Steam ovens

[adegiulio]

Here's a simple question: Is there a home oven/range that offers steam injection? Throwing ice cubes in a cast iron pan just doesnt do it the way commercial steam ovens can.

TIA

[torakris]

Steam ovens are the current rage in Japan, though here they are touted more for their healthy benefits of cooking foods with less fat.

Here is a description of them.

I just bought a new steam oven about 2 months ago but have yet to use the steam function...

[chezcherie]

miele does:miele clickety

and gaggenau does, too.gaggeneau clickety

[doronin]

They don't seem to match the purpose, unless you're into steam-cooked bread...

Indeed, there is no home ovens that imitate steam functions of industrial ones?

[adegiulio]

They don't seem to match the purpose, unless you're into steam-cooked bread...

Indeed, there is no home ovens that imitate steam functions of industrial ones?

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I agree....

[kaneel]

Sounds like something i could use. I was baking bread last night and sprayed some water too close to the bulb. Guess what happen ....yep bulb shattered and of course all the hard work went down the drain

[rickster]

Pretty sure I've seen ads for a new Kitchenaid oven that has a steam feature.

[tsquare]

You know those plumbed steam ovens? Like gaggeneau sells? I have a few questions - if you have one installed, I would appreciate hearing your experience.

1. The installation instructions show the waste line going direct into a drain. No mention of whether it needs to be vented. If it is really just condensate, that would be okay, but with potential grease or food particles, it seems like the drain pipe needs to be vented. Do you know how yours was installed?

2. If you don't have the oven adjacent to a sink (which would be a weird place for it,) where did you locate the water supply valve and the drain? Install instructions say "not directly behind the unit" - but where? In an adjacent cabinet base unit? In an adjacent enclosure?

3. Did you need to pull the whole oven cabinet away from the wall in order to plumb this or was there sufficeient space with standard depth cabinets to accomplish the task?

Appliance sales people and the manufacturer's technical resource people are remarkably unhelpful.

Thank you for your assistance!

[tsquare]

hmm, so no one has a plumbed a steam oven, or no one knows how it was installed or the questions are too difficult?

Still looking for help!

[helenjp]

I was just looking at a friend's Sharp steam oven the other day...most of the steam ovens in Japan are not plumbed in or out at all - there's a removable tray for collecting condensate, and water supply is canister style.

She did say that it required more ventilation space than regular ovens (which are often counter-top models here), but hadn't actually noticed more exhaust air/steam whn using the oven.

That may be why you haven't had many replies - what type of oven are you actually looking at?

And what kind of steam ovens are other people using/considering?

[tsquare]

Yes, most have a removeable reservoir. Even Gaggeneau has come out with one, but their primary style is plumbed.

Interestingly, everyone wants their coffee maker plumbed, and those are difficult to find, but most people are okay with non-plumbed steam ovens. I see there are many microwave oven/ hoods that include a steam option device as well.

So, I guess the question might also apply to plumbing coffee makers (espresso machines.) If you have one that is plumbed, did you need to vent the drain line?

Do you have a water supply shut-off valve for the machine and if so, where is it located?

Any other special efforts required to plumb the machine?

Thanks.

[dougal]

I've only come across small domestic units with a removable reservoir and no drain - I'd expect any condensate to be reboiled!

But I did happen across an eBayUK sale of a "bake off oven with direct steam injection" -- which mentioned a "standard dishwasher connection" for the water supply (and no mention of drainage).

That would seem to be a sensible sort of thing to expect...

And, as with a dishwasher, it'd be crazy plumbing not to have a shut-off tap fitted!

[ermintrude]

I've one of these http://www.aeg-electrolux.co.uk/node146.asp?ProdID=3021

it can steam, be a regular or fan oven, go from 30 up and you can even use a temperature probe to stop the oven - great when your doing a 12 hour leg of lamb.

I've a lot of gripes with AEG as far as any appliance they make that involves plumbed in water - don't start me off. But I love the oven (above) and their induction hob and there combi microwave is also very good.

As for using the steam function it's not that often, but it has come in useful, I use the temperature probe and low temp facilities more.

[gfweb]

A number of manufacturers are selling home versions of the pro kitchen steam oven.

Can someone please explain the advantages of this technique over a regular old oven?

[HungryC]

A steam oven will create excellent, crispy crust on breads.

[Joe Blowe]

A steam oven will create excellent, crispy crust on breads.

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Bread baked in a preheated cast iron pot will achieve the same thing.

[HungryC]

But baking in a pre-heated pot doesn't really work for rolls or baguettes....

[gfweb]

Is a steam oven good for anything else?

[Joe Blowe]

I've seen this topic come up several times over at the GardenWeb appliance board, and the boosters seem to think they're the greatest things since sliced bread. The pragmatists (guess which camp I'm in) think they're a waste of money and space.

Your preexisting appliances can duplicate almost any/every function a steam oven offers...

[areselle]

I have a Gaggenau steam oven in my home kitchen that cooks as low as 85F and 30-100% humidity. I experiment a lot, but I'm having difficulty finding recipes for cooking with steam (not in a stove-top steamer). Any clues out there? I've found one book by Jacques Maniere, but his recipes are all stove top. Also, I've wondered if my steam oven could function as a sous vide oven. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Reg

[inductioncook]

Yes, definitely. This is how sous vide was handled before people started using water circulators. I use my Gaggenau this way. Good luck. I'd be interested in knowing how it works. (The thermostat will not be as precise as on a water circulator but it does pretty well.) I use 100% humidity.

Incidentally, there is a Gaggenau book in French on using the oven that is quite good.

[inductioncook]

By the way, Jacques Maniere was a very talented chef who worked with steaming before such precise temperature controls were available. What book do you have?

[kbjesq]

I have a Miele steam oven and I do sometimes use it for sous vide, especially I like to cook lobster in butter w/herbs. I use a food saver bag. Quite nice results IMHO.

Also on the Miele.com website there is a whole set of recipes for all Miele products, including steam ovens. That make it easy to scroll through a large collection of recipes just for home steam ovens.

Note that on Miele.co there is an "ask the chef" feature which allows you to ask specific questions about your product (e.g., steam oven). I have asked this chef quite a few questions! One of my favorite uses for the steam oven is canning, and I've had to ask quite a few questions in that regard. I made probably 30 pints of green tomato chutney last year and wow, the few that are left still test great (I used a Martha Stewart recipe that I found online).

Good luck and hope you enjoy your oven.

[inductioncook]

Note that the Miele is a little different (doesn't heat above boiling point) but for sous-vide cooking at lower temperatures would be the same.

[areselle]

I have "The Art of Cooking With Steam," published in 1995, translated by Stephanie Lyness.

Edited July 29, 2010 by areselle (log)