Whirlpool UMV2186AA owner manual Cooking Instructions Cooking Techniques General Tips

UMV2186AA.fm Page 19 Thursday, May 26, 2005 9:55 AM

Cooking Instructions

Cooking Techniques	General Tips
Stirring	• Dense foods, such as potatoes, take longer to heat than lighter
Stir foods such as casseroles and vegetables while cooking to distribute	foods. Foods with a delicate texture should be heated at a low power
heat evenly. Food toward the outside of the dish absorbs more energy	level to avoid becoming tough.
and heats more quickly, so stir from the outside to the center. The oven	• Altitude and the type of cookware you are using can affect cooking
will turn off when you open the door to stir your food.
Arrangement	time. When using a new recipe, use the minimum cooking time and
	check the food occasionally to prevent overcooking.
Arrange unevenly shaped foods, such as chicken pieces or chops, with
	• Foods with a non-porous skin such as potatoes or hot dogs, should
the thicker, meatier parts toward the outside of the turntable where they
	be pierced to prevent bursting.
receive more microwave energy. To prevent overcooking, place thin or
delicate parts toward the center of the turntable.	• Frying with heating oil or fat is not recommended. Fat and oil can
Shielding	suddenly boil over and cause severe burns.
Shield food with narrow strips of aluminum foil to prevent overcooking.	• Some ingredients heat faster than others. For example, the jelly
Areas that need shielding include poultry wing-tips, the ends of poultry	inside a jelly doughnut will be hotter than the dough. Keep this in
legs, and corners of square baking dishes. Use only small amounts of	mind to avoid burns.
aluminum foil. Larger amounts can damage your oven. Keep the foil no	• Home canning in the microwave oven is not recommended because
more than 1~2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Turning	all harmful bacteria may not be destroyed by the microwave heating
	process.
Turn foods over midway through cooking to expose all parts to micro-
	• Although microwaves do not heat the cookware, the heat is from the
wave energy. This is especially important with large items such as
	food often transferred to the cookware. Always use pot holders when
roasts.
Standing	removing food from the microwave and instruct children to do the
	same.
Foods cooked in the microwave build up internal heat and continue to
	• Making candy in the microwave is not recommended as candy can
cook for a few minutes after the oven stops. Let foods stand to complete
cooking, especially foods such as roasts and whole vegetables. Roasts	heat to very high temperatures. Keep this in mind to avoid injury.
need this time to complete cooking in the center without overcooking the
outer areas. All liquids, such as soup or hot chocolate, should be shaken
or stirred when cooking is complete. Let liquids stand a moment before
serving. When heating baby food, stir well and test the food temperature
before serving.
Adding Moisture
Microwave energy is attracted to water molecules. Food that is uneven
in moisture content should be covered or allowed to stand so that the
heat disperses evenly. Add a small amount of water to dry food to help it
cook.
Venting
After covering a dish with plastic wrap, vent plastic wrap by turning back
one corner so excess steam can escape. Make sure to vent the wrap
away from hands and face. Venting towards you could result in burns on
your hands and face.

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