Halogen Ovens – Small, Fast and Fun

A halogen oven is not a toaster oven, its is a special kind of freestanding mini oven that works with a combination of infrared heating and a convection fan. This combination gives a cooking speed that is very close to the speed of a microwave but with all the culinary advantages of a traditional oven such as crispiness of the food, a nice crust on your roasts and a very evenly cooking in general. You even can cook food directly from frozen in them. Preparation methods you can use are boiling, roasting, grilling, barbecuing, frying, steaming and every imaginable combination thereof. Additionally a halogen oven allows for low fat cooking, making it so easier for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet. They are easy to clean, the power cord detaches easily and then it is just a question of hot, soapy water, a soft sponge and a good rinse with water. They are customizable with racks and extender rings, making them so adjustable to cook many different dishes.

Halogen ovens have also other advantages such as the saving of energy and space. This kind of oven fits in small kitchen and can be easily stored away in a cupboard when not in use. When in use, they heat up very quickly and cook your food fast, this helps you to save time, energy and ultimately costs. They are easy to use, but also if they come with a manual, it is a good idea to buy a halogen oven cook book also. This way you get a good idea of how many diverse dishes are possible to prepare with it. As all ovens they come with timer and temperature controls that allow you to have complete control over the cooking process. As the oven heats up so quickly it is ideal to seal in the juices in a roast by forming a crust quickly. And not only this, the same system also allows you to cook all parts of a meal together without mixing or blending the flavors. Means you can prepare your roast and your roast potatoes at the same time and in the same dish. Just make sure to choose a oven that is large enough to prepare the size of meals you and your family need.

Some more halogen oven tips

• Make sure you choose one with a glass bowl or at least a very high quality PC bowl to make sure that it is not only easy to clean but also doesn’t leak any plastic into your food.

• Halogen ovens are not only great to prepare food, they are also ideal to re-heat leftovers in an energy saving way. The re-heated food will be so much crispier as when you re-heat it in a microwave.

• You can cook a variety of dishes in them, like for example: all sorts of meet and poultry, sausages, fish, vegetables, fries and seafood. All of it with no or minimum fat or oil necessary.

• If you plan to cook something really messy, you might want to line the bowl out with foil, which makes the cleaning so much easier after wards.

• It is ideal for slow cooking and a very energy efficient method to do so.

• It may pay out to play around with the recommended temperature settings and try out what works best for you. Learn to know your new kitchen appliance and be not afraid to experiment with it.

• Do yourself a favor and get a dedicated halogen oven cook book, it will really open your eyes for the possibilities you have with it.

• In summer you will appreciate that a mini oven like this doesn’t heat up the whole house like a normal sized one will do.

• This kind of oven makes a great gift for young people that just move into their first home or university dorm due to its space saving design and ease of use.

• Ideal for people that want to learn to cook, you can observe your food easily whilst it is prepared, avoiding mistakes and preventing burning it.

• Less danger of burning yourself as with a traditional oven as you operate on eye level. Therefor also better for your back

• Fascinating for children as they can watch the food cooking and learn so what it takes to prepare a meal.

Summary

If you are looking for a small, tabletop oven that heats up quickly, cooks fast and is easy to clean – An halogen oven might be the right choice for you. Additional benefits include low fat cooking and the possibility to keep an eye on your meal whilst it prepares itself.