If it is time for you to choose a tray for your professional oven, you have probably seen that there are multiple options in the market. Trays are essential accessories in industrial kitchens to obtain optimum cooking results, but you may not know which one will meet your needs. For this reason, we have decided to give you some keys that will make you always succeed in your choice. Will you join us?
Trays made of resistant materials
Do you need a tray that can withstand high temperatures? Are you looking for gentle cooking without heavy loads? One of the fundamental points to bear in mind is that the material with which the trays of professional ovens are made delimits part of their use. It is obvious that this one has to be of quality and resistant, but there are two metals very used for the manufacture of trays that show some differences. Here we show you what they are:
Both aluminium and stainless steel are recurring materials in trays for professional ovens because they are durable and do not break when falling or hitting. But not only does it matter what metal the trays are made of, you should consider another point when choosing the best one for your bar or restaurant: its shape.
The use of the tray according to its shape
Grill or perforated tray? Which one should I use in my recipes? The shape of the trays for professional ovens also has a direct influence on the food that can be cooked in them. Knowing the most commonly used tray models will allow you to give your dishes the desired touch of golden or crispy, homogeneity… The types of tray for ovens according to their shape are classified in:
1. Smooth, perforated and enamelled trays:trays for professional ovens that can be made of stainless steel or aluminium and useful for preparing a large number of dishes such as roasts, rice dishes, pastas, steamed vegetables… What makes them different from each other? On the one hand, smooth and enamelled trays are used for the same tasks, such as making a sauce; but the enamelled one in particular has a non-stick substance and can withstand higher temperatures. On the other hand, perforated trays allow air to circulate below the food, which is highly recommended for vacuum cooking, steam cooking or for bakery and pastry recipes.
2. Griddles:there are two types of griddles. One is made of non-stick aluminium and has a flat surface for cooking breads, sweets or grilled food without sticking. Others are usually made of stainless steel and have two sides:a slotted side for baking grilled vegetables or fish; and a smooth side for pizzas. Without a doubt, they are an effective ally for your kitchen.
3. Grilling plates and stainless grills: with this type of trays the heat is distributed evenly in the food. They allow you to get crunchy textures as they are suitable for baking at very high temperatures. If you want to give foods the appearance of marked on the fire we recommend the grills, as their stainless steel bars are designed for this purpose. But if you want to roast whole chickens, potatoes or other pieces, grills are all you need.
4. Trays for eggs and bread: there are trays for professional ovens that, due to their shape, are used to cook specific foods. This is the case of the eggs tray, a griddle with several cracks that will allow you to obtain large productions of this food. You can also use it as a mould for tortillas, pancakes… since all of them will keep their round appearance during cooking. Are you a baker? In that case you should know the bread tray, which has perforations and a wavy surface to place baguettes or other pieces without the risk of deformation.
5. Basket for deep frying:Frying in a professional oven is healthy because little extra oil and fat is added to the food. To keep them from burning, you will need a frying basket, a kind of grid-shaped oven tray that allows cooking in convection mode a variety of foods such as potatoes, breaded fillets…
The size of the tray: measure Gastronorm
The last step to choose the best tray for your professional oven will be determined by the size of your machinery. Thanks to the European Standard EN-631, kitchen accessories such as ovens, buckets, containers, cold and hot trolleys… are governed by the standard measure Gastronorm (abbreviated in its initials GN).
Usually the standard professional baking tray is the Gastronorm 1/1 tray (530×325 mm). However, there are other options such as the Gastronorm 2/1 tray, whose width is twice the Gastronorm 1/1 tray, and also smaller ones such as a Gastronorm 1/2 tray or a GN 2/4. A last detail to consider in your choice is the depth of the Gastronorm trays, also regulated by the same standard. Depending on the height of the pieces to be cooked or the quantity of food to be baked, the depth of a GN tray may be 10 mm, 20 mm, 40 mm, 65 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm and up to 200 mm. Did you know this data?
We hope that with this article we have helped you to recognize each type of tray for your professional oven and to choose the most suitable one for each occasion. If you know another tray model that we have not mentioned, do not hesitate to share it with us.
CUISINE CRAFT CO.,LTD
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