How to use a Halogen Cooker

If you have never seen one in action, here goes…

The lid has a stand ( except the cookers with integral hinged lids ) make sure you have it placed on the work surface ready, when the cooker is hot it is essential to have the stand ready. Also be careful with the hot lid, this is when damage to the lamp can occur, always be gentle placing the lid down on the stand or back on the cooker.

Load the cooker 

These ovens are supplied with wire racks. The food is cooked by circulating hot air, so you must ensure that the air can reach the underside. In practice some foods may need to be turned during cooking, to ensure good results. Use a low wire rack for cooking, baking, re heating and roasting, use the higher rack for grilling.

 

Set up the temperature and the time

It really couldn’t be simpler. Treat cookery books as guides only, you will soon be able to adjust normal recipes for the Halogen cooker. There are plenty of tips on this site for cooking different dishes.

US-Morningware1-450Here is the lamp and fan at work circulating the hot air around the bowl.

Notice the Thaw/Wash setting, the heat and fan are used to create waves that wash the dish clean after use…. now that takes some beating!

24 thoughts on “How to use a Halogen Cooker”

  1. I’m cooking a roast chicken today for the first time. As it is the first time I’m just doing sprouts and roast potatoes with the chicken. Do you have any advice on wether I should put them all in at the same time or start with the chicken and add the veg later? Any advice is welcome.

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    • A little experimentation will be needed to fully get to know your halogen. Although the power and size of different brands are very similar its amazing how different each model can be in practice. My own halogen oven produces the best results with Chicken and vegetables , when the chicken is cut in half, turn every 20 mins, try not to drip the juices onto the veg below and carefully view the juices for colour or monitor with a meat thermometer to make sure its cooked through. You can use the extender ring especially if you have a big bird, it will make the cooking time much longer, but prevents splatter in the element area and avoids overcooking the top. When turning the meat, place it off centre on its rack, then turn the bowl a third of a turn each time, this prevents any problem with hot spots! By noting the cooking time carefully you will quickly build up your own sheet of perfect cooking instructions for different dishes.

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  2. Nice to have some use info, one thing I`d like to know is the noise level when cooking, no one seems to give this.

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    • I can say that my own appliance, the Andrew James unit is quiet in use, it wouldn’t annoy anyone. My friend, who first introduced me to these marvels bought a cheaper supermarket model and although you can hear it when the fan starts, I wouldn’t say it was obtrusive, in fact their kitchen is open plan with the dining room / lounge and they happily watch TV when its in use.

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  3. Cannot get used to mine, cakes over cooked on top ,raw in middle, pastry overcooked on top, uncooked on bottom,. Cannot turn all items over to ensure cooking on the bottom, such as marangue which I tried this week. Things on top rack seem ok but have to be turned frequently. Finding it very difficult to adapt normal everyday meals to Halogen, for timing, temperature, and placement in the halogen oven. Wish I and never bought one!

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    • I’ve heard this comment a few times, but just use the extended ring, it takes the heat source a little further away, reducing the overcooking on top, you may have to extend the time a little. Persevere! its worth it for the superb results the Halogen Cooker is capable of. Note that a lot of the hype including the manufacturers own descriptions, are often a bit too concerned about reducing the cooking time. Using the extender ring, my own cooking results have improved a lot, ok it takes 5 minutes more…

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    • Phoebe, l think you are trying to run before you can walk with it. Forget Cakes etc until u are 100% confident using it. Start off baking a Jacket Potato. Then when that is baked thro, halve the potato and prepare it by say mashing the potato then sprinkle grated cheese over the top. Then put it back into the oven to brown nicely. Simple things like this will give you confidence. Ready meals are expremely easy to cool thro. l always leave the temp 180 deg, and never alter it, even when its not in use, keep it at 180. This is a med hot oven. Good Luck

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  4. We tried ours for the first time last night and although the chicken was cooked ok the potatoes and carrots which we added after the first 20 minutes were hard, dry and wrinkled. What did we do wrong? Not awfully impressed so far!

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  5. Hi just cooked whole chicken and veg or 1and half hrs chicken was cooked enough but veg really crunchy I’m going to persiveer and get it right

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  6. Sue I just used mine for the first time…Chicken perfect but veg the same as yours, let me know if you figure it out 🙂

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  7. It’s crazy how more people haven’t caught on to halogen ovens isn’t it? Great website though, lots of tips for halogen oven users. It’d be great if there were more recipes that utilise the whole halogen oven, like big dishes.

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  8. Been lucky enough to have been bought a halogen oven which i had spoken about weeks ago
    Problem is :
    I’ve never ever seen one work yet alone use one
    Love to be able to use this halogen for a roast chicken and vegetables for family of 4
    Has anyone got any ideas
    How i use this ?
    How long it will take?
    Is there anything special i should look for so my dinner doesnt get ruined in any way?
    How do i set it all up and use for first time please as no instructions with this but my friend has e mailed the firm but sometimes people can help better then books / printed instructions etc but i am sure the firm will reply with the instructions that should have been in the box
    So the simplest instructions would be so greatfully appreciated
    Any advice in any way would be so very much appreciated THANKS

    Reply
    • My recipe http://besthalogencooker.com/recipes/roast-chicken/ shows the best way that I have found. Obviously different makes and models will vary, the temperature and time are from my own Andrew James model and for the size of bird in the ingredients. Follow the basic steps and test as suggested. Once you get it right for your oven, you will get great , tasty results every time.
      Note: Try the chicken alone at first, although you can do other things simultaneously, it can be more difficult,

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  9. We have just bought a Halogen oven and I want to cook Lamb Shanks in it. I normally do these in a rich red wine gravy with vegetables but I can’t find a recipe for my Halogen oven – can anyone help and are you able to cook it all in there like a stew?

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  10. Hi ive just got the andrew James 7ltr halogen oven today and it’s bit smaller than I thought it would be ie the rack diameter. can you use both of the racks at the same time so for example cook a chop on the lower rack and chips on the higher rack as it looks like it would be too small to put both on one rack.
    Also I have ordered a pizza oven mesh to turn it into a air fryer as they don’t do an air fryer accessory for this size.

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  11. I have recently been given a Halogen cooker. Question: Can I make a pot roast in the actual glass bowl or do I have to put it in a casserole dish? I want to do do a piece of Brisket and slowly cook it in a rich gravy — does this all have to go in a dish or can the actual bowl be used to cook the pot roar.

    many thanks,

    Anthony

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    • No, use a casserole dish to sit inside the halogen bowl and place it on the lower wire rack, trying to cook it in the main bowl will be very unlikely to succeed.

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    • Of course!
      Start by putting the rice into a suitable dish, I use a round pyrex glass bowl. Add about twice as much BOILING water as rice, so for my bowl and 250g of rice, i pour on enough water to cover it plus about 3/4 inch. Turn the halogen on full power and try between 15 and 20 minutes to get the sort of result you like. My long grain white rice takes 20 minutes. Drain and pour boiling water through a seive, if its fluffy enough serve or return to the bowl for a short while, so it absorbs more water, then serve.

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    • I use the low rack, sitting in the bottom of the halogen bowl and I usually ( depending on bird size ) use the extender ring , raising the heat source which helps prevent burning. Turn the chicken half way thru. More tips on cooking chicken can be found under the hints and tips tab in the menu (Roast Chicken) ( Cooking from Frozen) (Chicken and Veg) . More articles to be added as soon as I can.

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