Cuisinart Combo Steam/Convection Oven (Part 3)

FauxPas · July 23, 2018

21 minutes ago, weinoo said:

Yes, immediately toasting again and the times are shorter (I think).

yes, they definitely are, the oven adjusts somewhat because the elements are still warm.

My preferred setting is 4 or 5, 6 sometimes for my husband who likes his toast darker.

Okanagancook · July 23, 2018

My times from the start are:

#1 2:42

#2 3:09

#3 3:39

#4 4:15

#5 4:44

#6 5:20

#7 5:49

I pressed #1 and let it go to the end. I then pressed #2 and the time was 1:52 not 3:09

This is one smart machine.

**ElsieD** · July 23, 2018

That's interesting. My times were

2.49

3.20

3.50

4.09

4.28

4.46

5.14

**ElsieD** · July 23, 2018

19 hours ago, Smithy said:

ElsieD, I'll be watching your experiments with interest. An air fryer has ~~found~~ earned its way onto our counter, where I had thought there was no room. Now I'm starting to think that the CSO would have about the same footprint as the air fryer and toaster combined...hmm...and maybe do the work of both...hmmm....

One can never have too many toys!

Okanagancook · July 23, 2018

11 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

That's interesting. My times were

2.49

3.20

3.50

4.09

4.28

4.46

5.14

That is interesting. My machine is a couple of years old.

**ElsieD** · July 23, 2018

Over on The Air Fryer topic @Smithy had a picture of Hasselback potatoes and since I saw that picture I can't get them out of my mind so I decided I'd made some for dinner. So naturally I now have a question. The Chart suggests using bake steam on spuds. I don't know much yet about how bake steam works but it seems to me the potatoes would do better cooked without steam if I wanted (and I do) crispy edges. Does the oven just steam for a while and then change over to convection baking, ensuring me of crispy bits? 0r does it steam throughout on that setting? Thank you all again. You have been very patient with me.

FauxPas · July 23, 2018

1 hour ago, Okanagancook said:

My times from the start are:

#1 2:42

#2 3:09

#3 3:39

#4 4:15

#5 4:44

#6 5:20

#7 5:49

I pressed #1 and let it go to the end. I then pressed #2 and the time was 1:52 not 3:09

This is one smart machine.

My times are almost exactly the same as yours and this machine is probably a few years old as well.

FauxPas · July 23, 2018

18 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Over on The Air Fryer topic @Smithy had a picture of Hasselback potatoes and since I saw that picture I can't get them out of my mind so I decided I'd made some for dinner. So naturally I now have a question. The Chart suggests using bake steam on spuds. I don't know much yet about how bake steam works but it seems to me the potatoes would do better cooked without steam if I wanted (and I do) crispy edges. Does the oven just steam for a while and then change over to convection baking, ensuring me of crispy bits? 0r does it steam throughout on that setting? Thank you all again. You have been very patient with me.

It seems like a convection bake with intermittent steam added to it. So it does brown the edges on potatoes but also prevents them from drying out too much, if that makes sense. I haven't made a Hasselback in ages, but I steam-roast new potatoes all the time, often with cut edges. The edges do indeed brown.

Edited to say: I always cook my potatoes on the rack, so they won't be sitting in any water but it's rare for water to accumulate when cooking at higher temps anyway. And I'm pretty sure others cook potato wedges on steam-bake, without worrying about using a rack.

Edited July 23, 2018 by FauxPas (log)

JoNorvelleWalker · July 23, 2018

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

Over on The Air Fryer topic @Smithy had a picture of Hasselback potatoes and since I saw that picture I can't get them out of my mind so I decided I'd made some for dinner. So naturally I now have a question. The Chart suggests using bake steam on spuds. I don't know much yet about how bake steam works but it seems to me the potatoes would do better cooked without steam if I wanted (and I do) crispy edges. Does the oven just steam for a while and then change over to convection baking, ensuring me of crispy bits? 0r does it steam throughout on that setting? Thank you all again. You have been very patient with me.

I use steam bake for almost everything...lasagna is a possible exception. The CSO booklet is usually right on.

**ElsieD** · July 23, 2018

I ended up steam bake for 50 minutes at 425. It may have been done earlier, had I thought to check. This is what it looked like. I like the idea of steam roasting little potatoes. I have a bag of tiny ones I bought at the market so I'll give that a try.

Okanagancook · July 24, 2018

@ElsieDMay I ask about the filling? I will add it to the spreadsheet.

**ElsieD** · July 24, 2018

12 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

@ElsieDMay I ask about the filling? I will add it to the spreadsheet.

Sure, but it isn't much. I brushed the spuds all over with bacon fat, and tried to brush in between the slices as best I could. A bit of salt & pepper over the top. Halfway through I spread a little more of the fat around them as they looked a bit dry. About 40 minutes in I put some grated old cheddar in between the slices and some on top. Then they went back in the oven. I used biggish Yukon gold.

Kerry Beal · July 24, 2018

5 hours ago, lindag said:

For my oven I keep the toast setting at #6. That seems to be the 'right' setting for the darkness I prefer. However, I re-think it each time I'm toasting something unusual and adjust accordingly, then keep an eye out.

My CSO up north makes perfect toast at setting 4, the one at home gives me the same results at setting 3. I've swapped out the one at home when the first one's fan stopped working - it had a different sweet spot setting for toast. I'd say calibration isn't their strong suit.

JoNorvelleWalker · July 24, 2018

7 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

My CSO up north makes perfect toast at setting 4, the one at home gives me the same results at setting 3. I've swapped out the one at home when the first one's fan stopped working - it had a different sweet spot setting for toast. I'd say calibration isn't their strong suit.

Could it have to do with the patina, as @rotuts might say, of the interior?

FauxPas · July 24, 2018

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

I ended up steam bake for 50 minutes at 425. It may have been done earlier, had I thought to check. This is what it looked like. I like the idea of steam roasting little potatoes. I have a bag of tiny ones I bought at the market so I'll give that a try.

This looks so delish! Hasselback is back, baby! Hahaaha

Yes, steam roasted nugget/baby/new potatoes are wonderful. We get locally grown Warba potatoes here early in the year and they are SO good, they have just ended and I miss them terribly. Sometimes I would toss them with a bit of EVOO and some S+P and maybe an herb or chopped garlic and then steam-roast them. Or just plain. There is something about the steam-roast in the CSO that makes them more succulent than a plain roast in any oven.

Kerry Beal · July 24, 2018

45 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Could it have to do with the patina, as @rotuts might say, of the interior?

Don't think so - the setting have been those from the start.

FauxPas · July 24, 2018

54 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

My CSO up north makes perfect toast at setting 4, the one at home gives me the same results at setting 3. I've swapped out the one at home when the first one's fan stopped working - it had a different sweet spot setting for toast. I'd say calibration isn't their strong suit.

Are these both from the same series/model? My CSO and @Okanagancook's are almost exactly the same, but they are the same vintage.

FauxPas · July 24, 2018

2 hours ago, ElsieD said:

I like the idea of steam roasting little potatoes. I have a bag of tiny ones I bought at the market so I'll give that a try.

I usually cook really small ones at a lower temp, 300F or so, and maybe flip them if they start to brown too much on the top.

Kerry Beal · July 24, 2018

2 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

Are these both from the same series/model? My CSO and @Okanagancook's are almost exactly the same, but they are the same vintage.

I think they are different models - but I know the two I had at home were the same and yet the settings were different.

Okanagancook · July 24, 2018

Just did Italian homemade sausages at 450F for 13 minutes and then started checking the internal temperature until it was at 165F. Browned on top...sorry forgot to take a pic.

FauxPas · July 24, 2018

3 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

Just did Italian homemade sausages at 450F for 13 minutes and then started checking the internal temperature until it was at 165F. Browned on top...sorry forgot to take a pic.

When you say homemade, you probably totally made them yourself. Would love to see some pics.

Okanagancook · July 24, 2018

Yes, we make our own from Ruhlman's book. Here is a pre-cooked picture...forgot to take a picture of dinner...we had company. As you can see they are quite large.