Freezer-to-Table Home Frozen
Guide
Defrost Hold
Food
Amount Time
Time
Power
& Time
(9-in. pie plate)
casseroles
(Chicken la King,
chili. spaghetti sauce,
beef
soup
I
(12)
1 recipe
recipe
(1
)
cup
)
5
High (10)
5 to 7 min.
Arrange in circle; cover with plastic wrap.
For precooked meatballs, reduce
period by 2 minutes.
15
Meal-High (7)
20 to 25 min.
Cover with plastic wrap. Rotate
turn
after half cooking
to 40
(7)
30 35 min.
with plastic wrap. Break up and stir
edges to center after defrost
after
x to
5
Meal-High (7)
5 to 10 min.
half’
time.
3 cups
reduce each time period by
25
High (10)
10 15 min.
Cover. Break up and stir while defrosting
High (10)
15 20 min.
cooking, to speed heating.
Microwave Adapting
Cooking Techniques for
Microwaving
Covering. In both conventional
microwave cooking. covers
hold
in
speed heating.
covering
steam to escape. Venting plastic wrap or covering with
wax paper serves the
when microwaving,
Arranging Food in Oven. In conventional baking, you position
such cake
or potatoes. so that hot air can flow
around thcm. When microwaving. you arrange
in a ring.
so that all sides are exposed to microwave energy.
Stirring. In
top cooking, you stir foods up from the bottom to
help thcm
evenly. When microwaving. you stir cooked portions
the outside to the
Foods which require constant stirring
will need only occasional stirring.
Over. In range top cooking, you turn over foods such
as hamburgers, so both sides can directly contact hot pan. When
microwaving. turning is often needed during defrosting. or when
cooking foods such as hamburgers from the frozen state.
Standing Time. conventional cooking, foods such as roasts or
cakes arc allowed to stand finish cooking or set. Standing time
is especially important in microwave cooking. Note that the
microwaved cake is not placed
cooling rack.
Shielding. a conventional oven, you shield chicken breasts or
baked foods to prevent over-browning. When defrosting, you usc
small strips of foil to shield thin
such as the tips of wings and
on poultry, which
cook before
parts were
defrosted,
Prick Foods to Release Pressure. Steam builds up pressure in
which arc tightly covered by skin or
Prick potatoes (as
you do conventionally). egg yolks and chicken livers to prevent
bursting.
Rotating. Occasionally. repositioning a dish in the oven helps food
cook evenly. To rotate l/2 turn, turn the dish until the side which was
the back of the oven is to the front. To rotate 1/4
turn the dish
until the side which was to the back of the oven is to the side.
of Food Characteristics on
Microwaving
Density of Food. In both conventional
microwave cooking.
dense foods. such as a potato, take longer to cook or heat than light,
porous foods, such as a piece cake,
or a roll.
Round Shapes.
microwaves penetrate foods to about l-in.
from top. bottom and sides, round shapes and rings cook more
evenly. Corners
more energy and may overcook. This may
happen when cooking
Foods with a delicate texture are best cooked
power settings to avoid toughening.
Natural Moisture food affects how it cooks. Very moist
cook evenly because microwave energy is attracted to water
molecules. Food 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 which
are similar in size and shape cook more evenly. With
pieces of
reduce the power setting for even cooking.
Shape of Food. In both types of cooking. thin areas cook faster than
thick ones. This can controlled in microwaving by placing thick
pieces near the outside edge, and thin pieces near the center.
Starting Temperature. Foods taken from the freezer or refrigerator
take longer to cook than foods room temperature. Timings in our
recipes are based on the temperatures at which you normally store
the
Quantity of Food. In both types cooking, small amounts usually
take less time than large ones. This is most apparent in microwave
cooking, where time is directly related to the number servings.
25
