Instructions / Assembly

14
MICROWAVE COOKING TIPS
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.
Shielding
Strips of aluminium foil (which block microwaves)
can be placed over the corners or edges of square
and rectangular foods to prevent those portions from
overcooking. Never use too much foil and make sure
the foil is secured to the dish or it may cause arcing in
the oven especially if the foil passes too closely to the
walls of the oven during rotation.
Elevating
Thick or dense foods can be elevated so that
microwaves can be absorbed by the underside and
center of the foods.
Piercing
Foods enclosed in a shell, skin or membrane are
likely to burst in the oven unless they are pierced
prior to cooking. Such foods include yolks and whites
of eggs, clams, oysters, potatoes, and other whole
vegetables and fruits.
Testing if Cooked
Microwaves cook food quickly, so test food for
doneness frequently. Some foods are left in the
microwave until completely cooked, but most foods,
including meats and poultry, should be removed from
the oven while still slightly undercooked and allowed
to finish cooking during standing time. The internal
temperature of foods will rise between 5 °F (3 °C) and
15 °F (8 °C) during standing time.
Standing Time
Foods are often allowed to stand for 3 to 10 minutes
after being removed from the oven. Usually the foods
are covered during standing time to retain heat unless
they are supposed to be dry in texture. Standing
allows foods to finish cooking and also helps flavors
blend and develop.