SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT MICROWAVING
6
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
ARCING
FOODS
Arcing is the microwave term
for sparks in the oven. Arcing
is caused by:
• Metal or foil touching the
side of the oven.
• Foil not molded to food
(upturned edges act like
antennas).
• Metal, such as twist-ties,
poultry pins, or gold-rimmed
dishes, in the microwave.
• Recycled paper towels
containing small metal
pieces being used in the
microwave.
• Only cook popcorn in your
microwave oven using a
special microwave popcorn
accessory dish, unless you
use popcorn labeled for use
in microwave ovens.
• Some products such as whole
eggs (with shell), sealed con-
tainers, and closed jars –will
explode and should not be
heated in this microwave
oven. Heating these products
in the microwave oven could
result in injury.
• Do not boil eggs in a
microwave oven. Pressure
will build up inside egg yolk
and will cause it to burst,
possibly resulting in injury.
• Operating the microwave with
no food inside for more than
a minute or two may cause
damage to the oven and
could start a fire. It increases
the heat around the mag-
netron and can shorten the
life of the oven.
• Foods with unbroken outer
“skin” such as potatoes, hot
dogs, sausages, tomatoes,
apples, chicken livers and
other giblets, and egg yolks
should be pierced to allow
steam to escape before
cooking.
If you see arcing, press the
“
STOP/Clear
” button and
correct the problem.
Microwave Terms
23
Term
Definition
Arcing
Arcing is the microwave term for sparks in the oven. Arcing is caused by :
• Metal or foil touching the side of the oven.
• Foil that is not molded to food (upturned edges act like antennas).
• Metal such as twist ties, poultry pins, gold-rimmed dishes.
• Recycled paper towels containing small metal pieces.
Covering
Covers hold in moisture, allow for more even heating and reduce cooking
time.
Venting plastic wrap or covering with wax paper allows excess steam to
escape.
Shielding
In a regular oven, you shield chicken breasts or baked foods to prevent
over-browning. When microwaving, you use small strips of foil to shield thin
parts, such as the tips of wings and legs on poultry, which would cook
before larger parts.
Standing Time
When you cook with regular ovens, foods such as roasts or cakes are
allowed to stand to finish cooking or to set. Standing time is especially
important in microwave cooking. Note that a microwaved cake is not placed
on a cooling rack.
Venting
After covering a dish with plastic wrap, you vent the plastic wrap by turning
back one corner so excess steam can escape.
Helpful Information
