Cuisinart Combo Steam/Convection Oven (Part 3)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Not good -- my pizza -- but there is promise.  I pulled the pizza at 25 minutes because the cheese was burning.  As I expected the cheese denatured (a euphemism) and the dough fried in the butterfat.  Not good at all, even though I ate it.

 

Better I think to cook everything except the mozzarella and then bake the mozzarella a bit at the end to melt it.  But I don't honestly believe the CSO will ever produce what I would call pizza.

 

 

[cyalexa]

10 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Check back with me after the hurricane.

 

8 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Not good -- my pizza -- but there is promise. 

Good luck during the storm. I prefer my tornadoes to your hurricanes. Tornadoes are over fairly quickly and while it doesn't protect property, our storm shelter protects our life. Now, about that earthquake....

 

What did you put the pizza on? I'm thinking of trying a (mini) baguette and wonder if the pan that came with the oven would make weird ridges on the bottom of the loaf. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

52 minutes ago, cyalexa said:

What did you put the pizza on? I'm thinking of trying a (mini) baguette and wonder if the pan that came with the oven would make weird ridges on the bottom of the loaf. 

 

I used parchment.  I've made a few mini baguettes in the CSO so far with parchment and no ridges.  Worst complaint is the crust is not as crisp as I would like.

 

So far not much of a storm, thanks, not even any wind.

 

[gfweb]

Shakshuka/uovos in purgatorio

Cooked tomato sauce on stove, add egg,  then 6 minutes 400 F Steam Bake

 

 

[cyalexa]

3 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I've made a few mini baguettes in the CSO so far with parchment and no ridges.  Worst complaint is the crust is not as crisp as I would like.

Parchment on top of the pan, right? Are you using the bread setting? 

[Franci]

gfweb, besides uovo in purgatorio, you made me crave another childhood staple for me, peas and eggs, same way!

 

My CSO has not arrived yet. But I've already bought a 3 pounds sirloin pork roast in anticipation. Any suggestion on time an temperature? of course, I've also bought chicken thighs.

[Shelby]

I'm so glad you're joining the CSO club, Franci    I'm also interested in how to do a pork roast in there.

[csingley]

My $0.02 is to start with a pretty standard roasting protocol, but do it on bake steam - in order to start getting a feel for it.  The steam makes things cook faster, so it's helpful to start checking internal temperature with a thermometer - watch out for steam burns when you open the door!

 

So maybe do your pork roast on bake steam 325 degF, start checking temp at the 45 min mark, and pull it when it hits 135-140 degF internal.  Then change to steam broil, preheat to max, and put the roast back in for a few minutes to sear the top.  This procedure would lend itself nicely to throwing some small potatoes in the pan to cook along with the pork.

 

Or you could do it low & slow, bake steam 225 degF, in which case it'll probably take more like 2 hours plus, I reckon.

 

Check out some of chefmd's posts upthread, like this one:

Mind though, that's a shoulder roast (check the scapula peeking out) which needs quite a bit more cooking than your sirloin.

 

I think you'll have a lot of fun with your new toy, I know I have.

 

This weekend I had the kids grind & stuff some beef sausage - they were supposed to be kielbasa, but a little high in fat and aggressively mixed, so they turned out almost emulsified, more like a bratwurst.  As such, steamed in the Cuisinart for 18 min and then seared on a griddle, they turned out very nice, although my son overseasoned them a little.  Still v. good though - they better be, because we've still got 5 more pounds!

 

 

[chefmd]

@Franci

Posted last Thursday 3.5 pounds pork roast bake steam 325 degrees for 90 minutes.  Lard and meat jelly were a bonus!  Sliced thick and seared in cast iron.

 

[Franci]

Thanks guys! I'll try tomorrow. 

I'll read the instruction booklet before going to sleep. 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 hours ago, cyalexa said:

Parchment on top of the pan, right? Are you using the bread setting? 

 

Yes, parchment on top of the pan -- that is between the pan and the paton.  I have some 10 inch by 10 inch precut squares of parchment which are very convenient.  Yes, also, to the bread setting.

[blue_dolphin]

@Franci, welcome to the CSO club - and congrats on getting a great price!

 

One thing to consider if you decide on this route...

2 hours ago, csingley said:

Or you could do it low & slow, bake steam 225 degF, in which case it'll probably take more like 2 hours plus, I reckon.

...is to keep an eye on the little drip drawer/tray that slides in underneath the oven to catch condensed steam.  I've noticed that long cook times + steam, particularly at lower temps, can result in enough condensation to overflow the tray.  No disaster occurs, it just leaks water out on to the counter but it can be a slip hazard if it drips on to the floor or ruin a nearby cookbook, so best to be aware.

[kayb]

@Franci, I hope you love your CSO as much as I do!

[Franci]

Thanks for the welcome, guys! I'm so excited. Kayb, I've the feeling that at the moment this is going to be a very useful tool in my kitchen.  Blue_dolphin, thanks that's a good point. Already my husband was not happy  for the spot I picked for the oven and moved it on top of my Cadco oven...

[Kerry Beal]

On August 8, 2016 at 11:31 AM, Shelby said:

Once he has a piece of toast made in there, he'll beg you to put it front and center in the kitchen lol.

 

10 minutes ago, Franci said:

Thanks for the welcome, guys! I'm so excited. Kayb, I've the feeling that at the moment this is going to be a very useful tool in my kitchen.  Blue_dolphin, thanks that's a good point. Already my husband was not happy  for the spot I picked for the oven and moved it on top of my Cadco oven...

So I moved the CSO upstairs onto a shelf in the living room, pulling it out each time I wanted to use it and putting it on one side of the island. Left it on the counter overnight a couple of times. Showed hubby how to make toast in it - he was quite resistant initially and plugged the toaster back in. Notice the toaster hasn't been plugged in for a while and the CSO hasn't made it back to the living room.

 

Made bone in, skin on chicken breasts this evening - 25 minutes, steam bake, 425º - perfectly tender chicken and wonderfully crispy skin.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

My dinner was another batch of CSO Tater tots and researed strip steak.  Sublime.  Lots of tomatoes and leftover good wine.

[rotuts]

"""   Notice the toaster hasn't been plugged in for a while and the CSO hasn't made it back to the living room.  ""

 

as it should be.

 

imagine having two of these w enough amps to run them both at the same time ?

 

 

major appliance manufacturers has missed the boat on a 36"  combi home oven w a gas or an induction top.

 

would not be mid-level  HomeDepo Cheap   but far more useful and therefore valuable than some of the stunningly expensive stuff at high

 

end appliance stores Ive seen   i.e. stuff at 

 

http://blog.yaleappliance.com/bid/97190/best-30-inch-wolf-viking-thermador-jenn-air-pro-range-packages

[Shelby]

11 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

So I moved the CSO upstairs onto a shelf in the living room, pulling it out each time I wanted to use it and putting it on one side of the island. Left it on the counter overnight a couple of times. Showed hubby how to make toast in it - he was quite resistant initially and plugged the toaster back in. Notice the toaster hasn't been plugged in for a while and the CSO hasn't made it back to the living room.

 

Made bone in, skin on chicken breasts this evening - 25 minutes, steam bake, 425º - perfectly tender chicken and wonderfully crispy skin.

Heh.

 

I knew you could bring him over to your side.

[Franci]

So, roast came pretty nice. I went for 325f stream bake for 40 minutes, not ready had to add maybe another 25 minutes and pulled it out at 63c. We had it for lunch but I make this primarly for ravioli filling.

 

 

 

Also I know eggplants don't have many fans here. I adore eggplants. I Steam baked one on the rack for 20 minutes, was getting soft with no color. I switched to steam broil and then just broil. I thought I wouldn't like it but it was really custardy. Need to take out the red notebook

Edited September 5, 2016 by Franci (log)

[rotuts]

@Franci  

 

nice on that notebook ...

 

toast for breakfast ?

 

 

[Shelby]

7 minutes ago, Franci said:

So, roast came pretty nice. I went for 325f stream bake for 40 minutes, not ready had to add maybe another 25 minutes and pulled it out at 63c. We had it for lunch but I make this primarly for ravioli filling.

 

 

 

Also I know eggplants don't have many fans here. I adore eggplants. I Steam baked one on the rack for 20 minutes, was getting soft with no color. I switched to steam broil and then just broil. I thought I wouldn't like it but it was really custardy. Need to take out the red notebook

 

Yay a fellow eggplant fan!!!!  I LOVED it, too.  Custardy is exactly the right word.

[Kerry Beal]

 

Russets, 70 minutes, steam bake 400F. Perfect crispy but tender skin - dare I say almost custardy centers!

[kayb]

I'm contemplating eggplant lasagna tomorrow in the CSO.

 

Put me down with the eggplant lovers.

[Franci]

Tonight I tried TJ's tater tots (which also my kids love) in the CSO and they didn't like them! Both of them! Ehm, I confess,  me too. The complain is that they are too soft on the inside and too crunchy on the outside. They prefer my regular convection oven 400F for 20 minutes.

I also used the CSO to reheat a chinese steam roll, I like the idea of steaming without having to set the steamed...

I run a cleaning cycle and the top didn't come out that clean, normal?

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by Franci (log)

[weinoo]

10 hours ago, Franci said:

Tonight I tried TJ's tater tots (which also my kids love) in the CSO and they didn't like them! Both of them! Ehm, I confess,  me too. The complain is that they are too soft on the inside and too crunchy on the outside. They prefer my regular convection oven 400F for 20 minutes.

I also used the CSO to reheat a chinese steam roll, I like the idea of steaming without having to set the steamed...

I run a cleaning cycle and the top didn't come out that clean, normal?

 

 

Did you cook the potatoes on regular convection, or with steam? (I'll confess here that I don't know anything about Trader Joe's products.)  But one of the nice things about the CSO is that it takes so little time to heat up, and my kitchen stays cool (er) than if I'd turned on my standard oven.

 

Re: the cleaning cycle. Since I have version 1.0, I usually wipe down the inside after most every time I use the oven for steam cooking. Nothing cleans itself.