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1. Select and make the proper rack arrangement for
the product to be cooked.
2. Turn or push the main power switch on (gas
oven—turn burner valve on). Set the thermostat to the
recommended temperature. The thermostat signal light
will light when the power goes on. If possible, adjust
the fan speed on the two-speed blower.
3. Preheat oven until the thermostat signal light
goes out indicating that the oven has reached the desired
temperature. The oven should preheat to 350°F within
10 to 15 minutes. (NOTE: To conserve energy, do not
turn on the oven until absolutely necessary—
approximately 15 minutes before actual cooking is to
start.)
4. Open the oven doors and load the oven quickly
to prevent excessive loss of heat. Load the oven from
the top, centering the pans on the rack toward the front
of the oven. Place partial loads in the center of the oven.
Allow 1 to 2 inches of space between the pans and along
the oven sides to permit good air circulation.
Remember—overloading is the major cause of
nonuniform baking and roasting.
5. Close the oven doors and set the timer for the
desired cooking time.
Check periodically until the
product is ready for removal.
TEMPERATURE SETTINGS.— Follow the
recommended temperature guidelines provided either in
the manufacturer’s operating manual or those furnished
in the AFRS, NAVSUP P-7, or reduce the temperatures
specified on the recipe cards by 50°F. If food is cooked
around the edges, but the center is still raw or not
thoroughly cooked, or if there is too much color
variation (some is normal), reduce the heat by 15°F to
25°F and return food to the oven. If necessary, continue
to reduce the heat on successive loads until the desired
results are achieved.
Record the most successful
temperature on the recipe card for future reference.
TIME SETTINGS.— Follow the recommended
times provided in the manufacturer’s operating manual,
or follow the guidelines in the AFRS. Check progress
halfway through the cooking cycle since time will vary
with the quality of food loaded, the temperature, and the
type of pan used.
Remember, the use of meat
thermometers for roasting and the visual examination of
baked products are the most accurate methods of
determining the desired cooking times, both in
convection and conventional ovens.
VENT DAMPER CONTROL SETTING.— The
vent damper control is located on or near the control
panel. The damper should be kept closed for most foods
of low moisture content such as roasts. Leaving the vent
open during roasting will produce a dry meat and result
in excessive shrinkage.
The damper should be kept open when baking items
with high moisture content (cakes, muffins, yeast bread,
and so forth). Leaving the damper closed throughout a
baking cycle will produce cakes that are too moist and
ones that will not rise. A “cloud” of water droplets on
the oven window indicates excessive moisture that
should be vented out of the oven through the open
damper.
INTERIOR OVEN LIGHTS.— Turn on lights
only when loading, unloading, or checking the product.
The continual burning of lights will result in a shortened
bulb life.
TIMER.— The oven timer will ring only as a
reminder; it has no control over the functioning of the
oven. To assure proper operation, you should wind the
timer to the maximum setting, then turn it back to the
setting desired for the particular product.
Care and Cleaning
Keep the inside of the oven and racks clean. If food
particles or carbon accumulates so that doors cannot be
tightly closed, heat is wasted and the oven will not
operate properly. Poorly closed doors permit a constant
escape of steam and vapor around the door. The vapor
will condense and deteriorate the finish around the oven
front and door lining.
The rule for all electrical appliances is to make sure
the proper tag-out procedures have been followed.
When cleaning the interior of the oven, it is
important to bear in mind that the aluminum coating,
though tightly adherent, is still a coating. To preserve
the coating and to make maintenance easier, clean the
interior daily when the oven is cold with a mild detergent
or soap and water. This will prevent food and dirt from
“baking on” and will frequently be all the cleaning that
is necessary.
If soil resists soap and water cleaning, use a wooden
tool to loosen spillage from the cold oven. Follow with
a nonetching cleaner that is specifically recommended
for aluminized steel. Use clear water to rinse; dry with
a soft clean cloth. Avoid using wire brushes and caustic
solutions such as lye, soda ash, or ammonia.
l When the oven liner features stainless steel the
following rules apply:
4-7
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