TROUBLESHOOTING
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (continued)
Food
Question | Answer |
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What is wrong when baked foods have a | A hard, dry, brown spot indicates overcooking. Shorten the cooking |
hard, dry, brown spot? | or reheating time. |
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Why do eggs sometimes pop? | When baking, frying, or poaching eggs, the yolk may pop due to |
| steam |
| simply pierce the yolk with a wooden toothpick before cooking. |
| CAUTION: Never microwave eggs in the shell. |
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|
Why are scrambled eggs sometimes a | Eggs will dry out when they are overcooked, even if the same |
little dry after cooking? | recipe is used each time. The cooking time may need to be varied |
| for one of these reasons: |
| • Eggs vary in size. |
| • Eggs are at room temperature one time and at refrigerator |
| temperature another time. |
| • Eggs continue cooking during standing time. |
|
|
Is it possible to pop popcorn in a | Yes, if using one of the two methods described below: |
microwave oven? | (1) |
| cooking |
| (2) prepackaged commercial microwave popcorn that is made |
| for specific times and power output needed |
| Follow exact directions given by each manufacturer for |
| its popcorn popping product and do not leave the oven |
| unattended while the corn is being popped. If corn fails |
| to pop after the suggested time, discontinue cooking. |
| Overcooking could result in an oven fire. |
| CAUTION: |
| • Never use a brown paper bag for popping corn or attempt to |
| pop leftover kernels. |
|
|
Why do baked apples sometimes burst | The peel has not been removed from the top half of each apple to |
during cooking? | allow for expansion of the interior of the apple during cooking. As in |
| conventional cooking methods, the interior of the apple expands |
| during the cooking process. |
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|
Why do baked potatoes sometimes | If the cooking time is too long, fire could result. At the end of the |
burn during cooking? | recommended cooking time, potatoes should be slightly firm. |
| CAUTION: Do not overcook. |
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Why is a standing time recommended | Standing time allows foods to continue cooking evenly for a few |
after microwave cooking time is over? | minutes after the actual microwave oven cooking cycle. The |
| amount of standing time depends upon the density of the foods. |
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Why is additional time required for | As in conventional cooking, the initial temperature of food affects |
cooking food stored in the refrigerator? | total cooking time. You need more time to cook food taken out of a |
| refrigerator than for food at room temperature. |
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