Microwave Cooking Tips - Kenmore 790.8032 Use & Care Manual

Microwave Cooking Tips

Amount of Food
you prepare, the time it takes to cook that food
will also change. For example, if you double a
recipe, add a little more than half the original
cooking time. Check for readiness and, if
necessary, add more time in small increments.
Starting Temperature of Food
put into the microwave oven, the longer it
takes to cook. Food at room temperature will
reheat quicker than food at refrigerator
temperature.
Composition of Food
F o o d with a lot of fat and sugar
faster than food containing a lot of water.
Fat and sugar will also reach a higher
temperature than water in the cooking process.
to heat. "Very dense" food, like meat, takes
longer to heat than lighter, more porous food,
like sponge cakes.
Size and Shape
larger pieces. Also, same shaped pieces cook
thinner parts will cook faster than the thicker
parts. Place the thinner parts of chicken wings
and legs in the center of the dish.
Stirring and Turning Foods
rring and turning foods spreads heat quickly
to the center of the dish and avoids overcooking
at the outer edges of the food.
Covering Food
Cover food to reduce splattering, shorten cooking
times, and keep food moist.
You can use any covering that lets microwaves
pass through. See "Getting to Know Your Microwave
Oven" for materials that microwaves will
pass through.
the amount of food
of the food being
will heat
the longer it takes
will cook faster than
s.
the
Releasing Pressure in Foods
(for example: baked potatoes, sausages,
egg yolks, and some fruits) are tightly covered by a skin
or membrane. Steam can build up under the membrane
during cooking, causing the food to burst. To relieve the
pressure and to prevent bursting, pierce these foods
before cooking with a fork, cocktail pick, or toothpick.
Using Standing Time
after cooking power stops. Standing time after defrosting
and cooking allows the temperature to evenly spread
throughout the food, improving the cooking results. For
inside oven standing time, you can program a "0" power
second stage of the cooking cycle. See Two-Stage Cooking.
The length of the standing time
food you are cooking and how dense it is. Sometimes it
can be as short as the time it takes to remove the food
from the oven and take it to the serving table. However,
with a larger, denser food item, the standing time may
be as long as 10 minutes.
Arranging Food
For best results, place food evenly on the plate. You can
do this in several ways:
such as baked potatoes, place them in a ring pattern for
uniform cooking.
When cooking foods of uneven shapes or thickness,
such as chicken breasts, place the smaller or thinner
area of the food towards the center of the dish where
it will be heated last.
Layer thin slices of meat
prevents cracking.
let food or a container touch the top or sides of
the oven. This will prevent possible arcing. Arcing is a
spark that can cause damage to the oven interior.
EN-10
either in or out of the oven,
depends on how much
on top of each other.
score the skin - this