Getting to grips with my halogen oven

[Sandra Piddock]

When we were in the UK last month, we treated ourselves to a halogen oven. It was a bargain at £35 from B & M, but I've been a bit wary of it - I'm not all that good with technology! I tried a coq au vin in there, and that turned out well for my first effort, although the veggies could have done with longer before the chicken went in, as they were a bit hard.

Last weekend, I did a roast pork loin in there, and roast potatoes, and it turned out really well. In fact, with a halogen oven, you don't need to use so much fat, so it's healthier roasties!

I do have a halogen cook book, but I'm wondering if anybody here has had some real successes with their halogen oven that they'd like to share?

 

[MyDigitalpoint]

Not really, I must say that I receive one of these oven in my birthday and I published immediately in eBay because it scared me as much as those Coleman butane camping stoves.

 

[Yorky]

It's 2 years later now and recently I've heard only good reports about these. I have an old Singer gas oven which, to not put a finer point on it, is absolutely useless (inaccurate temperature gauge and virtually non-existent insulation).

Does anyone here have recent experience of these "ovens"? They range from US$ 20.00 to US$ 40.00 here so it's not really a big outlay.

 

[Morning Glory]

It's 2 years later now and recently I've heard only good reports about these. I have an old Singer gas oven which, to not put a finer point on it, is absolutely useless (inaccurate temperature gauge and virtually non-existent insulation).

Does anyone here have recent experience of these "ovens"? They range from US$ 20.00 to US$ 40.00 here so it's not really a big outlay.

More like 3 years later! Neither of these posters have been seen since 2014 though!

Do you know, I have thought about getting one but I'm so incredibly short of kitchen space that there would be nowhere to put it! Sounds like it could be a solution for the currently oven-less @SatNavSaysStraightOn.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

More like 3 years later! Neither of these posters have been seen since 2014 though!

Do you know, I have thought about getting one but I'm so incredibly short of kitchen space that there would be nowhere to put it! Sounds like it could be a solution for the currently oven-less @SatNavSaysStraightOn.

I now have a functioning but temperature gague-less gas oven that takes an eternity to warm up and is significantly hotter at the bottom than top so needs a baking sheet on the lowest shelf possible if it is not to burn everything on the bottom. We have a separate temperature visage in it which is very old but more accurate than the ovens. We need to get a new visage though. But I intend to talk with the agents on Wednesday when they do their inspection. I'll cite it as useless but I can if I'm careful cook in it. We'll see what if anything happens.

 

[Cinisajoy]

More like 3 years later! Neither of these posters have been seen since 2014 though!

Do you know, I have thought about getting one but I'm so incredibly short of kitchen space that there would be nowhere to put it! Sounds like it could be a solution for the currently oven-less @SatNavSaysStraightOn.

I thought about getting one too. I changed my mind for 4 reasons. The design, the space it takes, the wattage and a big toaster oven will hold more and is easier to use. Mostly the space and design factors.

 

[Morning Glory]

I now have a functioning but temperature gague-less gas oven that takes an eternity to warm up and is significantly hotter at the bottom than top so needs a baking sheet on the lowest shelf possible if it is not to burn everything on the bottom. We have a separate temperature visage in it which is very old but more accurate than the ovens. We need to get a new visage though. But I intend to talk with the agents on Wednesday when they do their inspection. I'll cite it as useless but I can if I'm careful cook in it. We'll see what if anything happens.

Best to say to the agent that it doesn't work at all!

Apparently the halogen ovens cook things much faster so are more fuel efficient. I wish I could try one out.... I'm tempted to buy one as they aren't expensive. Oh if only I had a big kitchen! I don't know how they would work for bread though.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I don't know how they would work for bread though.

you need to be able to create a steam environment for sourdough. Luckily for me, wrt temperature, sourdough is not that temperamental. It can take 45 mins or 90 mins. It is quite happy with either tbh!

Best to say to the agent that it doesn't work at all!

the ignitor switch blew the fuse in the circuit breaker when we first moved in and hasn't worked since (I have replaced the 'fuse'... it is in quotes for a reason. strangely I found a packet of wire of the correct voltage for that circuit in the outside circuit board. I wonder why? But this time around we have been unable to get the ignitor switch working again. There is no additional fuse in the gas cookers electricity plug (usually how they power the ignitor that or a D cell battery but they are very old school now in the UK and I can't see Australia allowing them) and nowhere on the back of the cooker where a panel could be removed and a fuse changed... so I am at a loss and had to by a BBQ gas lighter. But with all the work that has had to be done on the house to get it up to scratch, I can't see the landlord buying a new LPG gas cooker (they are not the same as normal mains cookers btw).

 

[Morning Glory]

you need to be able to create a steam environment for sourdough. Luckily for me, wrt temperature, sourdough is not that temperamental. It can take 45 mins or 90 mins. It is quite happy with either tbh!

the ignitor switch blew the fuse in the circuit breaker when we first moved in and hasn't worked since (I have replaced the 'fuse'... it is in quotes for a reason. strangely I found a packet of wire of the correct voltage for that circuit in the outside circuit board. I wonder why? But this time around we have been unable to get the ignitor switch working again. There is no additional fuse in the gas cookers electricity plug (usually how they power the ignitor that or a D cell battery but they are very old school now in the UK and I can't see Australia allowing them) and nowhere on the back of the cooker where a panel could be removed and a fuse changed... so I am at a loss and had to by a BBQ gas lighter. But with all the work that has had to be done on the house to get it up to scratch, I can't see the landlord buying a new LPG gas cooker (they are not the same as normal mains cookers btw).

Be brave. You are paying the rent. The place ought to be up to scratch. What's to lose?

Re the bread. Have you managed to get a new sourdough going?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Be brave. You are paying the rent. The place ought to be up to scratch. What's to lose?

Re the bread. Have you managed to get a new sourdough going?

Oh yep. Its very active and I have already made several loaves with it. There is also a small batch of cashew nut cheese 'growing' with it as an experiment as well because it has a kind of sour really cheesey smell to the culture when it has been going for several weeks without being fed and I thought... well whats the worst that can happen? I through it away and feed the septic tank? that brand new one that was put in a couple of months ago...

 

[Morning Glory]

Oh yep. Its very active and I have already made several loaves with it. There is also a small batch of cashew nut cheese 'growing' with it as an experiment as well because it has a kind of sour really cheesey smell to the culture when it has been going for several weeks without being fed and I thought... well whats the worst that can happen? I through it away and feed the septic tank? that brand new one that was put in a couple of months ago...

So how are you cooking the loaves? In that faulty oven? I really must get into sourdough. I made a dough the other day and left it overnight to rise. Well, it was late morning next day before I shaped and left it to prove. It had a distinctly sour taste (so good!).

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

So how are you cooking the loaves? In that faulty oven? I really must get into sourdough. I made a dough the other day and left it overnight to rise. Well, it was late morning next day before I shaped and left it to prove. It had a distinctly sour taste (so good!).

Yep, the only thing now wrong is that the thermostat does not work. Well it doesn't relate to the gauge. 250C is eventually around 250C but 170C is around 120C. And because of the LPG pressure it takes a long time to warm up (at least currently it does). The rings and hot water work fine other than the ignition switch.