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Cuisinart Combo Steam/Convection Oven (Part 3)

JoNorvelleWalker

By JoNorvelleWalker
in Kitchen Consumer

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cyalexa

cyalexa

Posted
Posted

My new CSO is up and running. The instructions specify tap water but I wonder if anyone uses distilled water? Also, the instructions specify emptying the water tank after use. Does anyone do that? 

 

FauxPas

FauxPas

Posted
Posted
30 minutes ago, cyalexa said:

My new CSO is up and running. The instructions specify tap water but I wonder if anyone uses distilled water? Also, the instructions specify emptying the water tank after use. Does anyone do that? 

 

 

I always use tap water here in BC because we have soft water. In our Arizona house, due to the hard water, I used filtered water (we had a under-counter filtration system). 

 

I definitely don't empty the water tank after each use! I do empty and rinse it out if it's been sitting for a bit, but it's almost always got some water in it. 

 

 

 

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ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted

I use tap water.  I don't do anything with the tank until it is near empty. Then I rinse it out really well,fill it up and put it back on the the unit.  

  • Like 1
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
14 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

I use tap water.  I don't do anything with the tank until it is near empty. Then I rinse it out really well,fill it up and put it back on the the unit.  

 

When I was cooking with a CSO (indefinite article intentional) -- I still have a couple in the living room -- I employed filtered water.  I was rewarded with algae and white floccular flora or fauna out of a science fiction film.

 

Now with my APO's (plural) I have filled the tanks only with distilled water.  Whatever else, so far I have experienced no biohazards.

 

 

  • Like 2

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted

I use tap water.  May have used Brita-filtered water a few times. 
I use it every day and don’t empty it out. 
I had some algae in the tank in the past but that hasn’t happened since the fluorescent under-cabinet bulb above the tank burned out and I decided not to replace it. 

 

  • Like 3
ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted

I have never seen anything growing in my water tank.  It sits on a utility cart in the eating area of the kitchen.  It sits in that area along with a stand-up freezer, a microwave stand, a bar fridge and a couple of storage shelves.  We don't eat in that space.

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

I use Brita'd water

 

I do get algae in the tank , as the tank gets afternoon sun.

 

I clean it w a brush as best I can , then swish in some diluted

 

warm bleach , let the container sit for a bit

 

then rinse throughly 

 

Im careful not to get bleach on the screw on regulator

 

just in case it affects the rubber gasket.

 

I do not empty the tank.

 

if I remember to cover the reservoir w a towel

 

to avoid the sun , I don't get algae.

Edited by rotuts (log)
  • Like 4
gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted (edited)
12 hours ago, cyalexa said:

My new CSO is up and running. The instructions specify tap water but I wonder if anyone uses distilled water? Also, the instructions specify emptying the water tank after use. Does anyone do that? 

 

 

I use Brita filtered water about half the time and don't empty the tank, but I keep it shady because algae will grow.  Emptying isn't a bad idea. That tank is a bitch to clean out.

Edited by gfweb (log)
  • Like 3
jedovaty

jedovaty

Posted
Posted

I broke down and got one instead of the balmuda.  Pricey, but I wanted something nice, practical, and without any interior non-stick coatings.  Paying for a recent vacation left me with sufficient amazon points on my credit card to purchase the unit for half price, so, there's that. But I still regret not picking at least one up at costco back when they were $130 bah!  I like how it came with a sticker to change the display to french :D

  • Like 4
jedovaty

jedovaty

Posted
Posted (edited)

Tried to bake a small sourdough batard simply on bread setting and it baked the bread, but no oven spring and dense loaf compared to same dough in the regular oven with stainless bowl + ice cubes.  I think I'll swing by pottery store tomorrow to pick up a small kiln shelf, cut it to size, use the oven in dry mode to pre-heat, then bake with steam.  Seems to be fine with a 400-500g loaf size, which is perfect.  It heats up the house less, but, it costs more because electricity where I live is something crazy like over $0.40/kwh 🤑.

 

Can't wait to try toast once the doughs cool down.  There's no bagel setting which is a little disappointing, and the manual isn't very clear on which elements are used in which setting?  Did I not read it carefully enough?

 

Time to read through all three parts again to see what other tips/tricks I can glean with this giant (to me) countertop toaster oven.

Edited by jedovaty (log)
FlashJack

FlashJack

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, jedovaty said:

no oven spring

Persist.

 

In my experience the CSO bakes fine bread with good spring (sometimes too much so steer away from the top elements). That's one of many reasons I went over to the Anova: more headroom.

 

You will get there!

  • Like 4
jedovaty

jedovaty

Posted
Posted

Thanks FlashJack.  I'll try the bread again soon, I found some tips earlier in this thread and pretty much what I was thinking might work :)

 

@rotuts I could be wrong on the $130 at costco after going through this topic here, I just remember it being heavily discounted in 2018 or 2019, I forget when exactly it was.  Eitherway, missed opportunity, now they run $280-290. 

 

Given there aren't many toaster ovens with no non-stick interiors, I may just have to break down and get a backup if this thing continues to work well.  I read in the history here how many love making chicken in it.. dunno, I might give it a go, but I have a method down with my outdoor gas grill that gives me perfect chicken and there's like no cleanup.  I will certainly try steam roasting fish, that'll be later this week, I'm accustomed to pan searing or grilling only.

 

Meantime.. what's the purpose of using steam function with rice when it's in a container that's closed?  To steam clean the container?

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

@jedovaty 

 

the CSO steam cleans itself , after you set that up

 

it makes the very best toast , as its a closed system :  cent of toast 

 

still ' fresh '

 

and its not heavy , you can take it outride in the summer 

 

if its hot and humid in your are 

 

I used to do that.

  • Like 1
Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted

I use steam at 210 degrees F for 25 minutes to cook Thai Rice.  I soak it for about five hours, drain it and spread it up on the tray lined with lightly oiled parchment to keep it from sticking.  No cover.  It makes very sticky rice.  Easy clean up and steaming for that long cleaned the oven too.

  • Like 4
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KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

I use steam at 210 degrees F for 25 minutes to cook Thai Rice.  I soak it for about five hours, drain it and spread it up on the tray lined with lightly oiled parchment to keep it from sticking.  No cover.  It makes very sticky rice.  Easy clean up and steaming for that long cleaned the oven too.

By Thai rice, do you mean jasmine or glutinous (sticky) rice?  I cook sticky rice in the CSO in a similar way - soak it, wash and then I spread it on a tamis, and steam at 210 for 15 minutes, then use change it to keep warm at like 150 or so for another 15.  Comes out perfect every time.

 

I can't imagine cooking jasmine rice this way though...

  • Like 1
KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

It is called Golden Diamond Thai Glutinous Rice and is very short grain.

OK - that makes sense.  It is sticky rice, not jasmine rice.

  • Like 2
jedovaty

jedovaty

Posted
Posted

Sorry to spam you all so many years later, it's a new toy for me :) 

Having always grilled or pan seared fish, I was curious and attempted to steam a wild salmon fillet from costco for 8 minutes at 210F.  It was way overdone, suppose since it was fairly thin.  Still curious, I broiled the skin as well.  This was just okay, prefer the pan searing.

Leftovers reheated.. holy crap, +infinity.  Even the overdone salmon was great this morning and quinoa just like it was fresh!  Outside of it taking four times as long, I actually could see myself getting rid of the microwave with this thing**

I'm interested in knowing why some of you are using the oven to steam eggs, when it is just as easy and probably faster on the stove with water (direct boiling or steam)...

For anyone interested, the warning about not putting it under cabinets are true :(  The previous owner put these cheap laminated cabinets*** all over the kitchen and they are peeling ugggh.

The toast boss, de toast!  I keep toasting bread it is so delicious I ate my entire loaf yesterday what no I didn't write that out loud 🤪

 

** my microwave is an original advantium GE convection/microwave from 2004, and the LCD panel just went so I can only push the 30s button and know what's going on.  It's also taking up the place where I want to put a hood, as this house does not have an exhaust over the range and I really need one but don't want to lose space to a microwave, topic for another day when I'm ready to remodel

*** the actual cabinet fronts are nice and solid, but the sides are all laminated crap, yet another motivation to remodel

cheap cabinets.jpg

  • Like 7
Kim Shook

Kim Shook

Posted
Posted

I've said many times that if all the CSO did was reheat perfectly (and it DOES), I would still want it.  Of course, it does so much more, but reheating leftovers is definitely one of its superpowers!

 

This morning I had a Hot Cross Bun out of the freezer that my MIL brought over a couple of weeks ago.  Four minutes at 325F on Bake/Steam and it was perfection.  

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Kim

Kim's Cookbook

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, jedovaty said:

I'm interested in knowing why some of you are using the oven to steam eggs, when it is just as easy and probably faster on the stove with water (direct boiling or steam)...

 

I tried it and probably posted my results here but I routinely steam eggs on the stove top. When you get a new toy, you like to see what it can do!  Plus, it could come in handy some day.....like when you're remodeling your kitchen and using the CSO to cook out in the garage 🙃

 

And yes, it's amazing for leftovers.  Takes a little longer than the MW but the results are orders of magnitude better. 

  • Like 4
jedovaty

jedovaty

Posted
Posted

@blue_dolphin Aha, that makes sense, I've done that a lot, duh, shouldn't thought of that.

 

I found the spreadsheet that lists other members' recommendations for different foods in the oven.  I'm going to try roasting a few small beets. I typically foil wrap then toss in my grill while roasting chicken.  Should I foil wrap them for this oven, or leave them bare?

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