Table of Contents
Advertisement
Advantages
of microwave
cooking
are speed
and efficiency.
For warming,
heating,
and
defrosting,
nothing compares.
There are a few
tips that will make microwaving
easier and
more enjoyable.
Microwave
Cooking Principles
Because microwave
cooking
requires only
one-quarter
to one-third
the time of
conventional
cooking, the same cooking
principles
become even more importanL
Quantity
The more food being cooked, the longer you
wilt have to cook it. As a general rule, when
doubling
a recipe, increase the cooking
time
by about 50 percent
When cutting a recipe in
half, reduce the time by about 40 percent..
Density
Dense foods, such as potatoes, roasts and
carrots, absorb
microwave
energy less quickly
than porous foods such as ground
beef or
mashed potatoes.. Therefore,
denser foods take
longer to cook.
Shape and Size
Small pieces cook faster than large ones For
even cooking, it is important to have all the
pieces the same size. Evenly shaped pieces,
round or doughnut
shaped, microwave
best
When cooking
items of varying thickness,
arrange the thick portion
near the outer edge
of the dish..
Moisture, Sugar and Fat
Food high in moisture,
sugar or fat cook faster
than foods that are low in these substances,
Add a minimum
of liquid to moist foods. An
excess amount
of water slows cooking
Starting
Temperature
Frozen or refrigerated
foods take longer to
microwave
than food at room temperature
Delicate Ingredients
Some foods require special attention
when
cooked in the microwave
oven.. Delicate foods
such as eggs, cheese, mayonnaise,
etc cook
so quickly, they should be watched carefully.
Microwave Cooking Techniques
Arranging:Arrange
foods in a circular
pattern,
when possible.
Piercing: Pierce the membrane
of foods such
as eggs, oysters, snails, sausages,
tivers,
clams and whole vegetables,
so they do not
burst..
Covering:
Covering speeds heating and
prevents spattering
Stirring:
To help food cook more quickly
and
evenly
Turning
Over: To help larger foods such as
roasts or whole chickens cook more evenly.
Reheating:
Place food that is denser/larger/
thicker to the outer edge and the
smaller/thinner
or more porous food to the
center,
Shielding:
To prevent overcooking,
thin or
bony areas can be protected
with small strips
of aluminum
foil.
Standing
Time: Foods continue
cooking
even
after removal
from the oven. Standing
time is
necessary to allow foods to complete
cooking.
Defrosting
The microwave's
ability to defrost is one of its
most appreciated
features
Many of the same
principles
and techniques
that apply to
microwave
cooking
also apply to microwave
defrosting
Converting Recipes
Microwave
recipes will likely call for less liquid
and cooking time
Microwave Thermometers
For best results, a microwave_safe
thermometer
can be carefully and properly
inserted into the food, The guide to internal
temperatures
gives suggested
thermometer
readings for meat and poultry
Keep in mind
that standing time is essentiaI for most food to
reach its proper serving temperature,,
Guide to
t30_F (54%)
140_F (60°C}
t 50_F (66%)
155°F (68%)
160°F (71%)
t65_F (74%)
1703: (77%)
internal
Temperatures
Rare beef
Medium
beef
Vegetables,
hot drinks,
soups, casseroles
Veal
Fish steaks and fillets
Well done lamb, pork
Poultry parts, whole fish,
Well done beef
23
Advertisement
Table of Contents
