Can You Use a Steam Oven as a Slow Cooker?

If you own a steam oven or combi-steam oven and a slow cooker is still sitting on your bench taking up space, you may not need it anymore. Steam ovens can replicate slow cooking results with better control, shorter cooking times and superior moisture retention. Here is how to make the switch.

Key Takeaways

A steam oven can replace a slow cooker for most recipes, including casseroles, stews, soups, curries and braises
Cooking times reduce to roughly one third to one half of the original slow cooker time
Less liquid is required because steam ovens operate in a sealed, moist environment
Steam levels need adjusting depending on whether you are cooking meat or vegetables

Converting Slow Cooker Settings

Slow cookers use vague settings like low, medium and high that vary between brands. Steam ovens give you precise temperature and humidity control, which produces more consistent results.

For vegetable-based dishes, soups and legumes, use full steam. Set the temperature to 85°C for canned or pre-cooked beans and pulses, and 100°C for fresh vegetables or dried uncooked legumes.

For dishes containing meat or poultry, use a combination steam setting. Chicken and tender cuts cook well at 150 to 160°C with around 30% steam (sometimes labelled Level 1 or Low Steam depending on your oven). Tougher cuts like beef cheeks, lamb shoulder or pork belly benefit from a lower temperature of 130 to 140°C at the same steam level, which breaks down collagen slowly and produces a tender, shreddable result.

Adjusting Cooking Times

This is where steam ovens really shine over slow cookers. Most recipes translate at roughly one third to one half of the original cooking time.

A casserole that takes 6 hours on low in a slow cooker will typically be ready in 2 to 3 hours in a steam oven. A recipe calling for 8 hours will generally convert to 3 to 4 hours.

A few variables affect this. Grain-fed meat tends to tenderise faster than grass-fed. Naturally tender cuts always cook faster than tough braising cuts. The size and thickness of pieces also matters.

Start checking dishes earlier than you expect. Meat is ready when it separates easily into soft, moist shreds when tested with a fork. Because the cooking process is faster, overcooking is a more likely mistake than undercooking.

Use Less Liquid

This is the most important adjustment to get right. Because a steam oven operates in a sealed, moist environment, liquid does not evaporate the way it does in a slow cooker or conventional oven.

For meat-based recipes, reduce liquid quantities by half. For vegetable-based dishes, you may not need to add any liquid at all. Vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini release significant moisture during cooking, and in a sealed steam oven that moisture stays in the dish rather than steaming away.

When reducing liquid, be mindful of flavour. If a recipe relies on stock for both volume and seasoning, switch to a more concentrated stock or paste to maintain depth of flavour without the excess liquid. If you find a dish is too wet after cooking, simply remove some of the sauce or reduce it briefly on the cooktop.

Managing Steam Levels

Getting the steam level right is what separates a good steam oven slow-cook result from a great one.

For vegetable dishes, soups and legumes, higher steam levels of 80 to 100% are ideal, provided you have already reduced liquid quantities. The moist environment speeds up cooking and keeps everything tender.

For meat-based dishes, keep steam at around 30% (Low or Level 1). Higher steam levels can cause meat to become waterlogged and lose texture. The lower setting provides enough humidity to prevent drying while allowing the meat to develop a proper braised texture.

Which Steam Ovens Do We Recommend?

At Reilly’s Designer Appliances in Bendigo, we stock combi-steam ovens from Miele, ASKO, Fisher & Paykel, Neff, Smeg and more. Each brand approaches steam cooking slightly differently, and the right choice depends on your kitchen layout, cooking style and budget.

If you are curious about steam cooking and would like to see how a combi-steam oven works in practice, come in and talk to us at 119-121 Mitchell Street, Bendigo. We can walk you through the options and help you find the right oven for the way you cook.

Call 03 5442 1355 or email sales.reillys@designerappliances.com.au.