When to use convection setting vs regular setting

My new house has an oven with bake, convection bake, roast, and convection roast settings. That confuses me. What's the difference between "roast" and "bake", and when should I use the convection version vs regular setting? Note, the oven automatically reduces the temp by 25 degrees if I choose one of the convection options.

lilroseglow
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3 Comments

QueenSashy
QueenSashy February 24, 2017
Without seeing the manual it is hard to say, but here is my guess based on my oven. Bake is the lower heating element. Roast is probably lower and upper. Convection is the lower with the fan on for more uniform heat circulation. Convection mode is my go to mode for most types of baking (unless you really need that crust), because it does tend to bake more evenly. And yes, the recommendation is that when you use convection mode, you run the over about 25F less than the regular bake.
 
Andy L.
Andy L. February 24, 2017
I'm at a loss to explain the difference between "roast" and "bake" settings without knowing what model oven you have. Radiant heat is generally preferred for roasting, and convective heat for baking. Chances are it has do do with which heating elements are activated. Your user manual should contain some guidance. If you don't have the user manual, see if you can find the model number on the oven/range, and Google it. You should be able to find the manual online.

As for convection, it heats food more quickly and evenly, and encourages browning. If you are using a recipe written for a non-convection oven (as most are, unless otherwise stated), the "standard" recommendation is to lower the temperature by 25 degrees, which is what your oven is doing on its own. Start checking for doneness early, and check frequently until you become familiar with your oven.

Here's an excellent article that goes in to considerably more detail on convection cooking:
http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-a-convection-oven-and-when-do-i-use-it-appliance-guides-from-the-kitchen-216549
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff February 24, 2017
It's a little more complicated than this, but the way I think of it is that the convection bake mode uses the lower heating element, while convection roast also uses the upper one. Convection roast supposedly reduces cooking time by up to 30%. I can tell you from experience (I'm new to this too), it browns your food a whole lot more than roasting in a regular oven ever did.
 
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