About Microwave Cooking; About Safety; About Children And The Microwave - Sharp CAROUSEL II R-9H94 Operation Manual

About Microwave Cooking
* Arrange food carefully. Place thickest areas toward outside of dish.
* Watch cooking time. Cook for the shortest amount of time indicated and add more as needed. Foods 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 areas of meat or poultry to prevent overcooking or over defrosting.
* 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
or turkey breasts must be turned over at least once.
* Rearrange foods like 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 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:
I - 160°F. for fresh pork, boneless white poultry, fish, seafood, egg dishes and frozen prepared food. |
- 165°F. for leftover, ready-to-heat refrigerated, and deli and carry-out "fresh" food.
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- 170°F. white meat of poultry.
- 180°F. dark meat of poultry.
To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in a thick or dense area away from fat or bone. NEVER leave the thermometer
in food during cooking, unless it is approved for microwave oven use.
* 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 oven cooking bags away from the face.
* Stay near the 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 wave guide cover clean. Food residue can cause arcing and/or fires.
* Keep aluminum foil used for shielding at least 1 inch away from walls, ceiling and door.
* Use potholders and be careful when using convection, mix or broil cooking as cabinet, interior and door may be too hot to
touch.
About Children and the Microwave
Children below the age of 7 should use the microwave oven with a supervising person very near to them. Between the ages of
7 and 12, the supervising person should be in the same room.
The child must be able to reach the oven comfortably; if not, he/she should stand on a sturdy stool.
At no time should anyone be allowed to lean or swing on the oven door.
Children should be taught all safety precautions: use potholders, remove coverings carefully, pay special attention to packages
that crisp food because they may be extra hot.
Don't assume that because a child has mastered one cooking skill he/she can cook everything.
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