USING YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN
TIPS FOR MICROWAVE COOKING
BROWNING
Meat and poultry with high fat content that are cooked for 10 or 15 minutes or longer will brown lightly. Foods cooked a shorter time can be brushed with a browning agent, such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or barbecue sauce.
COVERING
A cover traps heat and steam and causes the food to cook more quickly. Use a lid or
SPACING
Arrange individual foods, such as baked potatoes, cupcakes, and hors d’oeuvres’ in a circle and at least 1 inch apart. This will help the food cook more evenly.
STIRRING
Stirring blends flavors and redistributes the heat in foods. Always stir from the outside toward the center of the dish. Food at the outside of the dish heats first.
TURNING
Large foods, such as roasts and whole poultry, should be turned so that the top and bottom cook evenly. Also turn over chicken pieces and chops.
ARRANGEMENT
Do not stack food. Arrange in a single layer in the dish for more even cooking. Because dense foods cook more slowly, place thicker portions of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables toward the outside of the dish.
TESTING FOR DONENESS
Because foods cook quickly in a microwave oven, you need to test frequently for doneness.
STANDING TIME IN OVEN
Depending on density, food often needs to stand from 2 to 15 minutes either in or outside of the oven after cooking power shuts off. Outside of the oven, you usually need to cover food during standing time to retain heat. Remove most foods when they are slightly undercooked and they will finish cooking during standing time. The internal temperature of food will rise about 10°F during standing time.
SHIELDING
To prevent some portions of rectangular or square dishes from overcooking, you may need to shield them with small strips of aluminum foil to block the microwaves. You can also cover poultry legs and wing tips with foil to keep them from overcooking.
Always keep foil at least 1 inch from oven walls
to prevent arcing.
PIERCING
Pierce the shell, skin, or membrane of foods before cooking to prevent them from bursting. Foods that require piercing include yolks and whites of eggs, hot dogs, clams, oysters, and whole vegetables, such as potatoes and squash.
CLEANING
Wipe the oven inside and outside with a soft cloth and a mild detergent solution. Then rinse and wipe dry. This should be done weekly or more often, if needed. Never use cleaning powders or rough pads. Excessive oil splatters on the inside top will be difficult to remove if left for many days. Wipe splatters with a wet paper towel, especially after cooking chicken or bacon.
REMOVABLE PARTS
The turntable and turntable support are removable. They should be
•The turntable may be cleaned at the sink. Be careful not to chip or scratch the edges as this may cause the turntable to break during use. Oven turntable may also be cleaned in a dishwasher.
•The turntable support rest should be cleaned regularly.
SPECIAL CARE
For best performance and safety, the inner door panel and the oven front frame should be free of food or grease buildup. Wipe often with a mild detergent; then rinse and wipe dry. Never use cleaning powders or rough pads.
After cleaning the control panel, touch STOP/CLEAR to clear any entries that might have been entered accidentally while cleaning the panel.
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