steam oven vs conventional oven
I am in a debate as to whether diced, marinated pork shoulder cooked in a vacuum bag in a regular conventional oven gives the same result as the same pork, cooked in a steam oven.
The bagged pork had a probe where upon reaching 180°F, the pork was removed and chilled down. This took about 4-6 hours. The bagged pork in the steam oven was cooked for 4-6 hrs. where it was also chilled down.
The pork in the steam oven was much more tender and in individual pieces. The pork in the conventional oven was stuck together and chewy.
Does the steam help keep the pork more tender even though it is in a vacuum bag?
Best Answer
As you may already know, meat becomes tender when cooking because collagen (which is chewy) breaks down into gelatin (which isn't chewy), and the longer it cooks, the more collagen is broken down.
Having said that, if the bag in the conventional oven was in for closer to 4h and the bag in the steam oven was in for closer to 6h, it's kind of obvious why the steam oven meat was more tender (50% more time does make quite a bit of difference!).
If the bags were in the oven for the about the same time, the steam oven bag probably cooked longer anyway as steam transfers heat more effectively than dry air - by the time the meat in the conventional oven reached 180F, the meat in the steam oven had already been sitting at that temperature there for a while, and so, more collagen had time to break down. Steam should also provide a more even heat, with less fluctuations (having greater thermal capacity).
Lastly, it could just have been that the meats were a bit different - the tougher from an older animal, a different breed, or one of a thousand other reasons.
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Is steam oven better than conventional?
Steam ovens provide reliable, excellent cooking results. Cooks even faster than convection ovens. Steam baking is considered the healthiest way to cook as it retains more nutrients during the cooking process by keeping food moist and reducing cooking time.What are the disadvantages of a steam oven?
Steam Oven Cons:- Doesn't have the browning, or grilling capabilities of conventional ovens.
- Requires refills of the manual reservoir.
- High price tag.
- A countertop steam oven can be bulky.
- Steep learning curve on using a steam oven.
- Cleaning your steam oven can be a task.
Is it worth getting a steam oven?
Steam ovens keep more nutrients in your food, keep its color better, and eliminate the need for oil. Steaming also prevents cross-flavoring, so you can cook a salmon and chocolate torte at the same time without getting a fishy dessert. A combi-steam oven may be your favorite appliance at holiday time and year round.What is the difference between steam oven and convection oven?
Steam ovens feature a reservoir that must be filled with water for the oven to work properly. Heat from the oven turns the water into steam. Food cooked in steam retains moisture better than food cooked in a convection oven. Steamed food also tends to retain more vitamins and minerals than food that is boiled.Speed vs Steam Ovens Cooking Test and Review
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