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INTRODUCTION TO MICROWAVE COOKING
HOW YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN WORKS
Microwaves
are a form of energy similar to
radio and television
waves. Your microwave
oven is constructed
in such a way as to take
advantage of microwave energy. Electricity
is
converted
into
microwave
energy
by the
magnetron
tube, and microwaves
are then
sent into the cooking area through a plate at
the right side of the oven. Microwaves
reflect
off the metal walls of the oven. Since micro-
waves do not penetrate metal, cooking utensils
made of metal are not used for cooking in the
microwave. The microwaves
can however be
transmitted
through glass, paper, wicker and
microwavable
cooking dishes. Microwaves do
not heat the cookware,
though
vessels will
eventually feel hot from the heat generated by
the food. Microwaves
are attracted
to the
moisture in foods and cause the molecules to
vibrate, 2,450 million times per second. As the
molecules vibrate, they rub against each other,
producting
friction.
This
friction,
in turn,
causes the food to get hot. If you have trouble
imagining
how this is possible, just think how
hot your hands would get if you rubbed your
palms together 2,450 million times per second!
A very safe appliance:
Your microwave oven
is one of the safest of all home appliances.
When the door is opened, the oven automati-
cally stops producing microwaves. By the time
microwave
energy has been converted
into
heat in the process of making food hot, the
microwaves have completely dissipated.
Factors affecting
cooking
times: The cook-
rng times given in the recipes in this guide are
approximate
rather than exact. Many factors
affect cooking times. The temperature of ingre-
dients used In a recipe makes a big difference
in cooking time. For example, a cake made
with ice-cold butter, milk, and eggs will take
considerably
longer to bake than one made
with ingredients that are at room temperature.
Also, the power setting
will determine
the
cooking time.
HOW CHARACTERISTICS
OF FOODS
AFFECT MICROWAVE COOKING
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. some-
times several times.
Density
of foods: Light, porous food such as
cakes and breads cook more quickly
than
heavy, dense foods such as roasts and cas-
seroles. You must take care when microwaving
porous foods that the outer edges do not
become dry and brittle. Shield edges with foil
or microwave at a low power level.
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES
IN MICROWAVE
COOKING
Arranging
and
spacing:
Individual
foods
such as baked potatoes, cupcakes, and hors
d'oeuvres will heat more evenly if placed in the
oven an 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 toward the centre,
in order to distribute the heat as the outside of
foods 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.
Shielding:
Strips
of aluminum
foil, which
block microwaves, are sometimes placed over
the corners or edges of square and rectangu-
lar shaped foods to prevent those portions
from overcooking.
Never use too much foil,
and make sure the foil is tightly secured to
dish, or else you may cause "arcing".
Elevating:
Thick or dense foods are often
elevated so that microwaves can be absorbed
by the underside and centre of the foods.
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 all appetiz'ig
color.
UTENSILS
Never use metal or metal-trimmed
utensils in
your
microwave
oven.
Microwaves
cannot
penetrate
metal. They will bounce
off any
metal object in the oven -just
as they bounce
off the metal walls of the oven -
and cause
"arcing",
a phenomenon
that
resembles
lightning.
-18-
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