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Calculating Convection Oven Cooking Times

By: Julia Layton  | 
Convection ovens cook food faster than conventional ovens.
©iStockphoto.com/Mur-Al

If you've switched out your conventional oven for a convection one, you're probably already aware of the benefits: Faster, more even cooking, better all-over browning, juicier results, and, often times, more nutritional value in your cooked foods.

Convection ovens are pretty much like regular ovens except for one feature: a built-in fan that circulates the hot air in the oven. This one, seemingly minor difference turns out to require a rather major adjustment in cooking style, most notably in the area of times and temperatures. Because convection ovens cook foods considerably faster than conventional ovens do, many recipes written for conventional ovens will need to be adapted for convection cooking.

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There are general approaches to this adaptation that tend to produce good results, and they're pretty simple. It's about making a downward adjustment to at least one component of the baking instructions...