Cooking’llxhniqwsfor
Microwaving
Covering.In bothconventionalandmicrowave
cooking,coversholdinmoistureandspeedheating.
Conventionally,partialcoveringallowsexcesssteamto
escape.Ventingplasticwrapor coveringwithwaxpaper
servesthesamepurposewhenmicrowaving.
ArrangingFoodinOven,Inconventionalbating,you
positionfoods,suchascakelayersorpotatoes,sothat
hotaircanflowaroundthem.Whenmicrowaving,you
arrangefoodsinaring,sothatailsidesareexposedto
microwaveenergy.
Stirring.
Enrangetc3pcooking,youstirfoodsupfrom
thebottomtohelpthemheatevenly.When
microwaving,youstircookedportionsfromtheoutside
tothecenter.Foodswhichrequireconstantstirring
conventiomdlywiilneedonlyoccasionalstirring.
TurningOver.Inrangetopcooking,youturnover
foodssuchashamburgers,sobothsidescandirectly
contactthehotpan.Whenmicrowaving,turningisoften
neededduringdefrosting,orwhencookingfoodssuch
ashamburgersfromthefrozenstate.
StandingTime.Inconventionalcooking,fds suchas
roastsorcakesareallowedtostandtofinishcookingor
set,Standingtimeisespeciallyimportantinmicrowave
caoking.Notethatthemicrowavedcakeisnotplacedon
acoolingrack.
Shielding.
Inaconventionaloven,youshieldchicken
breastsorbakedfoodsto preventover-browning.When
defrosting,youusesmallstripsoffoiltoshieldthin
parts,suchasthetipsof’wingsandlegsonpoukry,
whichwouldMWkbeforelargerpartsweredefrosted.
PrickFoodstoReleasePressure.l!%embuiklsup
pressureinhodswhicharctightlycovexdbyaskhaor
membrane.Prickpotatoes(myoudocomwntionally),
eggyolksaridchickenliverstopreventbursting.
Rotating.Occasionally, adishintheoven
helpsfood~ookevenly.T’ rotate1/2turn,turnthedish
untilthesidewhichwastothebackoflheovenistothe
front.Torotate1/4turn,turnthedishuntiltheside
whichwastothebackoftheovenistotheside,
IHyouuseameatthermometerwhilecooking,make
sureitissafeforuseinmicrowaveovens, I
Effe@ ofl?oodCharacteristicsm
Microwaving
Densityof Food.Inbothconventionalandmicrowave
cooking,densefoods,suchasapotato,takelongerto
cookorheatthanlight,porousfoods,suchasapieceof
cake,breadoraroll.
Round$hapw Sincemicrowavespenetratefoodsto
aboutl-in.fromtop,bottomandsides,roundshapes
andringscookmoreevenly.Cornersreceivemore
energyandmayovercook.Thismayalsohappenwhen
cookingconventionally.
Delicacy.Foodswithadelicatetexturesuchascustards
arebestcookedat lowerpowersettingstoavoid
toughening.
NaturalMoistureoffoodaffeetshowitcooks.Very
moistfoodscookevenlybecausemicrowaveenergyis
attractedto watermolecules.Fooduneveninmoisture
shouldbecoveredor allowedtostandsoheatcan
disperseevenly.
PieceSize.Smallpiecescookfasterthanlargeones.
Mewswhicharesimilarinsizeandshapecookmore
evenly,Withlargepiecesoffood,reducethepower
settin~forevenZtiking.
Shapeufl?ood.Inbothtypesofcooking,thinareas
cookfhsterthanthickones.Thiscanbecontrolledin
microwavingbyplacingthickpiecesneartheoutside
edge,andthinpiees inthecenter.
StartingTemperature.Foodstakenfromthe freezeror
refrigeratortakelongerto cookthanfindsatroom
temperature.Timingsinourrecipesarebasedonthe
temperaturesat whichyounormallystorethefbods.
Quantitycd’l?ood.Inbothtypesofcooking,small
amountsusuallytakelessfimethanlargeones.Thisis
mostapparentinmicrowavecooking,wheretimeis
directlyrelatedtothenumberofservings.
12
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