20
OPERATION
Microwave Cooking Tips
Keeping an Eye on Things
Always watch your food while it cooks. The light inside
the microwave oven turns on automatically when
the oven is cooking so you can monitor the cooking
process. Directions given in recipes to elevate, stir,
and the like should be thought of as the minimum
steps recommended. If the food seems to be cooking
unevenly, simply make the necessary adjustments
you think appropriate to correct the problem.
Factors Affecting Microwave Cooking Times
Many factors affect cooking times. The temperature
of ingredients used in a recipe makes a big difference
in cooking times. For example, a cake made with
ice-cold butter, milk, and eggs will take considerably
longer to bake than one made with ingredients that
are at room temperature. Some recipes, particularly
those for bread, cake, and custards, recommend that
food be removed from the oven when they are slightly
undercooked.
This is not a mistake. When allowed to stand, usually
covered, these foods will continue to cook outside of
the oven as the heat trapped within the outer portions
of the food gradually travels inward. If the food is left
in the oven until it is cooked all the way through, the
outer portions will become overcooked or even burnt.
Practice will improve your ability to estimate both
cooking and standing times for various foods.
Density of Food
Light, porous food such as cakes and breads cook
more quickly than heavy, dense foods such as
roasts and casseroles. You must take care when
microwaving porous food so that the outer edges do
not become dry and brittle.
Height of Food
The upper portion of tall foods, particularly roasts, will
cook more quickly than the lower portion.
Therefore, it is wise to turn tall food several times
during cooking.
Moisture Content of Food
Because the heat generated from microwaves
causes moisture to evaporate, relatively dry food
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 Food
Bones conduct heat and fat cooks more quickly than
meat. Care must be taken when cooking bony or fatty
cuts of meat in order to prevent unevenly cooked or
overcooked meat.
Quantity of Food
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 required cooking time.
Remember to decrease cooking times by at least one
third when halving a recipe.
Shape of Food
Microwaves penetrate only about 3/4 of an inch
(2 cm) into food. The interior portion of thick foods is
cooked as the heat generated on the outside travels
inward. Only the outer edge of food is cooked by
microwave energy; the rest is cooked by conduction.
The worst possible shape for a food that is to be
microwaved is a thick square.
The corners will burn long before the center is even
warm. Round thin foods and ring-shaped foods cook
most successfully in the microwave.
Covering
A cover traps heat and steam which causes food to
cook more quickly. Use a lid or microwave cling film
with a corner folded back to prevent splitting.
Covering with Parchment Paper
Parchment paper (not waxed paper) is microwave
safe. Because it makes a looser cover than a lid or
clingfilm, greaseproof paper allows the food to dry out
slightly.
Stirring
Stirring is one of the most important of all microwaving
techniques. In conventional cooking, food is stirred for
the purpose of blending. Microwaved food, however,
is stirred in order to spread and redistribute heat.
Always stir from the outside towards the centre as the
outside of the food heats first.
Placing Thicker Portions Facing Outward
Place thicker cuts or portions of meat, poultry, and
fish toward the outer edge of the baking dish so they
absorb the most microwave energy and the food
cooks more evenly.
