SPECIAL TECHNIQUES IN
MICROWAVE COOKING
Browning: Meats and poultry that are cooked
fifteen minutes or longer will brown lightly in their
own fat. Foods that are cooked for a shorter period
of time may be brushed with a browning sauce to
achieve an appetizing color. The most commonly
used browning sauces are Worcestershire sauce,
soy sauce, and barbecue sauce. Since relatively
small amounts of browning sauces are added to
foods, the original flavor of recipes are not altered.
Covering: A cover traps heat and steam and
causes food to cook more quickly. You may either
use a lid or microwave cling-film with a corner
folded back to prevent splitting.
Covering with waxed paper: Waxed paper
effectively prevents spattering and helps food
retain some heat. Since it makes a looser cover
than a lid or cling-film, it allows the food to dry out
slightly.
Wrapping in waxed paper or paper towel:
Sandwiches and many other foods containing
prebaked bread should be wrapped prior to
microwaving to prevent drying out.
Arranging and spacing:individual foods such as
baked potatoes, small cakes, and hors d'oeuvres
will heat more evenly if placed in the oven and
equal distance apart, preferably in a circular
pattern. Never stack foods on top of one another.
Stirring: Stirring is one of the most important of all
microwaving techniques, in conventional cooking,
foods are stirred for the purpose of blending.
Microwaved foods, however, are stirred in order to
spread and redistribute heat. Always stir from the
outside towards the center as the outside food
heats first.
Turning over: Large, tall foods such as roasts and
whole chickens should be turned so that the top
and bottom will cook evenly. It is also a good idea
to turn cut-up chicken and chops.
Placing thicker portions near the edge: Since
microwaves are attracted to the outside portion of
foods, it makes sense to place thicker portions of
meat, poultry and fish to the outer edge of the
baking dish. This way, thicker portions will receive
the most microwave energy and the foods will cook
evenly.
Elevating: Thick or dense foods are often elevated
so that microwaves can be absorbed by the
underside and center of the foods.
Piercing: Foods enclosed in a shell, skin, or
membrane are likely to burst in the oven unless
they are pierced prior to cooking. Such foods
include both yolks and whites of eggs, clams and
oysters, and many whole vegetables and fruits.
Testing if cooked: Because foods cook so quickly
in a microwave oven, it is necessary to test food
frequently. Some foods are left in the microwave
until completely cooked, but most foods, including
meats and poultry, are removed from the oven
while still slightly undercooked and allowed to
finish cooking during standing time. The internal
temperature of foods will rise between 5°F (3°C)
and 15°F (8°C) during standing time.
Standing time: Foods are often allowed to stand
for 3 to 10 minutes after being removed from the
microwave oven. Usually the foods are covered
during standing time to retain heat unless they are
supposed to be dry in texture (some cakes and
biscuits, for example). Standing allows foods to
finish cooking and also helps flavors to blend and
develop.
HOW FOOD CHARACTERISTICS
AFFECT MICROWAVE COOKING
Density of foods: Light, porous food like cakes
and breads cook more quickly than heavy, dense
foods such as roasts and casseroles. You must
take care when microwaving porous foods that the
outer edges do not become dry and brittle.
Height of foods: The upper portion of tall foods,
particularly roasts, will cook more quickly than the
lower portion. Therefore, it is wise to turn tall foods
during cooking, sometimes several times.
Moisture content of foods: Since the heat
generated from microwaves tends to evaporate
moisture, relatively dry foods such as roasts and
some vegetables should either be sprinkled with
water prior to cooking or covered to retain moisture.
Bone and fat content of foods: Bones conduct
heat and fat cooks more quickly than meat.
Therefore, care must be taken when cooking bony
or fatty cuts of meat that the meats do not cook
unevenly and do not become overcooked.
