Safety Precautions

Follow These Safety Precautions When Cooking in Your Oven

Cookware and Utensil Guide

ITEM

MICROWAVE

COMMENTS

IMPORT ANT

Proper cooking depends upon the power, the

time set and the quantity of food. If you use a smaller portion than recommended and cook at

the time for the recommended portion, fire can result.

1)HOME CANNING / DRYING FOODS / SMALL QUANTITIES OF FOODS

DO NOT use your oven for home canning, your oven cannot maintain the food at the proper can- ning temperature. Improperly canned food may

spoil and be dangerous to consume.

DO NOT dry meats, herbs, fruits or vegetables in your oven. Small quantities of food or foods with

low moisture content can dry out, scorch or catch on fire if overheated.

2) POPCORN

Popcorn may be popped in a microwave oven corn popper. Microwave popcorn which pops in its own package is also available. Follow pop- corn manufacturers’ directions and use a brand suitable for the wattage of your microwave oven.

CAUTION: When using pre-packaged

 

microwave popcorn, follow recommended

 

package instructions. Check package weight

before using the

Popcorn

pad (see Popcorn

Pad section). Set the oven for the weight of

the popcorn package.

 

 

If these instructions are not followed, the

popcorn may not pop adequately or may

 

ignite and cause a fire. Never leave oven

 

unattended when popping popcorn. Allow

 

the popcorn bag to cool before opening,

always open the bag away from your face

and body to prevent steam burns.

 

3) DEEP FAT FRYING

 

 

DO NOT

attempt to deep fat fry in your

microwave oven. Cooking oils may burst into

flames and may cause damage to the oven and

 

perhaps result in burns. Microwave utensils may

not be able to withstand the temperature of the

hot oil, and could shatter or melt.

 

4) FOODS WITH NONPOROUS SKINS

 

Potatoes, apples, whole eggs, egg yolks,

 

 

 

whole squash and sausages are examples of

 

 

 

foods with nonporous skins.

These types of

 

foods must

be pierced before microwave cooking

 

to prevent

their bursting.

 

 

•Use fresh

potatoes for baking and cook until just

 

done. Use

recommended weights for programmed

 

 

 

cooking.

Overcooking causes dehydration and

 

 

 

may result

in a fire.

 

 

 

 

5) LIQUIDS

 

 

 

 

•Liquids can become "superheated" in a

 

 

 

microwave, and when the container is moved in

 

 

 

any way, the

superheated liquids can

 

 

"explode" out of the container

.

"Superheated" water is hotter than boiling

 

water, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT

 

APPEAR TO BUBBLE. To reduce the possibility

 

of this occurrence:

 

 

Always make sure that liquids are stirred

 

vigorously

before heating to assure that the

 

liquid is mixed with air.

NEVER HEAT LIQUIDS

FOR AN EXCESSIVE LENGTH OF TIME

.

6) GLASS TRAY / COOKING UTENSILS / FOIL

 

•Cooking utensils get hot during microwaving. Heat

 

is transferred from the HOT food to the container

 

and the Glass Tray. Use potholders when remov-

 

ing utensils from the oven or when removing lids

 

or plastic wrap covers from cooking utensils to

 

avoid burns.

 

 

 

•The Glass Tray will get hot during cooking. It

 

should be allowed to cool before handling or

 

before paper products, such as paper plates or

 

microwave popcorn bags, are placed in the oven

 

for microwave cooking.

 

 

•When using foil, skewers, warming rack or uten-

 

sils made of metal in the oven, allow at least 1-

 

inch (2.5 cm) of space between metal material

 

and interior oven walls. If arcing occurs (spark-

 

ing), remove metal material (skewers etc.) and/or

 

transfer to a non-metallic container.

not

 

•Dishes with metallic trim should

be used, as

arcing may occur.

 

 

 

•If an entree is heated in a foil tray, maintain at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) spacing from the oven walls.

7) PAPER TOWELS / CLOTHS

DO NOT use paper towels or cloths which con- tain a synthetic fiber woven into them. The syn- thetic fiber may cause the towel to ignite. Use paper toweling under supervision.

8)BROWNING DISHES / OVEN COOKING BAGS

•Browning dishes or grills are designed for microwave cooking only. Always follow instruc-

tions provided by the manufacturer.

DO NOT

preheat browning dish more than 6 minutes.

 

•If an oven cooking bag is used for microwave

 

cooking, prepare according to package directions.

 

DO NOT

use a wire twist-tie to close bag,

 

instead use plastic ties, cotton string or a strip cut from the open end of the bag.

9) THERMOMETERS

DO NOT use a conventional meat thermometer in your oven. Arcing may occur. Microwave-safe thermometers are available for both meat and candy.

10) BABY FORMULA / FOOD

DO NOT heat baby formula or food in the microwave oven. The glass jar or surface of the food may appear to be only warm while the interi- or can be so hot as to burn the infant’s mouth and esophagus.

11) REHEATING PASTRY PRODUCTS

When reheating pastry products, check tempera- tures of any fillings before eating. Some foods have fillings which heat faster and can be extremely hot, while the surface remains warm to the touch (ex. Jelly Donuts).

12) GENERAL OVEN USAGE GUIDELINES

DO NOT use the oven for any reason other than the preparation of food.

DO NOT leave oven unattended while in use.

6

 

 

Yes for

 

Small strips of foil can be molded around thin parts of

Aluminum Foil

Shielding

meat or poultry to prevent overcooking. Arcing can occur

 

 

only

 

if foil is too close to oven wall or if too much foil is used.

Browning Dish

Yes

 

Browning dishes are designed for microwave cooking

 

only. Check browning dish information for instructions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and heating chart. Do not preheat for more than 6 minutes.

Brown paper bags

No

May cause a fire in the oven.

 

 

Dinnerware

 

Yes

Check manufacturers' use and care directions for use in

Labeled

 

 

microwave heating. Some dinnerware may state on the

“Microwave-Safe”

 

 

back of the dish, “Oven-Microwave Safe”.

 

Other Dinnerware

?

 

Use

CONTAINER TEST

below.

Disposable polyester

 

Yes

 

Some frozen foods are packaged in these dishes. Can be

Paperboard Dishes

 

purchased in grocery stores.

 

 

Fast Food Carton

 

No

 

Metal handle may cause arcing

.

with Metal Handle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frozen Dinner Tray

 

Yes

Frozen dinners may be heated in foil tray, if tray is less than

Metal

 

 

3 /4-in.(2 cm) high. Place foil tray in center of oven. Leave at

Microwave-safe

Yes

 

 

least 1-in. (2.5 cm) space between foil tray and oven walls.

 

Heat only 1 foil tray in the oven at a time. For containers

 

 

 

 

more than

3 /4-inch (2 cm) deep,remove food and place in a

 

 

 

 

similar size microwave-safe container.

Glass Jars

 

Yes,

 

Remove lid. Heat food until just warm, not HOT. Most glass

use caution

jars are not heat resistant. Do not use for cooking.

 

Glassware

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat Resistant Oven

 

Yes(See

Ideal for microwave cooking and browning.

Glassware & Ceramics

 

CONTAINER TEST

below)

Metal Bakeware

No

Not recommended for use in microwave ovens.

 

Metal Twist-Ties

No

 

May cause arcing which could cause a fire in the oven.

 

 

 

 

Follow manufacturers' directions. Close bag with the nylon tie

Oven Cooking Bag

Yes

 

 

provided, a strip cut from the end of the bag, or a piece of

 

 

 

 

cotton string. Do not close with a metal twist-tie. Make six

 

 

 

 

1/2 -in. (1 cm) slits near the closure.

Paper Plates & Cups

Yes

 

 

Use to warm cooked foods, and to cook foods that require

 

 

short cooking times such as hot dogs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paper Towels & Napkins

Yes

Use to warm rolls and sandwiches by microwave.

 

Parchment Paper

Yes

 

 

Use as a cover to prevent spattering. Safe for use in

 

 

microwave, microwave/convection and conventional ovens.

 

 

 

 

Plastic

 

 

 

 

 

 

Microwave-Safe

Yes

 

Should be labeled, "Suitable for Microwave Heating." Check

Cookware

 

 

manufacuters’ directions for recommended uses.

Reheat & Storage

Yes,

 

Some microwave-safe plastic dishes are not suitable for

 

use caution

cooking foods with high fat or sugar content. The heat from

 

 

 

 

hot food may cause the plastic to warp.

Melamine

No

 

This material absorbs microwave energy. Dishes get HOT!

Plastic Foam Cups

 

Yes,

 

Plastic foam will melt if foods reach a high temperature. Use

use caution

to bring foods to a low serving temperature.

 

 

 

Plastic Wrap

Yes

 

Use to cover food during cooking to retain moisture and

prevent spattering. Should be labeled “Suitable for

 

 

 

 

Microwave Heating”. Check package directions.

Straw, Wicker, Wood

Yes

 

 

Use only for short term reheating and to bring

 

 

food to a low serving temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thermometers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Microwave-safe, only

Yes

Use only microwave-safe meat and candy thermometers.

Conventional

No

 

 

Not suitable for use in microwave oven, will cause sparks

 

 

and get hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wax paper

Yes

Use as a cover to prevent spattering and to retain moisture.

CONTAINER TEST

TO

TEST A CONTAINER FOR SAFE MICROWAVE OVEN USE:

Fill a 1- cup glass measure with water

and

place it in the microwave oven along with the container to be tested;

heat one (1) minute at P10

(HIGH) . If the container is microwave oven-safe (transparent to microwave energy), the container should remain comfortably cool and the water should be hot. If the container is hot, it has absorbed some microwave energy and should NOT be used. This test cannot be used for plastic containers.

7

Page 4
Image 4
Panasonic NN-S723WL, NN-S723BL manual Safety Precautions, Cookware and Utensil Guide, Do not, Not