Owner's Manual
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Microwave Terms
Term Definition
Arcing Arcing is the microwave term for sparks in the oven. Arcing is caused by:
Ŷmetal or foil touching the side of the oven.
Ŷfoil that is not molded to food (upturned edges act like antennas).
Ŷmetal such as twist-ties, poultry pins, gold-rimmed dishes.
Ŷrecycled paper towels containing small metal pieces.
Ŷplates or dishes with a metallic trim or glaze with a metallic sheen.
Covering Covers hold in moisture, allow for more even heating and reduce cooking time. Venting plastic wrap or
covering with wax paper allows excess steam to escape.
Shielding In a regular 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 larger parts.
Standing Time When you cook with regular ovens, 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.
Venting After covering a dish with plastic wrap, you vent the plastic wrap by turning back one corner so excess
steam can escape.
USING YOUR OVEN