Abstract: An oven appliance may include a cabinet, a plurality of chamber walls, a heating element, and a controller. The plurality of chamber walls may be mounted within the cabinet. The plurality of chamber walls may define a cooking chamber. The heating element may be mounted within the cooking chamber. The controller may be in operable communication with the heating element. The controller may be configured to initiate a cooking operation that includes receiving a user selection signal indicating an automatic cooking cycle a food item receivable within the cooking chamber, directing the heating element according to a first slow-cook stage, detecting a first threshold condition of the food item within the cooking chamber during the first slow-cook stage, the first threshold condition corresponding to the user selection signal, and directing the heating element according to a second sear stage in response to detecting the first threshold condition.