The quantity or volume of a food can affect the amount of cooking time. As the volume of the food is increased, the time required to cook or heat the item increases almost proportionately. If twice the amount of food is placed in the oven, it will take almost twice as long to cook. To deter- mine the time for larger quantities, multiply the individual serving time by the increased amount, then reduce the total heating time by about 20%.
The density of foods can greatly affect the amount of cooking time. Porous foods, such as breads, cakes or pastries, will heat much more quickly than dense meats of the same size. Porous foods absorb microwaves quickly throughout. Meats absorb microwaves mostly at the exterior surface, and the interior is heated by conduc- tion, increasing the cooking time. Meats can be cooked in a sauce, if desired. Due to the moisture content, a sauce will heat rapidly. The heat will transfer to the meat, so the meat will heat faster due to heat by conduction as well as by microwaves.
The starting temperature of foods affects the amount of cooking time. Each temperature degree that the food item is to raise must be supplied with a definite amount of energy. Lower initial starting temperatures require more energy and more time to cook. Therefore, refrigerator temperature foods require a longer cooking time than room temperature foods. Foods already slightly warm will heat very quickly in the oven.
The moisture content of foods affects the amount of cooking time. The higher the moisture content is in a food the longer the amount of cooking time.
The fat and sugar content of foods affects the amount of cooking time. Foods containing high fat and sugar levels heat very quickly and may reach much higher tempera- tures than foods having low fat and sugar levels. Foods having lower fat and sugar levels require longer cooking times.
The arrangement of food within a microwave oven cavity affects the way in which the food cooks. A “round” arrangement is best. Use round utensils whenever possible. Also, arrange foods such as baked potatoes in a circle, rather than in rows, for cooking. When only one food item is being cooked, place it in the center of the oven glass shelf for cooking.
Manipulation of Foods
Sometimes recipes suggest manipulating or moving food during cooking. There are several forms of manipulation:
Stirring is required less often in microwave cooking than in conventional cooking. In conventional cooking, you use a spoon to move food up from the bottom of a pan to evenly distribute the heat. In microwave cooking, you still stir to redistribute the heat within some foods, but you need to stir from the outside of a dish toward the inside or center. If a recipe states to stir once or twice during cooking, stir at approximately even intervals. For ex- ample, in a
Some foods can’t be stirred and should be repositioned or rearranged during cooking. Some examples include baked potatoes, cupcakes (in custard cups), and chicken pieces. Rearranging allows for more even cooking of foods. Foods which are cooked, covered or which are cooked using lower power levels, usually require little rearranging.
Turning foods over: Turning foods over is done to distribute heat. Meat and poultry are two types of foods which are sometimes “turned over.” Examples include roasts, turkeys and whole chickens. Small meat items such as poultry pieces may need to be turned over when in casseroles, or when in a browning skillet.
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