Glossary of Microwave Terms

When adapting recipes for the microwave, it is best to start with a familiar recipe. Knowing how the food should look and taste will help when adapting recipes for microwaving. Foods that require browning or crisp, dry surfaces will cook better in regular ovens.

•Moist foods, such as vegetables, fruits, poultry and seafood, microwave well.

•Rich foods, such as bar cookies, moist cakes and candies, are suitable for microwaving because of their high fat and sugar content.

•Reduce regular oven cooking times by 1/2

to 1/3. Check food after minimum time to avoid over-cooking.

•Small amounts of butter or oil can be used for flavoring, but are not needed to prevent sticking.

•Seasonings may need to be reduced. Salt meats and vegetables after cooking.

Covering. In both regular baking and microwave cooking, covers hold in moisture, allow for more even heating and reduce cooking time. In regular ovens, partial covering allows excess steam to escape. Venting plastic wrap or covering with wax paper serves the same purpose when microwaving.

Venting. After covering a dish with plastic wrap, you vent the plastic wrap by turning back 1 corner so excess steam can escape.

Arranging Food in Oven. When baking in regular ovens, you position foods, such as cake layers or potatoes, so hot air can flow around them. When microwaving, you arrange foods in a ring, so that all sides are exposed to microwave energy.

Stirring. In range-top cooking, you stir foods up from the bottom to heat them evenly. When microwaving, you stir cooked portions from the outside to the center. Foods that require constant stirring will need only occasional stirring when microwaving.

Turning Over. In range-top cooking, you turn over foods, such as hamburgers, so both sides can directly contact the hot pan. When microwaving, turning is often needed during defrosting or when cooking certain foods, such as frozen hamburgers.

Standing Time. When you cook with regular ovens, foods such as roasts or cakes are allowed to stand to finish cooking or to set. Standing time is especially important in microwave cooking. Note that a microwaved cake is not placed on a cooling rack.

Shielding. In a regular oven, you shield chicken breasts or baked foods to prevent over-browning. When microwaving, you use small strips of foil to shield thin parts, such as the tips of wings and legs on poultry, which would cook before larger parts.

Arcing. Sparks caused by too much metal in the microwave oven or metal touching the side of the oven or foil that is not molded to food.

Prick Foods to Release Pressure. Steam builds up pressure in foods that are tightly covered by a skin or membrane. Prick foods, such as potatoes (as you do before regular oven cooking), egg yolks and chicken livers, to prevent bursting.

Basic Microwave Guidelines

Density of Food. In both regular baking and microwave cooking, dense foods, such as potatoes, take longer to cook than light, porous foods, such as rolls, bread or pieces of cake.

Round Shapes. Since microwaves penetrate foods to about 1 inch from top, bottom and sides, round shapes and rings cook more evenly. Corners receive more energy and may overcook. This may also happen when cooking in a regular oven.

Delicacy. Foods with a delicate texture, such as custards, are best cooked at lower power settings to avoid toughening.

Natural Moisture of food affects how it cooks. Very moist foods cook evenly because microwave energy is attracted to water molecules. Food that is uneven in moisture should be covered or allowed to stand so it heats evenly.

Piece Size. Small pieces cook faster than large ones. Pieces that are similar in size and shape cook more evenly. With large pieces of food, reduce the power setting for even cooking.

Shape of Food. In both types of cooking, thin areas cook faster than thick areas. This can be controlled in microwaving by placing thick pieces near the outside edge and thin pieces in the center.

Starting Temperature. Foods taken from the freezer or refrigerator take longer to cook than foods at room temperature. Timings in our recipes are based on the temperatures at which you normally store the foods.

Quantity of Food. In both types of cooking, small amounts usually take less time than large amounts. This is most apparent in microwave cooking, where time is directly related to the number of servings.