Cooking’llxhniqwsfor
Microwaving
Covering.Inbothconventionalandmicrowave
cooking,coversholdinmoistureandspeedheating.
Conventionally,partialcoveringallowsexcesssteamto
escape.Ventingplasticwraporcoveringwithwaxpaper
servesthesamepurposewhenmicrowaving.
ArrangingFoodinOven,Inconventionalbating,you
positionfoods,suchascakelayersorpotatoes,sothat
hotaircanflowaroundthem.Whenmicrowaving,you
arrangefoodsinaring,sothatailsidesareexposedto
microwaveenergy.
Stirring.
Enrangetc3pcooking,youstirfoodsupfrom
thebottomtohelpthemheatevenly.When
microwaving,youstircookedportionsfromtheoutside
tothecenter.Foodswhichrequireconstantstirring
conventiomdlywiilneedonlyoccasionalstirring.
TurningOver.Inrangetopcooking,youturnover
foodssuchashamburgers,sobothsidescandirectly
contactthehotpan.Whenmicrowaving,turningisoften
neededduringdefrosting,orwhencookingfoodssuch
ashamburgersfromthefrozenstate.
StandingTime.Inconventionalcooking,fds suchas
roastsorcakesareallowedtostandtofinishcookingor
set,Standingtimeisespeciallyimportantinmicrowave
caoking.Notethatthemicrowavedcakeisnotplacedon
acoolingrack.
Shielding.
Inaconventionaloven,youshieldchicken
breastsorbakedfoodstopreventover-browning.When
defrosting,youusesmallstripsoffoiltoshieldthin
parts,suchasthetipsof’wingsandlegsonpoukry,
whichwouldMWkbeforelargerpartsweredefrosted.
PrickFoodstoReleasePressure.l!%embuiklsup
pressureinhodswhicharctightlycovexdbyaskhaor
membrane.Prickpotatoes(myoudocomwntionally),
eggyolksaridchickenliverstopreventbursting.
Rotating.Occasionally, adishintheoven
helpsfood~ookevenly.T’rotate1/2turn,turnthedish
untilthesidewhichwastothebackoflheovenistothe
front.Torotate1/4turn,turnthedishuntiltheside
whichwastothebackoftheovenistotheside,
I
Hyouuseameatthermometerwhilecooking,make
sureitissafeforuseinmicrowaveovens,
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Effe@
ofl?oodCharacteristicsm
Microwaving
DensityofFood.Inbothconventionalandmicrowave
cooking,densefoods,suchasapotato,takelongerto
cookorheatthanlight,porousfoods,suchasapieceof
cake,breadoraroll.
Round$hapw
Sincemicrowavespenetratefoodsto
aboutl-in.fromtop,bottomandsides,roundshapes
andringscookmoreevenly.Cornersreceivemore
energyandmayovercook.Thismayalsohappenwhen
cookingconventionally.
Delicacy.Foodswithadelicatetexturesuchascustards
arebestcookedatlowerpowersettingstoavoid
toughening.
NaturalMoistureoffoodaffeetshowitcooks.Very
moistfoodscookevenlybecausemicrowaveenergyis
attractedtowatermolecules.Fooduneveninmoisture
shouldbecoveredorallowedtostandsoheatcan
disperseevenly.
PieceSize.Smallpiecescookfasterthanlargeones.
Mewswhicharesimilarinsizeandshapecookmore
evenly,Withlargepiecesoffood,reducethepower
settin~forevenZtiking.
Shapeufl?ood.Inbothtypesofcooking,thinareas
cookfhsterthanthickones.Thiscanbecontrolledin
microwavingbyplacingthickpiecesneartheoutside
edge,andthinpiees inthecenter.
StartingTemperature.Foodstakenfromthefreezeror
refrigeratortakelongertocookthanfindsatroom
temperature.Timingsinourrecipesarebasedonthe
temperaturesatwhichyounormallystorethefbods.
Quantitycd’l?ood.Inbothtypesofcooking,small
amountsusuallytakelessfimethanlargeones.Thisis
mostapparentinmicrowavecooking,wheretimeis
directlyrelatedtothenumberofservings.
12
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