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STANDING TIME
Dense foods e.g. meat, jacket potatoes and cakes, require
standing time(inside or outside of the oven) after cooking, to allow
heat to finish conducting to cook the centre completely. Wrap
meat joints and jacket potatoes in aluminum foil while standing.
Meat joints need approx. 10-15 minutes, jacket potatoes 5
minutes. Other foods such as plated meal, vegetables, fish etc.
require 2-5 minutes standing. After defrosting food, standing time
should also be allowed. If food is not cooked after standing time,
return to the oven and cook for additional time.
MOISTURE CONTENT
Many fresh foods e.g. vegetables and fruit, vary in their moisture
content throughout the season, particularly jacket potatoes. For
this reason cooking times may have to be adjusted. Dry
ingredients e.g. rice, pasta, can dry out during storage so cooking
times may differ.
DENSITY
Porous airy foods heat more quickly than dense heavy foods.
CLING FILM
Cling film helps keep the food moist and the trapped steam
assists in speeding up cooking times. Pierce before cooking to
allow excess steam to escape. Always take care when removing
cling film from a dish as the build-up of steam will be very hot.
SHAPE
Even shapes cook evenly. Food cooks better by microwave when
in a round container rather than square.
SPACING
Foods cook more quickly and evenly if spaced apart. NEVER pile
foods on top of each other.
STARTING TEMPERATURE
The colder the food, the longer it takes to heat up. Food from a
fridge takes longer to reheat than food at room temperature.
LIQUIDS
All liquids must be stirred before and during heating. Water
especially must be stirred before and during heating, to avoid
eruption. Do not heat liquids that have previously been boiled. DO
NOT OVERHEAT.
TURNING & STIRRING
Some foods require stirring during cooking. Meat and poultry
should be turned after half the cooking time.
ARRANGING
Individual foods e.g. chicken portions or chops, should be placed
on a dish so that the thicker parts are towards the outside.
QUANTITY
Small quantities cook faster than large quantities, also small
meals will reheat more quickly than large portions.
PIERCING
The skin or membrane on some foods will cause steam to build
up during cooking. These foods must be pierced or a strip of skin
should be peeled off before cooking to allow the steam to escape.
Eggs, potatoes, apples, sausages etc, will all need to be pierced
before cooking. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BOIL EGGS IN THEIR
SHELLS.
COVERING
Cover foods with microwave cling film or a lid. Cover fish,
vegetables, casseroles, soups. Do not cover cakes, sauces,
jacket potatoes or pastry items.
COOKING TECHNIQUES
