Microwave Cooking Tips – Meats, Vegetables, Desserts
You'll hear a lot of advice about cooking in the microwave, and some of it's even contradictory. If you're confused about microwave cooking, don't worry. Many people don't know a lot about this easy, fast way of preparing food. Here are a few tips to help you cook in the microwave with success.
Use the Right Plastics
Be sure to use the right plastics. While plastic containers work well in the microwave, not all of them are created equal. Some will deform or melt when microwaved. Others can leach toxins and harmful substances into the food inside them. That's why it's important only to use plastics that are meant for microwave use. Don't reuse packaging like butter tubs in the microwave, and only heat packaged foods that have instructions for use in the microwave. If a food doesn't have these instructions, take it out of the packaging before heating.
Cook Smaller Pieces
It's best to cook smaller pieces in a microwave oven. Cut larger items into uniformly sized and shaped pieces, and spread them evenly in the dish you're cooking in. You may need to rotate or move these food pieces around while cooking. Thick areas should be near the outside walls of the container, since the outer part of foods cook faster in the microwave.
Some Foods Should be Pierced
Anything that has a shell, skin, or impermeable outside coating should be pierced before you cook it. This includes eggs and many vegetables. Otherwise, steam may build up inside and cause an explosive reaction. It’s also important to use a slightly larger container than you would in an ordinary oven - this helps your food heat more evenly. A round or oval shaped container is better for microwave cooking than a rectangle or square. That's because corners can cause heat build up.
Cooking Times
If you're using a microwave recipe, cook food for the shorter time in the range stated. You can always cook food longer, but overcooked food is ruined. If you don't have a turntable in your microwave, stop the machine periodically to rotate food. Dishes inside your oven will be extremely hot - use an oven mitt or pad.
Lids and Covers
Lids should be used for anything you'd cook covered in the oven. This helps food cook more evenly, and allows it to retain moisture. Leave all lids slightly open so that pressure won't build up inside the container. When you remove food from the microwave, lift lids carefully. Open containers facing away from you to prevent burns. Salting microwave food should be done after it’s cooked. That's because salt can cause microwaved foods to dry out.
Some Ideas
When baking, you can soften solid sticks of butter by heating them for about half a minute on fifty percent power. When warming heavy cream or sour cream, use a low setting to prevent curdling. If your brown sugar has gotten hard, slice an apple or put a piece of bread into a loosely covered container with the sugar. Bread crumbs are made by microwaving cubed bread until stale, then crushing it inside a plastic bag.
Frozen Meats
If you’re using frozen meat, individual pieces can be separated by defrosting for thirty seconds to a minute. Then, if you wish to cook it further, arrange it evenly in the dish. You can also drain hamburger fat by microwaving the meat in a plastic colander on top of a bowl or other dish. The fat runs into the dish and out of the meat.
So, there you have it. Enjoy cooking with your microwave oven safely and effectively.
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Panasonic Prestige NN-SD688S, 1.2-Cubic Foot 1300 Watt Sensor Microwave Oven, Stainless Steel List Price: $179.99 Sale Price: $169.99 Used From: $154.49  |
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Panasonic has collaborated with the "Culinary Institute of America" to prepare recipes that can be used in a microwave. You can bring that certified master chef skills out with this family size 1.2 cuft capacity microwave... |
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Panasonic NN-SD377S 0.8 cuft, 800 Watt Stainless Steel Microwave Oven, Auto Cook List Price: $129.99 Sale Price: $89.99 Used From: $107.53 |
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Elegant, attractive and easy-to-open, this microwave will look its best even when preparing some of the messiest recipes. With a push of the button the auto defrost feature makes it easy to defrost foods fast... |
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Panasonic Prestige NN-SD797S, 1.6cuft 1250 Watt Sensor Microwave Oven, Stainless Steel List Price: $239.99 Sale Price: $174.99 Used From: $151.36 |
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1.6 cft "Prestige", 1250 Watts of High Power, One-Touch Sensor Cooking/Reheat, Stainless Fingerprint Resistant Face and Wrap, Dial Control with Blue LED Operation Guide for easy Programming, Half Mirror Door, 6-Digit Display, Keep Warm/More-Less Control, Popcorn Key, Multi-Lingual Menu Action Screen, Inverter Turbo Defrost, Quick Minute, |
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1.2 cft, 1300 Watts of High Power, One-Touch Sensor Cooking/Reheat, Chrome 5 Button for easy progamming/use, Keep Warm/More-Less Control, Popcorn Key, Inverter Turbo Defrost, Quick Minute, White |
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Panasonic Prestige NN-SD997S, 2.2cuft 1250 Watt Sensor Microwave Oven, Stainless Steel List Price: $279.95 Sale Price: $183.79 Used From: $89.94 |
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2.2 cuft "Prestige", 1250 Watts of High Power, One-Touch Sensor Cooking/Reheat, Stainless Fingerprint Resistant Face and Wrap, Dial Control with Blue LED Operation Guide for easy Programming, Half Mirror Door, 6-Digit Display, Keep Warm/More-Less Control, Popcorn Key, Multi-Lingual Menu Action Screen, Inverter Turbo Defrost, Quick Minute, |
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