Panasonic NN-T990SA Operating Instructions Manual page 21

Spacing
Individual foods,
such as baked
potatoes,
cupcakes and
appetizers,
will
cook more
evenly
if
placed
in
the
oven
equal
distances
apart.
When
possible,
arrange foods
in
a
circular
pattern.
Covering
As
with conventional cooking,
moisture evaporates
during
microwave
cooking. Casserole
lids
or
plastic
wrap are used
for
a
tighter seal.
When
using
plastic
wrap,
vent the
plastic
wrap by
folding
back
part of the
plastic
wrap
from the
edge
of
the dish
to
allow steam
to
escape.
Loosen
or
remove
plastic
wrap
as
recipe
directs for
stand
time.
When
removing
plastic
wrap
covers,
as
well
as any
glass
lids,
be
careful
to
remove them
away
from you
to
avoid
steam bums.
Various
degrees
of moisture
retention
are also obtained
by
using
wax
paper
or
paper
towels.
However,
unless
specified,
a
recipe
is
cooked
covered.
Shielding
Thin areas
of
meat and
poultry
cook more
quickly than
meaty
portions.
To
prevent overcooking, these
thin
areas
can be
shielded
with
strips
of
aluminum
foil.
Wooden
toothpicks
may
be
used
to
hold the
foil
in
place.
Timing
A
range
in
cooking time
is
given
in
each
recipe.
The
time range
compensates
for the uncontrollable differences
in
food shapes,
starting
temperature and
regional preferences.
Always cook
food
for
the
minimum
cooking time given
in
a
recipe
and check
for
doneness.
If
the
food
is
undercooked, continue cooking.
It is
easier
to
add
time
to
an undercooked
product
Once
the food
is
overcooked,
nothing
can be
done.
Stirring
Stirring
is
usually
necessary
during microwave
cooking.
We
have
noted
when
stirring is helpful,
using the
words
once,
twice, frequently or occasionally
to describe the
amount
of
stirring
necessary.
Always
bring
the cooked
outside
edges
toward
the center
and
the
less
cooked
center portions
toward
the outside of the
dish.
Rearranging
Rearrange
small items such as
chicken
pieces,
shrimp,
hamburger
patties
or pork chops.
Rearrange pieces from the
edge
to
the center and
pieces from
the center
to
the
edge
of
the
dish.
Turning
ft
is
not possible to
stir
some
foods
to redistribute the
heat At
times, microwave energy
will
concentrate
in
one
area
of
a
food.
To
help insure
even
cooking,
these foods need
to
be
turned.
Turn over
large foods,
such as
roasts or turkeys,
halfway through cooking.
Stand Time
Most
foods
will
continue
to
cook by
conduction
after
the
microwave oven
is
turned
off.
In
meat
cookery, the
internal
temperature
will
rise
5°F
to
15°F
(3
C C
to 8°C),
if
allowed to
stand, tented with
foil,
for
10
to
15
minutes.
Casseroles and
vegetables
need a
shorter
amount
of
standing
time, but
this
standing time
is
necessary
to
allow foods
to
complete
cooking
to
the center without overcooking
on
the
edges.
Testing
for
Doneness
The same
tests for
doneness used
in
conventional cooking
may
be
used
for
microwave
cooking.
Meat
is
done
when
fork-tender
or
splits
at
fibers.
Chicken
is
done when
juices are
clear
yellow
and
drumstick
moves
freely. Ftsh
is
done
when
it
flakes
and
is
opaque.
Cake
is
done when
a
toothpick or cake
tester
is
inserted
and
comes
out clean.
Candy
is
done when
it
reaches the proper
temperature
for
each
stage
of
crystallization.
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