Cuisinart Combo Steam/Convection Oven (Part 3)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

After I slipped and fell down the amazon bunny hole I found this lasagna pan tonight:

http://amzn.com/B0728GC529

 

I figure it will just fit the CSO.  I expect to find out tomorrow!  (Of course I also ordered a colander and some pizza pans that should also be accommodated.)

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

The TeamFar pan I linked above fits perfectly in the CSO!  As do the colander and pizza pans.  I am very pleased.  The pan is heavy for its size, I measured 590 grams.  Sides more than a millimeter thick.  No indication what grade of stainless steel, though for the low price I am not entirely surprised.  Seems well made, I must say.  No rough edges on any of these pieces.  And no sticky impossible to remove labels either.

 

I'm particularly delighted because I've been searching for a pan this size for years.  Long before the CSO.

 

[robirdstx]

On 6/22/2018 at 3:38 PM, Shelby said:

I have been re-reading all of the CSO threads and I was enabled to buy the Old Stone Oven baking stone.  

 

Ditto! Mine is scheduled for delivery on Wednesday.

[ElsieD]

On 7/12/2018 at 10:02 AM, weinoo said:

Interesting.  I read the manual as toasting goes in the middle rack position, and that's definitely the position of the rack in the oven in question.

 

I'm just jealous of how shiny clean ElsieD's oven is.

Only because it has only been used a couple of times.  We're working on it.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

CSO down to $229.99...

 

[robirdstx]

Leftovers from last night’s Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs (additional sauce brushed on) reheated on Bake Steam at 300F for 15 minutes. Perfectly moist and warmed through!

 

[Okanagancook]

Fresh garden carrots..mostly medium-smallish.  Salted and a little butter.  Super Steam 400F for 22 minutes.  Tender with still a little bite in the larger ones.  I put the larger ones on the outside.  Added to the master spreadsheet.

Before and After

 

:

[ElsieD]

Using @Okanagancook 's excellent template, today I cooked baby back ribs in the CSO.  I wondered about the length of time, 2 hours posted for the cook and after some discussion with Okanagan cook, decided to put them in 2 hours before planned dinner time and monitor them.  The question really was whether the time quoted was for side ribs or baby backs.  We tend to eat around 7:30 so they went in at 5:30, bake steam 300.  I was also making raspberry sorbet so asked john to bring in the ice cream machine and plug it in.  A while later I went to get the ice cream bowl out of it and horrors! He had unplugged the CSO to plug in the ice cream machine.  I have no idea how long it was off.  I put it back on left it for a while then  tested a piece of the meat (that would be the missing piece in the picture, sacrificed on the altar of quality control) and discovered it was done.  The rest of the meal wasn't.  The salad was quick enough to throw together, but the sweet potato fries needed to be baked.  In they went to the BSO Air and I put the ribs on the CSO warm setting.  My best guess is that they were on bake steam for an hour.  Pictures below, after marinating, after the cook and plated.  The recipe came from the NY Times cooking site and is called Chinese Style BBQ ribs.  The ribs were delicious, nice and moist and tender.  Should have gotten a CSO long ago.

Edited July 20, 2018 by ElsieD (log)

[Okanagancook]

Hilarious!  Best laid plans.....

 

so, baby back ribs done with some bite left in them, I.e., not fall off the bone.  One hour at 300 bake steam.

 

they look delicious.

 

did you cook them both bone down?

it is an awesome machine.  I love the warm setting, esp for warming plate.  HATE cold plates.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Okanagancook (log)

[Okanagancook]

Ok, sorry, I just looked at the before pic and they are rib down.

ignore my question above. Thanks 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Okanagancook (log)

[ElsieD]

They were started rib down, but basted and turned a couple of times.  They came out of the oven rib down but it looks like I turned the ones on the right over before I took the picture.   Given the exposed bones on the ones on the right, one could think the meat would fall off the bone but they were done the way we like them, with a slight tug to get them off the bone.  It is indeed an awesome machine, and I have only used it a handful of times so far.  I'm looking forward to baking some bread in it.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

it is an awesome machine.  I love the warm setting, esp for warming plate.  HATE old plates.

 

As often as I warm my plates in the CSO...they are still old.

 

[weinoo]

Sometimes I even warm the plates on top of the CSO - while it's in use.

[rotuts]

I also use the top of the CSO

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, weinoo said:

Sometimes I even warm the plates on top of the CSO - while it's in use.

 

I do this too.  I used both methods last night.

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

13 hours ago, weinoo said:

Sometimes I even warm the plates on top of the CSO - while it's in use.

 

Yes, I believe the manual says not to do this, but I always do as long as I don't block the vents. It works very well and I think prevents energy from going to waste. I really dislike a cold plate sapping the heat away from a hot dish.

 

And yes, from down here in the South where it's so hot and humid all summer, I have to give an endorsement for the CSO for not heating up the house. The difference between turning on your big oven and the CSO is like the A/C will run against the big oven constantly and then afterwards until the house finally cools back down and with the CSO, you will not notice the heat and neither will the A/C. So it is a BIG difference for those of us who swelter through the summer months down here.

[Kim Shook]

So, I've got my CSO all set up where the old toaster oven was.  It clears the upper cabinet by 8-inches and you can get the water thing out without moving the CSO.  But, I'm never using it!  It is so amazingly clean and shiny!  I'm really going to hate getting it dirty the first time.  But I have to try it out soon so that we can get the box out of the living room!

[Okanagancook]

Go for it Kim!

try some roast potatoes.  That won’t mess it up too much.

Funny you should mention it.  My SIL was just here and remarked ‘how do you keep your oven so clean.?”  They have one also but I’ve seen their regular oven and know why their little oven isn’t shiny 🤔

[blue_dolphin]

57 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

So, I've got my CSO all set up where the old toaster oven was.  It clears the upper cabinet by 8-inches and you can get the water thing out without moving the CSO.  But, I'm never using it!  It is so amazingly clean and shiny!  I'm really going to hate getting it dirty the first time.  But I have to try it out soon so that we can get the box out of the living room!

 

Do run it through it's paces so you'll know that it's not defective. 

Don't worry about getting it dirty.  I have done so and learned that it can be cleaned. 

It's been over a month and mine is still looking sharp but I won't hesitate to cook anything in it again!

[Okanagancook]

This little machine is amazing.  Again, chicken thighs done to perfection...they were small...425 f for 20 min...perfect.

[ElsieD]

I baked a couple of croissants this morning at 400F bread setting for 15 minutes.  No adjustments necessary.

[Kim Shook]

My first CSO try – toast:

 

And the stripey side:

Great toast!  Toast is kind of a PITA in my house.  Since I keep my toaster on a shelf under the island (anyone who has read my blog knows that I have about 2 feet of counter space), I have to get it out every time I want to toast.  And with my mother living here now, that is every morning.  In my other toaster oven you had to cook it so long to get it dark enough that it ended up being crunchy all the way through.  This was perfectly dark on the outside, but tender inside. 

 

So, I'm trying to try out different things quickly to make sure everything works and get rid of the box.  What is something easy and quick to use the one of the steam functions?  And is there any other function I should try since I know the bottom and top work?  Thanks!!!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

30 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

So, I'm trying to try out different things quickly to make sure everything works and get rid of the box.  What is something easy and quick to use the one of the steam functions?  And is there any other function I should try since I know the bottom and top work?  Thanks!!!

 

I forget if you're a bread baker?  How about chicken 450F steam bake.  That would be my suggestion.

 

[Kim Shook]

Just now, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I forget if you're a bread baker?  How about chicken 450F steam bake.  That would be my suggestion.

 

I love to bake bread, but I'm just not up to that right now.  So, a chicken?  You mean a whole roast one?  You mean a chicken that would spatter chicken grease all over my lovely shiny CSO????  LOL - just kidding.  But, a whole chicken - I could do that.  Pop over to the store and have a chicken to start the week out.  Good idea, thanks!!!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 minute ago, Kim Shook said:

I love to bake bread, but I'm just not up to that right now.  So, a chicken?  You mean a whole roast one?  You mean a chicken that would spatter chicken grease all over my lovely shiny CSO????  LOL - just kidding.  But, a whole chicken - I could do that.  Pop over to the store and have a chicken to start the week out.  Good idea, thanks!!!

 

Indeed, after a chicken your CSO won't be a virgin.  My preferred method is to get a Cornish game hen and cut in half, steam bake at 450F -- but a whole chicken works as long as the chicken is not too big.  If you like thighs, try 300F steam bake for an hour...makes less mess of the oven!