microwave /combinations ovens

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Mo
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microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

My microwave touch control stopped working reliably - at first it was the off/clear button (OK, could open the door instead) then that started working but the Start didn't.
mentioned it on Facebook and was offered one by someone who'd had a new kitchen fitted.
So now I have a posh new one with grill and combi oven.
Any tips for using it. How does the timing compare with a microwave or a proper oven.
E.g. if I wanted to make an individual fruit pie using cold but not frozen stewed fruit.
I use a microwave for baked potato and have sometimes finished them off in the oven if I have it on for something else, how long would you give a medium size one in a combi.

What else is it good for?
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wendy
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by wendy »

I have had one for about 12 years. I use it all the time and only used my 'big' oven for Christmas. So not at all now.

All timings are different. But the instructions will tell you how long.
I have very rarely use microwave and oven at the same time and the same with the grill.
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Mo
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

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I struggled to read the instructions. Tiny print and faint colour.
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Freeranger »

I'd suggest searching the intertubes for the instructions for that make & model - it will probably be in there. On ours you can set various microwave powers, and that makes quite a difference to overall cooking time. TBH we don't really use both microwave nd oven together except for frozen things, and it's quite experimental
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Mo
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

So can you use it just as an oven without the microwaves then?
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Mo
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

For many years I resisted such new-fangled things as microwaves. Bought one 20 years ago but hardly used it when there was 2 of us. Just for making a jug of custard. I liked my gas oven. But it really saves waste and washing-up when heating something just for me. - I hate leaving food on the saucepan.
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Spreckly »

I am using my microwave much more now Mo. It is just a simple one, but even then I manage to mess it up. Last week I accidentally punched in three minutes instead of thirty seconds for a small sponge pudding, originally bought for Ted. Steam or smoke coming out of the back, and I thought I had ruined it. The pudding and container were ruined, but after cleaning, using the kitchen fan, and opening the window, the smell decreased. Hope you get the instructions sorted.
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Mo
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

Yes, the first time I tried to reheat a sponge pudding in my first microwave I produced charcoal!

And the one thing I do know about combi ovens (from my daughter's expensive mistake) is not to use that setting to sterilise babies bottles. Not that I'm likely to.
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by wendy »

Mo wrote:So can you use it just as an oven without the microwaves then?



Yes
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

I've just been peering at the booklet. It can Grill or do Combination. Do you mean that the grill is the same as an oven?
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lancashire lass
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by lancashire lass »

Mo wrote:I've just been peering at the booklet. It can Grill or do Combination. Do you mean that the grill is the same as an oven?


Not sure what you mean - I use the grill function on mine to brown toppings (for example, a cottage pie) rather than say, grill bacon or sausage (it would make the oven too messy - instead, I use one of those compact grills (like George Foreman fat reducing grillers) I rarely use the timer to combine cooking functions as I find it easier to do one at a time and check on the food before proceeding with the next function.

wendy wrote:I have had one for about 12 years. I use it all the time and only used my 'big' oven for Christmas. So not at all now.

All timings are different. But the instructions will tell you how long.
I have very rarely use microwave and oven at the same time and the same with the grill.


Like Wendy, I use my combination all the time instead of the big oven as it is so much cheaper to run if you are only cooking a meal for one. And just like the microwave, I just punch in the temperature and timing when using the oven and then leave it until it pings - sometimes you might have to turn food over part way through a cooking process depending on what it is (I cooked a mini turkey roast like you see in the supermarket freezer unit in a foil dish for Christmas dinner ... I defrosted it overnight even though it said cook from frozen and wrapped bacon round to make it taste like "Christmas" so took longer to cook than what it said on the instructions so used my judgement) so I just entered the time to remind me. Like the microwave, you can stop it cooking by opening the door to check if midway through the timer, then shut the door & carry on with the timer countdown. If I was honest, I rarely use the microwave function except for baking potatoes (I could then "brown" the skin using the oven function but I'm not too bothered about that) I probably wouldn't use the combination oven if doing a big baking session and would use the conventional oven instead (and same with something like making a stew or casserole, would use a slow cooker or hob, then transfer to a dish for the combination oven if I wanted to cook a crust on top)

I'm sure you'll quickly get the hang of it and wonder why you never got one much sooner )t'

EDIT: I put an old plate under the metal stand to catch drips and fat splatter as it is easier to wash than having to take the glass bottom plate out every time to clean (I'm always worried about breaking it ...)
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Freeranger »

I suppose it depends what kind you have, Mo, but ours can microwave, cook like an oven, or grill. You can use any one function on its own or perm any two from three. It also has special functions for e.g. defrosting food or cooking baked potatoes - both of which you do by selecting that function and then following instructions to add weight information.
There is an element, like in an electric top oven, that it uses either in grill mode or with a fan to act like a cooker. You do have to be careful not to put food in while you get it up to oven temperature, or it will burn.
In 'combination' you might cook or microwave something and grill to brown the top, for example. Something like a stew you can (in microwavable dish) cook and microwave together to cut down cooking time and use less electricity. You can use that combination for all sorts - baking bread and cakes, for example, when you get the hang of it. The combination works well for most but not all things - it was not good for a crumble, as the fat just melted out straight away.
We mostly, like the others have said, use it as a small oven just in that single mode (it cooked a 5kg turkey, roasties & pigs in blankets this year), or often as microwave-only to heat soup or frozen leftovers - which for us is faster and cheaper than waiting for a hob ring to get to temperature.
If you want to PM me the make and model of your machine I'll try and find the instructions for you online at a size you can read and you can have a play. They really are very useful.
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Mo
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

It's a Panasonic Inverter with 3 buttons. 1 for microwave, next for grill and the last shows microwave and oven. It wouldn't be big enough for a joint. The glass plate is smaller than my old one - it actually fits in the washing-up bowl.
I have only ever used a gas cooker so don't know much about electric ovens. Gas doesn't have a fan.
I have the booklet - instructions & cookbook. So I have times for the combi oven to make e.g. pineapple upside down cake to serve 2. Which Is something to start from.
Just have to play with it. It doesn't give times for a pie. I tried a crumble yesterday thinking it might brown, which it doesn't in a microwave. The (already stewed) fruit was bubbling under the topping before the top had done much.
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Freeranger »

Ooo-er - that's a swanky one! Looks like a very nice acquisition. OH tells me that we can also do all 3 functions on ours together but I never have. It isn't as sophisticated as yours though.

I looked online and I found a link to recipes:

https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/h ... ml#recipes

That should give you a few more clues. I didn't know exactly which of the 5 or so inverter models it was, but went with any. I just started searching 'panasonic inverter' which took me to the company website, then I selected a model and chose the recipe links.
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Mo
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Re: microwave /combinations ovens

Post by Mo »

Interesting. It's none of the present models NN-G371S.
wendy wrote:
Mo wrote:So can you use it just as an oven without the microwaves then?



Yes

I don't think you can with mine. And it doesn't give you a choice of temperatures just 1Mcrowave high+oven high
2 Mwave simmer + oven high
3 Simmer + medium

Thanks everyone. Not sure how much wiser I am, I'll experiment.
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