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Hello!
For today’s newsletter I thought we’d try something a little different. I’ve had several questions around the topic of using your steam oven as an air fryer, so I’ve done some experiments on your behalf. We’re going to talk about the results of those experiments!
If you’ve ever wondered whether you ‘need’ an air fryer, you’ll get a lot out of this issue.
I’d love to know if this kind of comparison article is helpful and interesting to you; I had a lot of fun comparing and contrasting the different foods and I’m happy to do it again with other ‘steam oven vs …’ questions. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to compare and perhaps I’ll feature it in a future Insiders newsletter!
Happy steam oven cooking, see you in a couple of weeks.
Emily x
Ever wondered if your steam oven can be used as an air fryer, to get the extra fast, extra crispy results promised by all the air fryer converts in your life? I know I have.
To save you from pondering this existential life question, I pitted the air fryer against the steam oven in the ultimate Steam Oven Insiders crispy-food cook-off, and I’m bringing you the results.
These roasted Brussels sprouts are an easy side dish that’ll upend your notion of sprouts being a sad, overcooked and unloved vegetable.
Roasting Brussels sprouts at high heat with a little steam thrown into the mix makes them crispy and charred on the outsides but sweet and tender in the middle. It’s a winning combination and the addition of garlic, parmesan cheese and lemon lift them into one of my all time favorite vegetable sides.
The Season Flip
Want some air fryer food ideas that will work perfectly in your steam oven? Here you go.
Southern Hemisphere
These are simple, appeal to adults and kids alike, and take the pressure off needing to use the barbecue if it’s just too hot outside (or if there’s a fire ban like we have most days at the moment!).
To adapt them to your steam oven, just set to Combi Steam at 400°F/200°C, 30% steam, and cook them in a crisper tray or a wire rack set over an oven tray.
Northern Hemisphere
I always think of polenta as a winter food, and these crispy, golden polenta sticks are a beautiful accompaniment to both vegetables and meat.
You can easily adapt the recipe directions to your steam oven, cooking them on a crisper tray or regular sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Use the same temperature given in the recipe and add 30% steam for a softer texture to the insides of the polenta fries.
A Thing I'm Loving:
I love my new crisper tray! It’s one of those kitchen things that I didn’t realize I would love, in fact I never even thought about buying one until I went down the air fryer rabbit-hole.
I got my cheap tray from Kmart in Australia, mostly because there’s one nearby and I wanted it the same day. It does not come with a solid pan to fit underneath, so I use one of my existing pans to catch any drips and avoid dirtying the floor of my oven.
If you’d like a crisper tray which is more all-in-one, I’d go for this one which has thousands of good reviews on Amazon and is widely available in plenty of countries. It’s what I’ll upgrade to when my cheap one gives up.
Ask Me Anything (AMA)
Here’s your opportunity to ask me anything you like related to combi steam cooking!
I really encourage you to submit questions, and will do my best to answer as many as possible. Though I may not be able to get to every single question, I will carefully curate ones which are relevant and represent a variety of topics. We all learn from each other, and I often learn new things based on questions from all of you!
If you have an AMA question, please email it to [email protected]. Make sure you include the phrase INSIDERS AMA in the subject line so I can collate and read all your submissions.
From Christen
Q: Could I ask about how to rejuvenate stale bread? I’ve googled it before and had some success but would love to know what you’ve settled on as the best way with your many years of experience.
A: The answer to this is a little dependent on the type and size/volume of the bread you’re rejuvenating.
For bread rolls, I use Combi Steam, 320°F/160°C, 50% steam (medium steam). From frozen most rolls take around 10-12 minutes, from room temp perhaps only 5-6 minutes.
For entire or part loaves of bread, I generally use the same temp and settings, although I’ll drop to 300°F/150°C if it’s a very dense bread like sourdough. The timing is variable here, because a very fluffy bread won’t take long at all while a dense loaf could take up to 25 minutes. If the bread is sliced, I stack the slices back together so they don’t dry out on the cut edges too much. And if the loaf is a part-loaf, I stand it on the cut end on a solid pan, for the same reason.
It’s wise to eat rejuvenated stale bread pretty soon after you’ve heated it up (even better if you eat it warm). Even though the steam helps make it taste fresh again, it will degrade and dry out quickly once it’s cooled down.
From Shelley
Q: I had some wonderful left over prime rib slices at Christmas and tried to reheat them in my Thermador combi steam oven. I selected the “reheat” option which said to place items in the oven immediately. I did so and they proceeded to cook for about 20 minutes. When the timer went off they were way over cooked and dried out. Should I have waited to place the meat in the oven after it got to the correct temperature? I am always confused about this issue when the digital read out on the oven says to put the food in the oven as soon as I turn it on. Thanks for your help and all your wonderful recipes!
A: I suspect the overcooking for your prime rib is more down to the temperature on the reheat setting than the fact it went into a cold oven: most preset reheat settings I’ve seen heat the oven to anywhere from 185-250°F/85-120°C. The lower end of that range may be ok, but the higher end will certainly dry out slices of meat in a 20 minute cycle.
My preference when reheating more delicate items like beautifully cooked meat, is to heat it only to the temperature it was originally cooked to. So, in the case of your prime rib, if you enjoyed it medium rare the first time around and want to replicate that as much as possible, try a combi steam or steam setting at 140°F/60°C and leave the meat in there until it reaches that temperature all the way through, probably about 20-30 minutes depending on the meat’s thickness (yes, you can do that from a cold start).
Please note, though, I would NOT do this if you’re immunocompromised or pregnant! That temperature is safe for most people and most reheated foods, but it’s on the lower end for most countries’ recommended food safe standards. I’d also not do it for an entire chunk of meat, as that will take too long to come to temperature in the center and runs the risk of pathogen growth. Larger pieces of meat will need a higher temp and longer time for reheating, at least 185°F/85°C.