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Introducing Microwave Cooking
Always remember the basic safeguards you should follow when using any cooking equipment or
handling hot food.
See below for basic guidelines in microwave cooking.
Cooking with a Microwave
•
Cooking with a microwave is much faster than conventional cooking and, whilst you
should make sure that food is fully cooked, you should be careful not to overcook it.
•
Microwave energy can heat unevenly so stirring to distribute heat is very important.
Always stir from the outside, inwards.
•
If you are cooking a number of individual foods at the same time, such as baked potatoes
or small cakes, arrange them evenly on the turntable so that they cook evenly. Never stack
food in your microwave.
•
Turn larger foods such as meat roasts and poultry during cooking so that the top and
bottom cook evenly. It is also recommended to turn pieces of meat or poultry, especially if
they have not been deboned.
•
Meat and poultry which is cooked for 15 minutes or more will brown lightly in it’s own
fat. Anything cooked for a shorter time can be brushed with a browning sauce to give an
appetising colour.
•
Strips of aluminium foil can be used to cover the thinner pieces of food to stop them
overcooking before the thicker parts of the food have had a chance to cook. Use the foil
sparingly and wrap around the food or container carefully to stop it touching the inside of
the microwave which could cause sparks.
•
Microwave ovens cook food using microwave
energy that is similar to naturally occurring radio
waves. Normally, these “waves” would fade as
they dispersed into the atmosphere but in a
microwave they are concentrated onto the food
causing it to heat up.
•
Microwave energy cannot pass through metal –
so it cannot escape from inside your microwave
– but it can pass through materials like glass,
porcelain, plastic and paper. These materials
are used in the manufacture of microwave safe
cooking equipment.
•
Microwave safe cooking equipment will still get
hot as the food it contains heats up.
The microwave energy focuses on the moisture in
the food causing lots of tiny vibrations. The vibrations
get so great that the moisture – and the food – heat
up. (See Fig. 4)
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