TROUBLESHOOTING

 

 

 

 

Questions and Answers (continued)

 

Food

 

 

 

 

 

Question

Answer

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Why do eggs sometimes pop?

When baking, frying, or poaching eggs, the yolk may pop due to

 

 

steam build-up inside the yolk membrane. To prevent this,

 

 

simply pierce the yolk with a wooden toothpick before cooking.

 

 

CAUTION: Never microwave eggs in the shell.

 

 

 

 

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) microwave-popping devices designed specifically for microwave

 

 

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.

 

 

Do not pop prepackaged commercial microwave popcorn

 

 

directly on the glass turntable. To avoid excessive heating of

 

 

the glass turntable, place the popcorn bag on a plate.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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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