7
OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES IN
MICROWAVE COOKING
Covering: A cover traps heat and steam and
causes food to cook more quickly. You may either
use a lid or microwave cling-film with a corner
folded back to prevent splitting.
Covering with waxed paper: Waxed paper
effectively prevents spattering and helps food
retain some heat. Since it makes a looser cover
than a lid or cling-film, it allows the food to dry out
slightly.
Wrapping in waxed paper or paper towel:
Sandwiches and many other foods containing
prebaked bread should be wrapped prior to
microwaving to prevent drying out.
Arranging and spacing:Individual foods such as
baked potatoes, small cakes, and hors d’oeuvres
will heat more evenly if placed in the oven and
equal distance apart, preferably in a circular
pattern. Never stack foods on top of one another.
Stirring: Stirring is one of the most important of all
microwaving techniques. In conventional cooking,
foods are stirred for the purpose of blending.
Microwaved foods, however, are stirred in order to
spread and redistribute heat. Always stir from the
outside towards the center as the outside food
heats first.
Turning over: Large, tall foods such as roasts and
whole chickens should be turned so that the top
and bottom will cook evenly. It is also a good idea
to turn cut-up chicken and chops.
Placing thicker portions near the edge: Since
microwaves are attracted to the outside portion of
foods, it makes sense to place thicker portions of
meat, poultry and fish to the outer edge of the
baking dish. This way, thicker portions will receive
the most microwave energy and the foods will cook
evenly.
Elevating: Thick or dense foods are often elevated
so that microwaves can be absorbed by the
underside and center of the foods.
Piercing: Foods enclosed in a shell, skin, or
membrane are likely to burst in the oven unless
they are pierced prior to cooking. Such foods
include both yolks and whites of eggs, clams and
oysters, and many whole vegetables and fruits.
Testing if cooked: Because foods cook so quickly
in a microwave oven, it is necessary to test food
frequently. Some foods are left in the microwave
until completely cooked, but most foods, including
meats and poultry, are removed from the oven
while still slightly undercooked and allowed to
finish cooking during standing time. The internal
temperature of foods will rise between 5°F (3°C)
and 15°F (8°C) during standing time.
Standing time: Foods are often allowed to stand
for 3 to 10 minutes after being removed from the
microwave oven. Usually the foods are covered
during standing time to retain heat unless they are
supposed to be dry in texture (some cakes and
biscuits, for example). Standing allows foods to
finish cooking and also helps flavors to blend and
develop.
HOW FOOD CHARACTERISTICS
AFFECT MICROWAVE COOKING
Density of foods: Light, porous food like cakes
and breads cook more quickly than heavy, dense
foods such as roasts and casseroles. You must
take care when microwaving porous foods that the
outer edges do not become dry and brittle.
Height of foods: The upper portion of tall foods,
particularly roasts, will cook more quickly than the
lower portion. Therefore, it is wise to turn tall foods
during cooking, sometimes several times.
Moisture content of foods: Since the heat
generated from microwaves tends to evaporate
moisture, relatively dry foods such as roasts and
some vegetables should either be sprinkled with
water prior to cooking or covered to retain
moisture.
Bone and fat content of foods: Bones conduct
heat and fat cooks more quickly than meat.
Therefore, care must be taken when cooking bony
or fatty cuts of meat that the meats do not cook
unevenly and do not become overcooked.
Shape of foods: Microwaves penetrate only about
1 inch (2.5cm) into foods; the interior portion of
thick foods is cooked as the heat generated on the
outside travels inward. In other words, only the
outer edge of any foods is actually cooked by
microwave energy; the rest is cooked by
convection. It follows then that the worst possible
shape for a food that is to be microwaved is a thick
cube. The corners will burn long before the center
is even warm. Round thin and ring shaped foods
cook most successfully in the microwave.
Quantity of foods: The number of microwaves in
your oven remains constant regardless of how
much food is being cooked. Therefore, the more
food you place in the oven, the longer the cooking
time. Remember to decrease cooking times by at
least one-third when halving a recipe.
