Editor's Note: This post is written by our new Chef, Nicole Parmenter. Nicole is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University and has worked in many restaurants. She will be using steam, speed and all the new various convection systems in both the Dorchester and Framingham stores. Today, she will be reviewing steam cooking and the Wolf steam oven.
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How Does a Steam Oven Work?
Steam convection ovens offer the combination of convection heat (dry heat propelled by a fan) in conjunction with steam. In convection-steam ovens, you have the ability to utilize the oven as a convection oven or strictly as a steam oven, and of course, a combination of both.
During a steam cycle, the oven will pull water from a reservoir, heat it and pump it into the oven cavity in the form of steam.
Reservoir vs. Plumbed
When considering steam ovens, you have the option to purchase a reservoir version or a plumbed version.
In the first option, a removable reservoir holds the water and needs to be refilled periodically. The plumbed version is a permanent connection to a water line, so you do not have to refill a tank.
Benefits of Steam Cooking
Steam cooking is highly touted for its nutritional benefits and is extremely advantageous in reheating leftover foods. Cooking with steam allows the ability to retain all vitamins and minerals in vegetables, and requires less fats or oils when cooking proteins. Convection cooking is also a superior cooking method yielding more even browning/cooking in less time. (Read more: The Benefits of Steam Cooking).
Wolf Convection Steam Oven
30" M Series Professional CSO30PMSPH - $4,299
Features:
- Easy-access water tank
- Largest interior capacity
- Design flexibility
- 10 cooking modes
- Precisely control heat, steam and airflow for the best results with any dish with 10 cooking modes: Steam, Reheat, Auto Steam Bake, Convection, Convection Humid, Convection Steam, Gourmet, Slow Roast, Recipes, and Keep Warm.
- Temperature probe
- Multiple pans and rack positions
- Delayed start
Ease
Well, for starters, it’s fairly easy and straightforward to use. The Wolf CSO touts 10 modes in all: six main modes and four additional modes (including the Gourmet Center).
The Gourmet Center offers a litany of pre-set modes that yield ideal results, essentially eradicating any guesswork.
You simply choose what you’d like to cook and the Gourmet Center will adjust the humidity level, time and temperature. This mode has the potential to make you a rock star in the kitchen! As a bonus, the CSO comes with a wonderful step-by-step cook book in PDF format.
Design
The Wolf CSO boasts having one of the largest oven cavities at about 25% larger to be exact, basically large enough to fit a 14-15 lb. turkey. What I also love about this model is the position of the water reservoir which lies above the oven in an overhead compartment.
This allows access to the reservoir without having to open the oven door, risking loss of steam/heat and interrupting the cooking process.
Quality
Within my cooking experiments, I have found that this particular CSO produces a very controlled and even flow of steam, gentle enough for delicate vegetables, egg dishes and custards without saturating the surface.
In addition, I have consistently produced grains, rice and pasta, cooked perfectly every time. No more rice sticking to the bottom of the pot. You are able to preserve nutritional value and retain the color, texture and taste of your food.
Versatility
The Wolf CSO has a very broad temperature range from 85˚F up to 445˚F. The possibilities are endless. You may question whether convection-steam ovens will brown foods such as casseroles and cookies. My answer to that is yes!
The “Convection” mode does not employ the use of steam, and the “Convection-Steam” mode on the Wolf CSO offers the option to turn off the steam feature at any time during the cooking process, another reason to love this model.
In terms of versatility, here is an example of what can be prepared using a steam oven:
- Grains, beans, rice, risotto
- Ribs, roast tenderloin, roast chicken
- Vegetables (roasted and steamed)
- Cakes, cookies, breads, custards
- Lasagna, casseroles
- Defrosting proteins, frozen breads/rolls
- Warming/reheating leftovers
"Steamed" Creamy Arborio Rice Pudding
The Cons
The Wolf CSO is not a true combi-oven because it lacks a broil element at the top of the cavity. There is also no adjustability in the steam; when the steam feature is active, its output is set to 100% only.
Transition from mode to mode can be a bit cumbersome. If you have selected a mode and decide to use a different mode, you must shut the oven off before being able to begin a new mode.
Final Thoughts
This oven is designed for those who don’t often broil foods and are just looking for the general nutritional benefits of steam and convection cooking. Let us not forget the reheating benefits, simplicity in cleaning (steam will help lift baked-on food) and ease of use.
Stay tuned for a series of reviews on other professional combi-steam and convection-steam ovens. For recipes, please see our Recipe Center.
Additional Resources
Want to learn more about Steam Cooking? Download the Yale Steam and Speed Oven Buying Guide with full descriptions on every brand and detailed explanations of steam itself. Well over 120,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
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A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
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