My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
optional convection setting.

My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts rather
than bakes?

Thanks for your help.

Bruce

Bruce K. said...

> My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
> optional convection setting.
>
> My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts rather
> than bakes?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Bruce


For roasting, you have a roasting pan for things like roast beefs and
roaster chickens, pork loins, etc., on a roasting rack that allows the
convection hot air to circulate within the pan and around the foods. In
general foods you don't want cooking in their own juices are roasted.

Convection also cuts down on time and does brown the roasts nicely and
evenly.

For items like baked breads, cakes, pies and casseroles, meatloafs, etc. in
tight fitting pans that normally cook from the bottom and sides, convection
hot air doesn't help since the air only skims the top of those dishes.

Also quick cooking fish and other light foods in shallow pans (and foods
that may require flipping), bake better without convection since they can
so easily be overdone with convection hot air if you turn your back.

In my experience,

Andy


Andy

"Bruce K." > wrote in message
...
> My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
> optional convection setting.
>
> My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts rather
> than bakes?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Bruce

I've never found a definitive answer. One definition was that roasting is
done over an open flame while baking is in an oven. Another is that meats
are roasted and dough products are baked. Another is the type of pan,
shallow for roast, deep for baked, but cookies on a sheet are baked.

The GE manual seems to use the roast-meat/bake-dough convention, but the too
reference oven baked chicken.

Do try the convection for roasting though. Can't speak for your oven, but
in mine, it makes the outside crispier and the inside moist and tender.

I cannot imagine what hte oven does differently but it may have something to
do with venting or using upper and lower elements at the same or different
times. May be worth contacting GE product support.

On Aug 15, 12:42�pm, Bruce K. > wrote:
> My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
> optional convection setting.

Roasting primarily employs radiant heat energy (broiling is actually
roasting). Baking primarily employs conduction. Both roasting and
baking employ convection... convection ovens simply enhance convection
(movement of heated air).

http://www.mansfieldct.org/schools/m...onvcondrad.htm

> My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts rather
> than bakes?

I'm guessing that in the Roast mode both bottom and top element
function, in the Bake mode the top element is disabled... with the
Convection mode energized perhaps both elements function regardless
whether in Roast or Bake, maybe... why don't you contact GE... I'll
bet the first two customer service people you speak to don't know. I
honestly don't see the point in a convection oven for home cooking,
with any properly functioning oven natural convection is sufficient...
I tend to think ovens where a convection fan is added are either not
properly engineered and/or it's just hype for extracting more dollars
from the unknowing. To my way of thinking a home style convection
oven should cost less, the convection part is a patch to cover up a
poor quality oven. The only reason convection ovens are used
commercially is because with such volume time is money, a lot of
money. Does anyone really care whether their sunday chicken roasts
in an hour and a half or an hour and fifteen minutes... I didn't think
so. Convection cooking is analogous to two minute sex, fast, gets
the job done but not too satisfying. When I really care I much prefer
two hours over low on my weber rotisserie... long and slow is better
in every way.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in
:

>
> "Bruce K." > wrote in message
> ...
>> My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
>> optional convection setting.
>>
>> My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts
>> rather than bakes?
>>
>> Thanks for your help.
>>
>> Bruce
>
> I've never found a definitive answer. One definition was that
> roasting is done over an open flame while baking is in an oven.
> Another is that meats are roasted and dough products are baked.
> Another is the type of pan, shallow for roast, deep for baked, but
> cookies on a sheet are baked.
>
> The GE manual seems to use the roast-meat/bake-dough convention, but
> the too reference oven baked chicken.
>
> Do try the convection for roasting though. Can't speak for your oven,
> but in mine, it makes the outside crispier and the inside moist and
> tender.
>
> I cannot imagine what hte oven does differently but it may have
> something to do with venting or using upper and lower elements at the
> same or different times. May be worth contacting GE product support.
>
>
>

To me roasting involves oil...you put a little oil in the roasting pan to
roast a chicken...you drizzle some oil on potatoes or other veggies when
you roast them...

You don't add oil to a cake pan or a loaf pan when baking bread or cake.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

On Aug 15, 11:35*am, hahabogus > wrote:
>
> To me roasting involves oil...you put a little oil in the roasting pan to
> roast a chicken.

Never heard of that before. To roast a chicken I put it in a pan, or
on a rack in a pan, and put it in the oven. What would be the point
of oil in the pan? -aem
.

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:12:32 -0700 (PDT), aem >
wrote:

>On Aug 15, 11:35*am, hahabogus > wrote:
>>
>> To me roasting involves oil...you put a little oil in the roasting pan to
>> roast a chicken.
>
>Never heard of that before. To roast a chicken I put it in a pan, or
>on a rack in a pan, and put it in the oven. What would be the point
>of oil in the pan? -aem
>.

The most oil I use is a tiny bit to smear on the breast, so that the
skin doesn't tear when I turn the bird over on it's back. Other than
that, I use no oil in the pan, or on the chicken.

I might at some point retry the method from Julia...with buttering the
bird. But so far, I like the way I roast chickens.

Christine

> "Bruce K." > wrote in message
> ...
> My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
> optional convection setting.
>
> My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts
> rather than bakes?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Bruce


http://www.bluesuitmom.com/food/jorj/roasting.html


Ask the Cook
Jorj Morgan is the Director of Lifestyle Content for BlueSuitMom.com.
Her expertise in the culinary field incorporates 25 years of entertaining as
well as owning a successful catering company. She is the author of "At Home
In The Kitchen."


Baking vs. Roasting
Margaret writes, "What is the difference between baked and roasted?
Answer: Basically the cooking term "baking" refers to the method of cooking
food in the dry heat of an oven. According to Williams-Sonoma Cooking
Companion (Time Life Books 2000), the terms "baking" and "roasting' equally
refer to the method of cooking uniform pieces of meat, poultry or vegetables
in a small amount of fat or liquid in an open pan or dish in the hot, dry
air of the oven. "Baking" is most usually associated with the process of
making baked goods like cakes, pies and cookies. While "roasting" generally
refers to meats, poultry, large fish, and vegetables.

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:42:51 -0400, Bruce K.
> wrote:

>My new GE electric oven has a roast and a bake setting with an
>optional convection setting.
>
>My question is what does the oven do differently when it roasts rather
>than bakes?
>
>Thanks for your help.
>
>Bruce

This is just a guess of course because I haven't seen your oven...

Does your oven have a top element? If so, roasting probably involves
using both elements at once... roasting is generally a very high heat
from all directions, but baking heat comes from below and heats
through the pan - if you used the top element while baking it would
burn the top of your cake and spoil it, but you WANT that roasty
darkness on your roast beef.

On Aug 15, 10:08*am, Andy <q> wrote:
> For roasting, you have a roasting pan for things like roast beefs and
> roaster chickens, pork loins, etc., on a roasting rack that allows the
> convection hot air to circulate within the pan and around the foods. In
> general foods you don't want cooking in their own juices are roasted.
>
> Convection also cuts down on time and does brown the roasts nicely and
> evenly.
>
> For items like baked breads, cakes, pies and casseroles, meatloafs, etc. in
> tight fitting pans that normally cook from the bottom and sides, convection
> hot air doesn't help since the air only skims the top of those dishes.

What Andy says is what makes the best sense to me. You can't bake a
roast, nor can you roast a cake.

Karen

Karen said...

> On Aug 15, 10:08*am, Andy <q> wrote:
>> For roasting, you have a roasting pan for things like roast beefs and
>> roaster chickens, pork loins, etc., on a roasting rack that allows the
>> convection hot air to circulate within the pan and around the foods. In
>> general foods you don't want cooking in their own juices are roasted.
>>
>> Convection also cuts down on time and does brown the roasts nicely and
>> evenly.
>>
>> For items like baked breads, cakes, pies and casseroles, meatloafs, etc.
> in
>> tight fitting pans that normally cook from the bottom and sides,
convecti
> on
>> hot air doesn't help since the air only skims the top of those dishes.
>
> What Andy says is what makes the best sense to me. You can't bake a
> roast, nor can you roast a cake.
>
> Karen


Karen,

))

Andy

Andy said...

> Karen said...
>
>> On Aug 15, 10:08*am, Andy <q> wrote:
>>> For roasting, you have a roasting pan for things like roast beefs and
>>> roaster chickens, pork loins, etc., on a roasting rack that allows the
>>> convection hot air to circulate within the pan and around the foods. In
>>> general foods you don't want cooking in their own juices are roasted.
>>>
>>> Convection also cuts down on time and does brown the roasts nicely and
>>> evenly.
>>>
>>> For items like baked breads, cakes, pies and casseroles, meatloafs,
etc.
>> in
>>> tight fitting pans that normally cook from the bottom and sides,
> convecti
>> on
>>> hot air doesn't help since the air only skims the top of those dishes.
>>
>> What Andy says is what makes the best sense to me. You can't bake a
>> roast, nor can you roast a cake.
>>
>> Karen
>
>
> Karen,
>
>))
>
> Andy


What's left to question is the "Roast" and "Bake" button functions.

I have a broil/bake/+convection button operated cheap-o Cuisinart
countertop electric toaster oven.

Did the OP mean broil/bake + convection? He was a tad vague about model
number, etc.

Andy

On Fri 15 Aug 2008 12:26:15p, Christine Dabney told us...

> On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:12:32 -0700 (PDT), aem >
> wrote:
>
>>On Aug 15, 11:35*am, hahabogus > wrote:
>>>
>>> To me roasting involves oil...you put a little oil in the roasting pan
to
>>> roast a chicken.
>>
>>Never heard of that before. To roast a chicken I put it in a pan, or
>>on a rack in a pan, and put it in the oven. What would be the point
>>of oil in the pan? -aem .
>
> The most oil I use is a tiny bit to smear on the breast, so that the
> skin doesn't tear when I turn the bird over on it's back. Other than
> that, I use no oil in the pan, or on the chicken.
>
> I might at some point retry the method from Julia...with buttering the
> bird. But so far, I like the way I roast chickens.
>
> Christine
>

Different strokes. I always rub butter over all the skin.

--
Date: Friday, 08(VIII)/15(XV)/08(MMVIII)

*******************************************
Countdown till Labor Day
2wks 2dys 8hrs 55mins
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I M a tru beleever in hour edukashun
sistum.
*******************************************

I think Kijikit might br right.

I do have upper and lower heating elements and I'll check what goes on
during roasting and baking.

Thanks to all for your help.

Bruce

On Aug 16, 8:19�am, Bruce K. > wrote:
> I think Kijikit might br right.
>
> I do have upper and lower heating elements and I'll check what goes on
> during roasting and �baking.

The top element is your broiler element. With modern ovens both the
top and bottom elements come on initially for preheating, then once
the oven comes to temperature the top element goes off and does not
come back on with subsequent thermostatic cycling.... you no more want
to broil the top of a roast than you do the top of a cake. I'd be
very interested in hearing what GE says regarding it's separate bake
and roast settings (I've never heard of an oven with a roast mode).
Technically no oven roasts, not unless it has a built in rotisserie,
which woul duse the top/broiling element, broiling is roasting... when
one cooks a chicken of a hunk of beef in their oven it's tecnically
baked chicken/beef, not roasted... that's why ovens have bake/broil
functions. We may call it roast beef, but it's baked beef. Please
get back to us on GE's explanation.

Perhaps your GE stove is one of the new Trivection Technology units:
http://www.geappliances.com/products...technology.htm

You didn't read the owner's manual, I betcha.