Oven with steam cleaning

Abstract

An oven is disclosed which includes a heating cavity having a smoker and a steamer in communication with the heating cavity. The smoker and the steamer are operable either alone or in combination for preparation of a food product. The steamer is separately operable to produce steam for cleaning the heating cavity.

1 . An oven comprising a heating cavity having a smoker and a steamer in communication with the heating cavity, wherein the smoker and the steamer are operable either alone or in combination for preparation of a food product and the steamer is separately operable to produce steam for cleaning the heating cavity. 
   
   
       2 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein the steamer is laterally disposed with respect to the heating cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein the smoker is located within the heating cavity. 
   
   
       4 . The oven of  claim 3 , wherein the smoker includes a smoking tray for receiving a smoke producing media and the smoker further includes at least one heating element positioned to heat the smoking tray, the smoking tray being removable from within the heating cavity such that the steamer of the oven is operable without operation of the smoker to clean the oven. 
   
   
       5 . The oven of the  claim 3 , wherein smoker is a smoker box. 
   
   
       6 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein a door provides selective access to the heating cavity. 
   
   
       7 . The oven of  claim 1 , further comprising a drain extending downwardly from the base of the heating cavity. 
   
   
       8 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein the steamer is
 located proximate a fan for circulating a produced steam through the heating cavity and wherein both the steamer and the fan are located on a lateral side of the heating cavity.   
   
   
       9 . A method of operating an oven having a heating cavity with a smoker and a steamer in communication with the heating cavity, the method comprising cleaning the oven using the steamer. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the steamer is laterally disposed with respect to the heating cavity. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the smoker is located within the heating cavity. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the smoker includes a smoking tray for receiving a smoke producing media and the smoker further includes at least one heating element positioned to heat the smoking tray, the smoking tray being removable from within the heating cavity such that the steamer of the oven is operable without operation of the smoker to clean the oven. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the smoker is a smoker box. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a door provides selective access to the heating cavity. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a drain extending downwardly from the base of the heating cavity. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein steam produced by the steamer is circulated through the heating cavity using a fan, and wherein both the fan and the steamer are located laterally of the heating chamber.