GLOSSARY OF MICROWAVE TERMS
When adapting recipes for the microwave, it is best
to start with a familiar recipe. Knowing how the
food should look and taste will help when adapting
recipes for microwaving. Foods that require
browning or crisp, dry surfaces will cook better
conventionally.
●
Moist foods, such as vegetables, fruits, poultry and
seafood, microwave well.
●
Rich foods, such as
cookies, moist cakes and
candies, are suitable for microwaving because of their
high fat and sugar content.
Reduce conventional cooking time by one-half to
one-third. Check food after minimum time to avoid
overcooking.
●
Small amounts of butter or oil can be used for
flavoring, but
not needed to prevent sticking.
●
Seasonings may need to be reduced. Salt meats and
vegetables after cooking.
Covering. In both conventional and microwave
cooking, covers hold in moisture, allow for more even
heating and reduce cooking time. Conventionally,
partial covering allows excess steam to escape.
Venting plastic wrap or covering with wax paper
serves the same purpose when microwaving.
Venting. After covering a dish with plastic wrap, you
vent the plastic wrap by turning back one corner so
excess steam can escape.
Arranging Food in Oven. In conventional baking,
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 all sides
exposed to
microwave energy.
Stirring. In range-top cooking, you stir foods up from
the bottom to heat them evenly. When microwaving,
you stir cooked portions from the outside to the center.
Foods that require constant stirring conventionally will
need only occasional stirring when microwaving.
Over. In range-top cooking, you turn over
foods, such as hamburgers, so both sides can directly
contact the hot pan. When microwaving, turning is
often needed during defrosting or when cooking
certain foods, such as frozen hamburgers.
Standing Time. In conventional cooking, foods
such as roasts or cakes are allowed to stand to finish
cooking or to set. Standing time is especially important
in microwave cooking. Note that a microwaved cake is
not placed on a cooling rack.
Shielding. In a conventional oven, you shield chicken
breasts or baked foods to prevent over-browning.
When microwaving, you use small strips of foil to
shield thin parts, such as the tips of wings and legs
on poultry, which would cook before
parts.
Arcing. 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 conventionally), egg yolks and chicken livers, to
prevent bursting.
Rotating. Occasionally, repositioning a dish in the
oven helps food cook more evenly. To rotate 1/2 turn,
turn the dish until the side that was to the back of the
oven is to the front. To rotate 1/4 turn, turn the dish
until the side that was to the back of the oven is to
the side.
Basic Microwave Guidelines
Density of Food. In both conventional and
microwave cooking, dense foods, such as potatoes,
take longer to cook than light, porous foods, such as
rolls, bread or pieces of cake.
Round Shapes. Since microwaves penetrate foods to
about one inch from top, bottom and sides, round
shapes and rings cook more evenly. Corners receive
more energy and may overcook. This may also
happen when cooking conventionally.
Delicacy. Foods with a delicate texture, such as
custards, are best cooked at lower power settings to
avoid toughening.
Natural Moisture of food affects how it cooks. Very
moist foods cook evenly because microwave energy
is attracted to water molecules. Food that is uneven in
moisture should be covered or allowed to stand so
heat can disperse evenly.
Piece Size. Small pieces cook faster than large ones.
Pieces that are similar in size and shape cook more
evenly. With large pieces of food, reduce the power
setting for even cooking.
Shape of Food. In both types of cooking, thin areas
cook faster than thick areas. This can be controlled in
microwaving by placing thick pieces
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 normally store the foods.
Quantity of Food. In both types of cooking, small
amounts usually take less time than large amounts.
This is most apparent in microwave cooking, where
time is directly related to the number of servings.
