Steam and Oven Temperature
In my small countertop oven I'm using water-filled tuna cans to humidify the oven cavity. Each can has an inside diameter of 3 3/16", for a surface area of about 8 sq. in. of water. The cans are placed on the oven floor near the heating elements. The oven thermometer is a Taylor TruTemp. It has been tested and found accurate in boiling water.
With no water vessels in the oven and the temperature control set to maximum, the oven achieves a temperature of approximately 450 F.
With one water vessel (8 sq. in.) the temperature reaches approximately 425 F.
With two water vessels (16 sq. in.) the temperature reaches approximately 400 F.
With three water vessels (24 sq. in.) the temperature reaches approximately 375 F.
What a nice, predictable linear relationship!
That's cool! (Pun intended)
David G
Thanks! I'm glad you found it interesting!
In my small oven, with one vessel of water, the temperature control must be turned all the way up just to maintain a temperature of 425 F. This means the oven's heating elements stay on all the time, that is, they don't cycle on and off to maintain temperature as they would normally, and of course this consumes a lot of energy.
What I think I will do going forward is omit the water vessel inside the oven and moisten the bread by spraying it with water prior to insertion. I can then spray water into the heated oven cavity to generate some steam, and it's fun seeing those big billows of steam. A problem I've had with steam baking is that if the oven doesn't get up to at least 425, the crust doesn't get very brown. I'm not willing to bake for two or more hours just to get the crust brown -- that's excessive.
i use 2 of Sylvia's steaming Pyrex cup measures half full of water with wash towel rolled up inside. Makes great Mega Steam in the small space. My experience with spraying the bread and misting the oven won't work well enough for a 12 minute steam schedule required for an 800 g loaf to spring as it should. It only lasts about a minute.
Here is a Pix
Have you measured the interior oven temp with your steaming apparatus in place? Do you own an oven thermometer?
I got the idea from Cooks Illustrated. I've dedicated a sturdy old pan, filled with lava rocks (one layer only), and keep them on the oven floor. Just before loading, I throw a cup of cold water on the rocks. I load my bread, then usually spray the rocks one more time after about one minute.
Works for for me! The stones do take up room. My oven temp drops alarmingly after a spraying, but my breads get great crust & color, IMHO.