About Microwave Cooking; About Safety - Viking VMOS201 Use & Care Manual

Information You Need To Know
HOW TO USE ALUMINUM FOIL IN YOUR
MICROWAVE OVEN:
• Small flat pieces of aluminum foil placed smoothly on
the food can be used to shield areas that are either
defrosting or cooking too quickly.
• Foil should not come closer than one inch to any surface of
the microwave oven.
Should you have questions about utensils or coverings,
check a good microwave cookbook or follow recipe
suggestions.
ACCESSORIES There are many microwave accessories
available for purchase. Evaluate carefully before you
purchase so that they meet your needs. A microwave-
safe thermometer will assist you in determining correct
doneness and assure you that foods have been cooked to
safe temperatures. Viking Range, LLC is not responsible
for any damage to the microwave oven when accessories
are used.

ABOUT MICROWAVE COOKING

• Arrange food carefully. Place thickest areas towards
outside of dish.
• Watch cooking time. Cook for the shortest amount of
time indicated and add more as needed. Food severely
overcooked can smoke or ignite.
• Cover foods while cooking. Check recipe or cookbook
for suggestions: paper towels, wax paper, microwave
plastic wrap or a lid. Covers prevent spattering and
help foods to cook evenly.
• Shield with small flat pieces of aluminum foil any thin
areas of meat or poultry to prevent overcooking before
dense, thick areas are cooked thoroughly.
• Stir foods from outside to center of dish once or twice
during cooking, if possible.
• Turn foods over once during microwaving to speed
cooking of such foods as chicken and hamburgers.
Large items like roasts must be turned over at least
once.
• Rearrange foods such as meatballs halfway through
cooking both from top to bottom and from the center
of the dish to the outside.
• Add standing time. Remove food from microwave
oven and stir, if possible. Cover for standing time which
allows the food to finish cooking without overcooking.
• Check for doneness. Look for signs indicating that
cooking temperatures have been reached.
Doneness signs include:
- Food steams throughout, not just at edge.
- Center bottom of dish is very hot to the touch.
- Poultry thigh joints move easily.
- Meat and poultry show no pinkness.
- Fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

ABOUT SAFETY

• Check foods to see that they are cooked to the United
States Department of Agriculture's recommended
temperatures.
To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in a
thick or dense area away from fat or bone. NEVER leave
the thermometer in the food during cooking, unless it is
approved for microwave oven use.
TEMP
160˚F (71˚C) ...for fresh pork, ground meat,
boneless white poultry, fish,
seafood, egg dishes and frozen
prepared food.
165˚F (74˚C) ...for leftover, ready-to-reheat
refrigerated, and deli and carry-
out "fresh" food.
170˚F (77˚C) ... white meat of poultry.
180˚F (82˚C) ... dark meat of poultry.
• ALWAYS use potholders to prevent burns when
handling utensils that are in contact with hot food.
Enough heat from the food can transfer through utensils
to cause skin burns.
• Avoid steam burns by directing steam away from the
face and hands. Slowly lift the farthest edge of a dish's
covering and carefully open popcorn and microwave
oven cooking bags away from the face.
• Stay near the microwave oven while it's in use and check
cooking progress frequently so that there is no chance
of overcooking food.
• NEVER use the cavity for storing cookbooks or other
items.
• Select, store and handle food carefully to preserve its
high quality and minimize the spread of foodborne
bacteria.
• Keep waveguide cover clean. Food residue can cause
arcing and/or fires.
• Use care when removing items from the microwave
oven so that the utensil, your clothes or accessories
do not touch the safety door latches.
• Keep aluminum foil used for shielding at least 2.5 cm
(1 inch) away from walls, ceiling and door of microwave
oven.
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