GLOSSARY OF
When adapting recipes for the microwave, it is
best to start with a
recipe.
how
the food should look and taste
help when
adapting recipes for microwaving. Foods that
require browning or crisp, dry surfaces will cook
better in regular ovens.
●
Moist foods, such as vegetables,
poultry and
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 regular oven cooking times by 1/2 to 1/3.
Check food after minimum time to avoid
over-cooking.
●
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. both regular baking and microwave
cooking, covers hold moisture, allow for more
even heating and reduce cooking time. regular
ovens, partial covering allows excess steam to escape.
Venting plastic wrap or covering with wax paper
serves the same purpose when microwaving.
Venting.
covering a dish with plastic wrap,
you vent the plastic wrap by turning back 1 comer
so excess steam can escape.
hanging Food in Oven. When baking in regular
ovens, 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
sides are exposed to microwave energy.
Stirring. In range-top cooking, you stir foods up from
the bottom to heat them
When microwaving,
you stir cooked portions from the outside to the
center. Foods that require constant stirring will need
occasional stirring when microwaving.
Over. range-top cooking, you turn over
foods, such as hamburgers, so both sides can
contact the hot pan. When microwaving, turning is
often needed during defrosting or when cooking
certain foods, such as frozen hamburgers.
Time. When you cook with regular ovens,
foods such as
or cakes are allowed to stand to
finish cooking or to set. Standing time is especially
important in microwave rooking. Note that a
microwaved cake is not placed on a cooling rack.
Shielding. In a regular oven, you shield chicken
breasts or baked foods to prevent over-browning.
When microwaving, you use small strips of
to
shield thin parts, such as the tips of wings and legs
on poultry, which
cook before larger parts.
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
before
oven cooking), egg yolks and chicken
livers, to prevent bursting.
Rotating.
repositioning a dish in the oven
helps food cook more
To rotate 1/2
turn the
dish
the side that was to the back of the oven is to
the front. To rotate 1/4
the
side
that was to the back of the oven is to the side.
Basic Microwave Guidelines
Density of Food. In both
baking and
microwave cooking, dense foods, such as potatoes,
take longer to cook than
porous foods, such as
rolls, bread or pieces of cake.
Round Shapes. Since microwaves penetrate foods to
about 1 inch from top, bottom and sides, round shapes
and rings cook more
Comers receive more
energy and may overcook. This may
happen
when rooking in a
oven.
Delicacy. Foods with a delicate texture, such
custards, are best cooked at lower power settings to
avoid toughening.
Natural Moisture of food affects how it cooks. Very
moist foods cook
because microwave energy is
attracted to water
Food that is uneven in
moisture should be covered or allowed to stand so it
heats
Size. Small pieces cook faster than
ones.
Pieces that are similar in size and shape cook more
With large
of
reduce the power
setting for even cooking.
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
store the
Quantity of Food.
of cooking, small –
amounts
take less time than large amounts.
This is most apparent in microwave cooking, where
time is
related to the number of servings.
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