Information You Need To Know
for suggestions: paper towels, wax paper, microwave
plastic wrap or a lid. Covers prevent spattering and
help foods to cook evenly.
• Shield with small flat pieces of aluminum foil any thin
areas of meat or poultry to prevent overcooking before
dense, thick areas are cooked thoroughly.
• Stir foods from outside to center of dish once or twice
during cooking, if possible.
• Turn foods over once during microwaving to speed
cooking of such foods as chicken and hamburgers.
Large items like roasts must be turned over at least
once.
ABOUT FOOD
FOOD
Eggs, sausages,
• Puncture egg yolks before cooking to prevent
nuts, seeds, fruits
"explosion".
& vegetables
• Pierce skins of potatoes, apples, squash, hot
dogs and sausages so that steam escapes.
Popcorn
• Use specially bagged popcorn for the
microwave oven.
• Listen while popping corn for the popping to
slow to 1 or 2 seconds or use special Popcorn
pad.
Baby food
• Transfer baby food to small dish and heat
carefully, stirring often. Check temperature
before serving.
• Put nipples on bottles after heating and shake
thoroughly. "Wrist" test before feeding.
General
• Cut baked goods with filling after heating to
release steam and avoid burns.
• Stir liquids briskly before, during and after
heating to avoid "eruption".
• Use deep bowl, when cooking liquids or cereals,
to prevent boilovers.
E
• Rearrange foods such as meatballs halfway through
cooking both from top to bottom and from the center
of the dish to the outside.
• Add standing time. Remove food from microwave
oven and stir, if possible. Cover for standing time which
allows the food to finish cooking without overcooking.
• Check for doneness. Look for signs indicating that
cooking temperatures have been reached.
Doneness signs include:
-
Food steams throughout, not just at edge.
-
Center bottom of dish is very hot to the touch.
-
Poultry thigh joints move easily.
-
Meat and poultry show no pinkness.
-
Fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
DO
8
DON'T
• Cook eggs in shells.
• Reheat whole eggs.
• Dry nuts or seeds in shells.
• Pop popcorn in regular brown bags or
glass bowls.
• Exceed maximum time on popcorn
package.
• Heat disposable bottles.
• Heat bottles with nipples on.
• Heat baby food in original jars.
• Heat or cook in closed glass jars or air
tight containers.
• Can in the microwave as harmful bacteria
may not be destroyed.
• Deep fat fry.
• Dry wood, gourds, herbs or wet papers.