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SPECIAL
TECHNIQUES
IN
MICROWAVE
COOKING
Browning:
Meats
and poultry
that are cooked
fifteen
minutes
or longer
will brown
lightly in their
own fat. Foods
that are cooked
for a shorter
period
of time may be brushed
with a browning
sauce to
achieve
an appetizing
color. The most commonly
used browning
sauces
are Worcestershire
sauce,
soy sauce,
and barbecue
sauce.
Since
relatively
small amounts
of browning
sauces
are added
to
foods,
the original
flavor
of recipes
are not altered.
Covering:
A cover traps
heat and steam
and
causes
food to cook more quickly.
You may either
use a lid or microwave
cling-film
with a corner
folded
back to prevent
splitting.
Covering
with
waxed
paper:
Waxed
paper
effectively
prevents
spattering
and helps food
retain
some heat.
Since
it makes
a looser
cover
than
a lid or cling-film,
it allows
the food to dry out
slightly.
Wrapping
in waxed
paper
or paper towel:
Sandwiches
and many other foods
containing
prebaked
bread should
be wrapped
prior to
microwaving
to prevent
drying
out.
Arranging
and spacing:individual
foods
such as
baked
potatoes,
small
cakes,
and hors d'oeuvres
will heat more evenly
if placed
in the oven and
equal distance
apart,
preferably
in a circular
pattern.
Never stack foods
on top of one another.
Stirring:
Stirring
is one of the most important
of all
microwaving
techniques,
in conventional
cooking,
foods
are stirred
for the purpose
of blending.
Microwaved
foods,
however,
are stirred
in order to
spread
and redistribute
heat. Always
stir from the
outside
towards
the center
as the outside
food
heats first.
Turning
over:
Large,
tall foods
such as roasts
and
whole
chickens
should
be turned
so that the top
and bottom
will cook evenly.
It is also a good
idea
to turn cut-up
chicken
and chops.
Placing
thicker
portions
near the edge:
Since
microwaves
are attracted
to the outside
portion
of
foods,
it makes
sense to place thicker
portions
of
meat,
poultry
and fish to the outer edge
of the
baking
dish. This way,
thicker
portions
will receive
the most microwave
energy
and the foods will cook
evenly.
Elevating:
Thick or dense foods
are often 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
both yolks and whites
of eggs,
clams
and
oysters,
and many whole
vegetables
and fruits.
Testing
if cooked:
Because
foods
cook so quickly
in a microwave
oven,
it is necessary
to test food
frequently.
Some
foods are left in the microwave
until completely
cooked,
but most foods,
including
meats
and poultry,
are 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
microwave
oven.
Usually
the foods
are covered
during
standing
time to retain
heat unless
they are
supposed
to be dry in texture
(some
cakes
and
biscuits,
for example).
Standing
allows
foods to
finish
cooking
and also helps flavors
to blend
and
develop.
HOW FOOD CHARACTERISTICS
AFFECT
MICROWAVE
COOKING
Density
of foods:
Light, porous
food
like cakes
and breads
cook more quickly
than
heavy,
dense
foods
such as roasts
and casseroles.
You must
take care when
microwaving
porous
foods
that the
outer edges
do not become
dry and brittle.
Height
of foods:
The upper portion
of tall foods,
particularly
roasts,
will cook more quickly
than
the
lower portion.
Therefore,
it is wise to turn tall foods
during
cooking,
sometimes
several
times.
Moisture
content
of foods:
Since
the heat
generated
from microwaves
tends to evaporate
moisture,
relatively
dry foods
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 foods:
Bones conduct
heat and fat cooks
more quickly
than meat.
Therefore,
care
must be taken when cooking
bony
or fatty cuts of meat that the meats do not cook
unevenly
and do not become
overcooked.
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