8
UNDERSTANDING YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN
TIPS FOR MICROWAVE COOKING
BROWNING
Meat and poultry with high fat content cooked for at
least 10 to 15 minutes will brown lightly. Foods cooked
a shorter time can be brushed with a browning agent,
such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or barbecue
sauce.
COVERING
A cover will trap heat and steam and cause the food to
cook more quickly. Use a lid or microwave-safe plastic
wrap with one corner folded back to vent the excess
steam. Lids on glass casseroles can become hot
during cooking; always handle carefully. Waxed paper
will prevent the food from splattering in the oven and
help retain heat. When warming bread items, use
waxed paper, napkins, or paper towels. To absorb extra
moisture, wrap sandwiches and fatty foods in paper
towels.
SPACING
Arrange individual foods, such as baked potatoes,
cupcakes, and hors d’oeuvres in a circle and at least
1 inch apart. This will help the food cook more evenly.
STIRRING
Stirring blends flavors and redistributes the heat in
foods. Always stir from the outside toward the center
of the dish. Food at the outside of the dish heats first.
TURNING
Large foods, such as roasts and whole poultry, should
be turned so that the top and bottom cook evenly. Also
turn over chicken pieces and chops.
ARRANGEMENT
Do not stack food. Arrange in a single layer in the dish
for more even cooking. Because dense foods cook
more slowly, place thicker portions of meat, poultry,
fish, and vegetables toward the outside of the dish.
TESTING FOR DONENESS
Foods cook quickly in a microwave oven; test frequently
for doneness.
STANDING TIME
Food often needs to stand from 2 to 15 minutes after
being removed from the oven. Usually, you need to
cover food during standing time to retain heat. Remove
most foods when they are slightly undercooked and
they will finish cooking during standing time. The
internal temperature of food will rise about 10°F during
standing time.
SHIELDING
To prevent some portions of rectangular or square
dishes from overcooking, you may need to shield
them with small strips of aluminum foil to block the
microwaves. You can also cover poultry legs and
wing tips with foil to keep them from overcooking.
Always keep foil at least 1 inch from oven walls
to prevent arcing.
PIERCING
Pierce the shell, skin, or membrane of foods before
cooking to prevent them from bursting. Foods that
require piercing include yolks and whites of eggs, hot
dogs, clams, oysters, and whole vegetables, such as
potatoes and squash.
