Utensil Guide; Heating Tips - Bonn CM-1401T Owner's Manual

Utensil Guide

Only use utensils that are suitable for use in microwave ovens.
To heat food in the microwave oven, the microwave energy must be able to penetrate the
food without being refl ected or absorbed by the dish used. Care must therefore be taken
to ensure that all dishes used are Microwave Safe.
The table below shows various products and their suitability.
Utensil Comments
Can be used in small quantities to protect areas against overheating. Arcing
Aluminium foil
can occur if the foil is too close to the oven wall or if too much foil is used.
Crust plate Do not heat for more than 8 minutes.
Porcelain, pottery, glazed earthenware and bone china are usually suitable,
China and earthenware
unless decorated with a metal trim. Check before use.
Disposable polyester Some frozen foods are packaged in these dishes and may not be suitable.
cardboard dishes Check before use.
Fast-food packaging
• Polystyrene cups containers Can be used to warm food. Overheating may cause the polystyrene to melt.
• Paper bags or newspaper May catch fi re.
• Recycled paper or metal trims May cause arcing.
Glassware
• Oven-to-table ware Can be used, unless decorated with a metal trim.
• Fine glassware Can be used to warm foods or liquids. Delicate glass may break or crack if
heated suddenly.
• Glass jars Must remove the lid. Suitable for warming only.
Metal
• Dishes May cause arcing or fi re. Not suitable.
• Freezer bag twist ties Not suitable.
Paper
• Plates, cups, napkins and For short heating times and warming. Also to absorb excess moisture.
Kitchen paper
• Recycled paper May cause arcing. Not suitable.
Plastic
• Containers Heat Resistant Thermoplastic can be used. Some other plastics may warp or
discolour at high temperatures. Do not use Melamine plastic.
• Cling fi lm Can be used to retain moisture. Should not touch the food.
Take care when removing the fi lm as hot steam will escape.
• Freezer bags Only if boilable or oven-proof. Should not be airtight.
Prick with a fork, if necessary.
Wax or grease-proof paper Can be used to retain moisture and prevent spattering.

Heating Tips

Moisture Content
Many fresh foods e.g. vegetables and fruit,
vary in their moisture content throughout
the season. For this reason heating times
may have to be adjusted. Dry ingredients
e.g. rice, pasta, can dry out during storage
so heating times may diff er.
Density
Porous airy foods heat more quickly than
dense heavy foods.
Cling Film
Cling fi lm helps keep the food moist and
the trapped steam assists in speeding up
heating times. Pierce before heating to
allow excess steam to escape. Always take
care when removing cling fi lm from a dish
as the build-up of steam will be very hot.
Shape
Even shapes heat evenly. Food heats better
when in a round container rather than square.
Spacing
Foods heat more quickly and evenly if
spaced apart. NEVER pile foods on top of
each other.
Starting Temperature
The colder the food, the longer it takes to
heat up. Food from a fridge takes longer to
heat than food at room temperature.
Liquids
All liquids must be stirred before and
during heating. Water especially must
be stirred before and during heating, to
avoid eruption. Do not heat liquids that
have previously been boiled. DO NOT
OVERHEAT.
7
Turning & Stirring
Some foods require stirring during heating.
Meat and poultry should be turned after
half the heating time.
Arranging
Individual foods e.g. chicken portions or
chops, should be placed on a dish so that
the thicker parts are towards the outside.
Quantity
Small quantities heat faster than large
quantities, also small meals will heat
more quickly than large portions. Heating
multiple quantities at a single time will not
always produce even heating. Microwave
ovens are designed to heat single portions.
Piercing
The skin or membrane on some foods will
cause steam to build up during heating.
These foods must be pierced or a strip of
skin should be peeled off before heating to
allow the steam to escape.
Eggs, potatoes, apples, sausages etc, will
all need to be pierced before heating. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO BOIL EGGS IN THEIR
SHELLS.
Covering
Cover foods with microwave cling fi lm or
a lid. Cover fi sh, vegetables, casseroles,
soups. Do not cover cakes, sauces, jacket
potatoes or pastry items.