Glossary of Microwave
When adapting recipes for the microwave, it is best
to start with a familiar recipe. Knowing how the food
should look and taste will help when adapting recipes
for microwaving. Foods that require browning or
crisp, dry surfaces will cook better conventionally.
●
Moist
foods,
such as vegetables, fruits, poultry and
seafood, microwave well.
●
Rich foods, such as bar cookies, moist cakes and
candies, are suitable for microwaving because of their
high fat and sugar content.
●
Reduce conventional cooking time by
one-third. Check food after minimum time to avoid
overcooking.
●
Small amounts of butter or oil can be used for flavoring,
but are not needed to prevent sticking.
●
Seasonings may need to be reduced. Salt meats and
vegetables after cooking.
Covering. In both conventional and microwave cooking,
covers hold in moisture, allow for more even heating and
reduce cooking time. Conventionally, partial covering
allows excess steam to escape. Venting plastic wrap or
covering with wax paper serves the same purpose when
microwaving.
Venting. After covering a dish with plastic wrap, you
vent the plastic wrap by turning back one corner so
excess steam can escape.
Arranging Food in Oven. In conventional baking, you
position foods, such as cake layers or potatoes, so hot air
can flow around them. When microwaving, you arrange
foods in a ring, so that all sides are exposed to microwave
energy.
Stirring. In range-top cooking, you stir foods up from
the bottom to heat them evenly. When microwaving, you
stir cooked portions from the outside to the center. Foods
that require constant stirring conventionally will need
only occasional stirring when microwaving.
Turning Over. In range-top cooking, you turn over foods,
such as hamburgers, so both sides can directly contact
the hot pan. When microwaving, turning is often needed
during defrosting or when cooking certain foods, such as
frozen hamburgers.
Standing Time. In conventional cooking, 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.
Shielding. In a conventional 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.
Arcing. Sparks caused by too much metal in the
microwave oven or metal touching the side of the oven or
foil that is not molded to food.
Prick Foods to Release Pressure. Steam builds up
pressure in foods that are tightly covered by a skin or
membrane. Prick foods, such as potatoes (as you do
conventionally), egg yolks and chicken livers, to prevent
bursting.
Rotating. Occasionally, repositioning a dish in the oven
helps food cook more evenly. To rotate 1/2 turn, turn the
dish until the side that was to the back of the oven is to the
front. To rotate 1/4 turn, turn the dish until the side that
was to the back of the oven is to the side.
Basic Microwave Guidelines
Density of Food. In both conventional and microwave
cooking, dense foods, such as potatoes, take longer to
cook than light, porous foods, such as rolls, bread or
pieces of cake.
Round Shapes. Since microwaves penetrate foods
to about one inch from top, bottom and sides, round
shapes and rings cook more evenly. Corners receive
more energy and may overcook. This may also happen
when cooking conventionally.
Delicacy. Foods with a delicate texture, such as
custards, are best cooked at lower power settings to
avoid toughening.
Natural Moisture of food affects how it cooks. Very
moist foods cook evenly because microwave energy is
attracted to water molecules. Food that is uneven in
moisture should be covered or allowed to stand so heat
can disperse evenly.
Piece Size. Small pieces cook faster than large ones.
Pieces that are similar in size and shape cook more
evenly. With large pieces of food, reduce the power
setting for even cooking.
Shape of Food. In both types of cooking, thin areas
cook faster than thick areas. This can be controlled in
microwaving by placing thick pieces near the outside
edge and thin pieces in the center.
Starting Temperature. Foods taken from the freezer
or refrigerator take longer to cook than foods at room
temperature. Timings in our recipes are based on the
temperatures at which you normally store the foods.
Quantity of Food. In both types of cooking, small
amounts usually take less time than large amounts.
This is most apparent in microwave cooking, where
time is directly related to the number of servings.
Shelf (on models so equipped). Use the shelf to heat
more than one dish at one time. Take the shelf out when
you are not using it.
12
