : I have a 10 c fuzzzy logic rice cooker.

 

if you dont   well SteamBoy Rules !

Edited June 11, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

BTW

 

how does that 1/8 sheet pan measure up to the drip pan that comes w the SteamBoy ?

 

ive thought about it

 

but wasting an Inch in the steamboy is a Cardinal Sin.

[weinoo]

Yeah, it's a little smaller, but much sturdier; the drip tray/rack combo that comes with the oven reminds me of those Ecko 1/4 cookie sheets that would warp instantly.

 

And the slide out oven rack; yes, do be careful. Everyone should be careful when using all ovens!  

[FauxPas]

You need another set of cookware for steam boy.  Something like this...Nordicware..

 

This link won't work for me as it is. Not sure why, this is another attempt:

 

Nordicware

[FauxPas]

On another note, today for the first time I used the steam girl to make rice. Brown rice.  In a cazeula, rice, salt, water and a tiny bit of evoo brought to a simmer on stove top, put into 300 Super Steam for 40 minutes, perfect.

 

Did you have the cazeula covered while cooking in the steam oven? Why did you start the simmer on the stovetop, just curious? I did rice in the steam oven and thought the benefit was that I didn't have to watch anything on the stove top! 

 

And yes, the pan that comes with the oven warps at higher heats. It returns to flat/square after cooling down so far, but it is annoying. I would like to get a better quality one. 

 

I find the routine of using the oven is pretty easy now but it took a few times to get used to it. I have a drawer right below the oven that fits the crumb tray or cooking pan/rack so they are handy but easily stored away. Each time I use the steam function I empty the lower drip pan and rinse it with hot water and quickly wipe out the oven to remove any standing water. Then I leave the door open a bit. There's nothing to it, once I got used to it - only takes a minute. When I want to bake/toast, it's easy to put in the crumb tray. 

[weinoo]

Did you have the cazeula covered while cooking in the steam oven? Why did you start the simmer on the stovetop, just curious? I did rice in the steam oven and thought the benefit was that I didn't have to watch anything on the stove top! 

 

And yes, the pan that comes with the oven warps at higher heats. It returns to flat/square after cooling down so far, but it is annoying. I would like to get a better quality one. 

 

I find the routine of using the oven is pretty easy now but it took a few times to get used to it. I have a drawer right below the oven that fits the crumb tray or cooking pan/rack so they are handy but easily stored away. Each time I use the steam function I empty the lower drip pan and rinse it with hot water and quickly wipe out the oven to remove any standing water. Then I leave the door open a bit. There's nothing to it, once I got used to it - only takes a minute. When I want to bake/toast, it's easy to put in the crumb tray. 

Thanks for the update on the link.

 

Re: The rice - I originally started the rice directly in the oven, but when checking on it after 10 minutes, it had not yet come to a boil. Then I realized that most, if not all, rice dishes that are oven baked should be brought to a boil on the stovetop first - I guess because it takes so long to bring water to a boil in an oven.

 

And I covered the cazuela with a pot lid that happens to fit almost perfectly.  This was something that interested me as well because I was of the mind that since I was cooking in the Super Steam mode, wouldn't it make sense to leave rice uncovered?  In any event, I covered and the rice came out great.

[rotuts]

FP  thanks for that link.  Ill look for that nordicware

 

I have this set ;

 

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Non-Stick-4-Piece-Toaster/dp/B0001WPNA4/ref=pd_sbs_k_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1R2Z57EDAQ6R3F87JR8N

 

Ill check later to see if it fits.

 

Ill also take Weinoo's advice and get a pair of 1/8 sheet pans.

[Anna N]

I'm guessing that nobody has managed to source a set that are not nonstick.

[rotuts]

the drip pan in the SB is 10 1/4 " x 9 3/4 "

 

its a bit of a unique size.  the other more mainstream sized pans 

 

( main-stream = Breville sizes )

 

that might fit in the SB give  up a fair amount of real estate.

 

 

no one so far seems to have used the SB sizes for third party replacement sets.

Edited June 12, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[weinoo]

C'mon, rotuts, fabricate your own perfectly sized pan!

[rotuts]

I plan on it .

 

maybe dcarch can whip up a couple doz. sets and send them around ?

 

Edited June 12, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

 

sometimes your insight gets a bit stalled.

 

Ive found in those cases that a Field Trip might be therapeutic:

 

went to the Mall, looked over WS, and SlaTable for a solution to the SB pan problem.

 

I think its a real problem, a potential for significant burns if not a messy clean up.

 

nothing at the Mall.  ( BTW  S la T does not sell the SB )

 

BB&B is near by, I thought Id take a look 

 

the CuisiSteamBoy was in an alcove next to the BV series,

 

Happenstance , or perhaps Providence Smiled on me:

 

there was a drip pan / broiler insert sitting right there.  Just for me.! 10 " BV MidBoy

 

these are usually in the box,  not on the selves nor in the display ovens.

 

 

the BV pan/broiler set for the BV MidBoy fits the CuisiSteamBoy perfectly and is

 

very sturdy.  cant say if it qualifies as non-stick

 

so I ordered a set.  i also got the broiler insert , as I didn't want to have to re-order in the future

 

if a need for it came up.  im unlikely to use it but ....

 

 

if you end up with a SB  consider the BV-mid boy drip pan at least.

 

might save you a bit of fuss and a lot of pain !

 

Ill take a pic when the stuff arrives.  might be worth waiting for that pic ...

Edited June 12, 2014 by rotuts (log)

[weinoo]

Told you you'd spend all that money you saved with a coupon       .

[Unpopular Poet]

Funny, I bought my SB at Sur La Table...on super sale...must have stopped selling them.  Ok, here is a pic of the finished product on the "fused cornish hens" - I think next time I will do them on the grill or a pan -- the skin was not nearly as crispy as I would have liked, but the flavor was definitely great.  The moistness was fantastic.

[FauxPas]

 Ok, here is a pic of the finished product on the "fused cornish hens" - I think next time I will do them on the grill or a pan -- the skin was not nearly as crispy as I would have liked, but the flavor was definitely great.  The moistness was fantastic.

 

Looks very nice! Did you use Steam Bake function? What temperature? Sometimes I finish things off with a short Broil, do you think that might have finished the skin better? 

[FauxPas]

Re: The rice - I originally started the rice directly in the oven, but when checking on it after 10 minutes, it had not yet come to a boil. Then I realized that most, if not all, rice dishes that are oven baked should be brought to a boil on the stovetop first - I guess because it takes so long to bring water to a boil in an oven.

 

And I covered the cazuela with a pot lid that happens to fit almost perfectly.  This was something that interested me as well because I was of the mind that since I was cooking in the Super Steam mode, wouldn't it make sense to leave rice uncovered?  In any event, I covered and the rice came out great.

 

What proportions of rice:water did you use, if you don't mind me asking? 

 

I noticed in the manual that they recommend cooking rice with less water than usual. For example, I have a long grain white rice which usually would be cooked on the stovetop with about twice as much water as rice, so 2 cups of rice and about 3.5 to 4 cups water.

 

However, the CSO-300 steam oven manual recommends only using a proportion of 2 cups of rice and 2.25 cups of water. I used a little bit more water - maybe 2.5 cups - and cooked it on Super Steam @ 300F for about 25 (30?) mins in a casserole dish with a loose fitting lid and the rice was perfect. I did let it sit for a few moments before serving. 

 

Using less water means it comes to a boil faster and I guess the reduced evaporation in the oven means less water gives the same result as stovetop cooking with more water? 

 

They do say to cover the rice dish but I keep thinking that it should work out even without a lid. I'll give that a shot later.