Steam / Humidity

How do I select the correct amount of humidity when I use my new Cadco Line Chef™ Combination Oven?

     IMPORTANT! You are not destined to failure if you chose 40% humidity where it may have been better choosing 20%.
RELAX…….. Keep it simple, and enjoy the results.
30% is always a great place to start.

     Steam is controlled with the dial in the “Climate” section of the control panel. The green lights indicate the percent of humidity chosen (up to 100%).

Let’s first see what steam does in a roasting or baking application.

• Steam makes heat hotter, so a 325°F oven with steam injected into the cooking chamber performs more like a 350°F oven, as far as cooking time is concerned. It is much the same as when you changed from a conventional oven to a convection oven, and you had to drop your temperatures by about 25°F.
• Steam will also reduce the amount of shrinkage you will get when roasting meats, as well as increase the moisture in your finished product. Combi won’t add moisture to your products during the cooking process but it will increase the amount of moisture retained in your cooked foods.
• The higher the percentage of steam programmed into the cooking chamber, the more time it will take for your food to brown. Humidity slows the browning process.
• Some manufacturers do not even allow you to choose the percent of humidity you use to cook with. They have the humidity preset and you have no say in the matter. Line Chef™ ovens let you control the humidity up to 100% during the cooking process, no matter which mode you have decided to cook in.