Sometimes the crust is great, other times it’s like biting into drywall.
Yeah, convection can be a gamble with bread. I’ve covered loaves with foil for the first half—helps keep things softer, but you lose some crust crunch. And you’re not imagining it, chicken dries out way faster in convection. I usually drop the temp even more or just stick to conventional for that.
You nailed it about chicken drying out in convection. I learned that the hard way with a batch of thighs—thought I was being clever, but they came out like jerky. Now I only use convection for stuff that actually needs the air movement, like roasting veggies or getting fries crispy. Bread’s a weird one, though. Sometimes convection gives me this gorgeous, even color, but then the inside’s not quite right. I’ve tried the foil trick too, but then the crust’s kinda meh.
Honestly, for most baking, I just stick with conventional. It’s more predictable, especially for cakes and breads. If I’m doing pizza or something where I want that extra crunch, I’ll switch to convection for the last few minutes. That way you get the best of both worlds—soft inside, crispy outside.
One thing I’ve noticed: every oven seems to have its own personality. My old oven ran hot, so convection was a disaster. My current one’s more forgiving, but I still have to keep an eye on it. Thermometers help, but even then it’s a bit of a guessing game.
I don’t think there’s a “right” answer here—it’s just trial and error till you figure out what works in your kitchen. If you’re getting drywall crust, maybe try a pan of water on the bottom rack for steam? That helped me a bit. Or just embrace the rustic vibe and call it artisan...
- Had the same issue with convection and chicken—skin got leathery, meat was dry. Not worth it.
- For bread, I’ve tried the pan of water trick too. Sometimes it helps, but honestly, my crust still ends up tougher than I want.
- My oven’s “convection” setting is more like a turbo jet. Even with temp adjustments, stuff cooks unevenly unless I rotate trays halfway.
- Conventional just feels safer for baking. Less guesswork, fewer surprises.
- Only time convection wins for me is with roasted potatoes or anything you want super crispy. Otherwise, I’m sticking to old-school.
My oven’s “convection” setting is more like a turbo jet. Even with temp adjustments, stuff cooks unevenly unless I rotate trays halfway.
That’s been my experience too—convection just blasts everything, and I end up babysitting the oven more than I’d like. I’m curious, has anyone tried using convection for things like casseroles or lasagna? Wondering if the airflow actually helps with even browning on those, or just dries out the top layer.
Wondering if the airflow actually helps with even browning on those, or just dries out the top layer.
I’ve had mixed luck with casseroles in convection mode. The top gets that nice golden color faster, but sometimes it’s almost too crisp before the inside is bubbling. Maybe my old house oven is extra “enthusiastic,” but I usually end up tenting foil over the dish halfway through. Anyone else notice it seems to dry out cheese more than brown it? Or is that just my 1950s wiring talking...