Euro Appliances: Miele Gives Us Steam

Move over air fryers and juicers – there is a new on-trend appliance in town – the steam oven! Everybody is obsessed with steam ovens at the moment, and with the host of benefits that they offer, it is easy to see why. If you are thinking of bringing one home, read on to get the inside scoop on these popular appliances.

I am sure you have seen some compelling videos of steam cooking on TikTok or Instagram, or maybe you have just heard a good friend raving about how amazing they are – the fact of the matter is that steam ovens are currently having a real moment.

Jon Molyneaux from leading kitchen appliance manufacturer, Miele, says that steam ovens have been around for quite some time already, and have been gaining market traction with the increased cultural shift towards healthier eating: “Miele recognized the huge potential inherent in steam cooking early on, and it has been an industry leader in bringing commercial steam ovens to the residential market since 1998. Today, Miele offers a wide range of steam ovens, steam ovens with integrated microwave, and combi steam ovens (combination of steam and convection oven).”

What do steam ovens do?

Steam ovens may look like conventional ovens, but unlike traditional ovens that cook food using hot air, steam ovens are specifically designed to cook food with hot steam. Instead of using a heating element to heat the air inside the oven cavity, steam ovens bring water to the boil at 100°C, which is the point where water turns to steam, and this steam is injected into the oven cavity. Since water is a much better conductor of heat than air, they will cook your food much quicker, without drying it out. For example, a single serving of salmon will usually take 20 minutes to cook at 200°C in a convection oven, compared to five to eight minutes in a steam oven.

Jon explains: “Miele’s steam ovens generate steam outside of the oven compartment. During the cooking process, the incoming steam completely fills the oven compartment and displaces the oxygen. This results in fast heating, optimum temperature measurement, and it preserves all the natural minerals and vitamins, as well as the natural colour of the food. And because limescale cannot build up in the oven compartment, cleaning Miele steam ovens is particularly easy.”

What makes steam ovens so desirable

The bottom line is that steam ovens are loved because they produce healthier, more nutrient dense, better-looking food. They are also easy to use, and they save you time as they cook the food faster. Jon elaborates: “The high heat in traditional convection ovens usually destroys essential nutrients such as Vitamin C and folate for example. Steam cooking on the other hand, preserves and locks them into your food. You also don’t have to use any oil when steaming your food, which makes it less calorific and much healthier.”

He says that aside from conventional steam cooking, steam ovens are amazing for a number of other tasks as well: “Steam ovens are absolutely ideal for reheating food – they reheat it more evenly than a microwave would, and your food won’t dry out or lose its texture. They are also great for cooking rice or grain quickly, without having to monitor it to avoid burning the bottom, the way you would on a hob. They can be used to prove dough and to make yoghurt. And they are ideal for quickly defrosting food – your food won’t partially cook the way it would when defrosting it in a microwave.”

He says that you can also use steam ovens for cooking food in the sous-vide method, which involves cooking things like meat, fish, or vegetables gently and at low temperatures over a prolonged period. The results are incredibly aromatic and flavourful meals, and the food retains is appearance, shape, vitamins, and minerals.

What’s more, notes Jon, is that you can cook several dishes at once: “Fish, meat, potatoes and vegetables – you can cook them at the same time and there will be no cross-flavouring. This means that you can cook fish at the same time as a chocolate torte, without getting a ‘fishy’ dessert! With Miele’s Automatic Menu Cooking, you can cook up to three different foods at the same time. Our steam ovens will automatically select the right temperature, cooking duration and sequence for you – allowing you to prepare an entire meal in just one cooking process.”

The best of both

Although steam cooking is great, there are instances when you will require dry heat for roasting, baking, and browning. For this, combination steam ovens are the answer. They combine the capabilities of a steam oven with those of a convection oven. These modes can thus be used separately or in conjunction.

Jon explains that combination steam ovens offer great flexibility for the best baking and roasting results: “Combination cooking provides you with the optimal mix of moisture and dry heat to achieve the perfect cooking environment for almost any imaginable recipe – from baked breads to mouth-watering roasts. Freely select between a combination of steam and another baking or roasting function. You can also adjust both the temperature (30°C to 225°C) and moisture content at 1% intervals (0% to 100%) as many as six times in rapid succession to ensure that the food is perfectly cooked.”

Automatic programmes

Some higher-end steam ovens, such as those from Miele for example, offer automatic programmes that take the guess work out of cooking: “How long does rice take to cook? How about vegetables? When cooking with a Miele steam oven, its automatic programmes will select the ideal temperature and duration for you. All you have to do is specify the degree of cooking you prefer, and the rest is taken care of. Miele’s automatic cooking allows you to cook a whole meal perfectly, and without any stress.”

About Euro Appliances:

Euro Appliances is an accredited supplier of the finest names in kitchen appliances. Select from trusted international brands like Miele and bring home the best appliances to transform your kitchen.

Find their latest catalogue online – where the industry loves to shop – at www.sadecor.co.za/supplier/euro-appliances.