16
1. THE ARRANGEMENT
Arrange foods carefully.
Place thickest areas toward outside of dish.
2. TURNING
Foods such as poultry and joints of meat should be turned over after half the cooking time.
3. COVERING
Cover foods in the microwave if you would normally cover the food in your ordinary oven, or to retain
moisture.
Cover foods such as Vegetables,
Casseroles, or when Reheating.
Use to cover foods:
4. PIERCING
Pierce potatoes, eggs, tomatoes or
any foods with a skin or membrane
to allow steam to escape.
5. SHIELDING
Shield using small pieces of aluminium foil
to shield thin areas of meat,fish and poultry
or edges of cakes to prevent overcooking.
6. STANDING TIME
Standing time is important. After cooking or defrosting ensure adequate standing time. This allows the food
to continue cooking or heating. Refer to cooking guides for each menu or according to manufacturers
instructions.
7. STIRRING
Stir foods from the outside to the centre of the dish,
once or twice during cooking if possible.
Eg. Casseroles and Sauces.
8. SIZE
Small pieces cook faster than large ones. To speed cooking, cut pieces smaller than 5 cm so microwaves
can penetrate to the centre from all sides. For even cooking, make all the pieces the same size.
9. DENSITY
The depth to which microwaves penetrate food varies depending on the food's density. Porous foods like
minced beef or mashed potatoes microwave faster than dense ones like steak or whole potatoes.
10. FAT AND BONE
Marbling within meat, or a thin, even layer of fat on a roast, speeds cooking. Large fatty areas or excess
drippings in dish attract energy away from meat, and slows cooking. Centre bones do not affect cooking,
but bone on the side of meat conducts heat to the areas next to it.
11. STARTING TEMPERATURE
Frozen or refrigerated food takes longer to heat than food at room temperature. Cooking times in this book
are based on normal storage temperatures.
Since rooms, refrigerators and freezers differ in temperature,
check for doneness at the minimum time.
12. QUANTITY
Microwave cooking times are directly related to the amount of food in the oven. Because energy is absorbed
by the food itself, one potato or a single piece of chicken cooks rapidly. When the energy is divided among
several items, cooking takes more time.
13. CONDENSATION
Condensation is a normal part of microwave cooking. The humidity and moisture in food will influence the
amount of condensation in the oven. Generally, covered foods will not cause as much condensation as
uncovered foods. Ensure that the ventilation openings are not blocked.
LID
PLASTIC WRAP
PAPER TOWEL
EGG
TOMATO
FISH
CHICKEN
Helpful Hints
