Abstract: A cooking appliance is provided herein. A heating element is configured to generate heat for cooking a food item. A user interface is configured to allow selection of a cooking program for cooking the food item and includes a sear feature that is selectable while a selected cooking program is underway. Selection of the sear feature increases a cooking temperature to a maximum cooking temperature without otherwise interrupting the selected cooking program that is underway.

Abstract: A cooking appliance is provided herein. A heating element is configured to generate heat for cooking a food item. A user interface is configured to allow selection of a cooking program for cooking the food item and includes a sear feature that is selectable while a selected cooking program is underway. Selection of the sear feature increases a cooking temperature to a maximum cooking temperature without otherwise interrupting the selected cooking program that is underway.

Abstract: A method of operating a household oven to bake a casserole with the introduction of steam and controlling the steam to maintain a predetermined level of humidity to control the level of browning of the casserole.

Abstract: A method of operating a household oven to cook vegetables using steam during a cooking cycle.

Abstract: A method of operating a household oven to bake a casserole with the introduction of steam and controlling the steam to maintain a predetermined level of humidity to control the level of browning of the casserole.

Abstract: A method of baking bread using steam in an automated household oven with a cooking cavity and a steam system for introducing steam into the cooking cavity comprises determining a presence of bread in the cooking cavity and introducing steam into the cooking cavity upon a positive determination of the presence of bread. After the positive determination, the steam is introduced into the cavity to maintain a desired relative humidity in the cavity for a predetermined period of time to aid in formation of a moist, flexible crust on the bread, and the amount of steam introduced into the cavity decreases after the predetermined period of time. The cavity can be preheated and prehumidified prior to the determining of the presence of the bread in the cooking cavity.

Abstract: A method of operating a household oven to cook vegetables using steam during a cooking cycle.

Abstract: A method of operating a household oven to bake a casserole with the introduction of steam and controlling the steam to maintain a predetermined level of humidity to control the level of browning of the casserole.

Abstract: A method of baking a dessert using steam in an automated household oven comprises a first heating step where a heating system preheats a cooking cavity to a first temperature at a first heating rate and a second heating step where the heating system preheats the cooking cavity from the first temperature to a second temperature at a second heating rate less than the first heating rate. The first temperature is preferably about the boiling point of water, and a steam system introduces steam into the cooking cavity to facilitate baking of the dessert after the cooking cavity reaches the first temperature. A convection fan of the heating system is active during the first and second heating steps to help circulate air and steam in the cooking cavity and becomes inactive later in the baking method.

Abstract: A dual-heating element oven comprising a bake heating element and a broil heating element in combination with a control system that permits the selective alteration of the output of the broil heating element by the user to control the browning of a food item during the bake cycle.