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©2020 ACP, Inc.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Page 19 of 24
Part No. 20267401
Revised 9/2020
Cooking Guidelines
The ACP Microwave Oven can make your job easier. You’ll
cook ahead and pre-portion more. You’ll also spend less time
preparing special-order dishes.
To be sure of consistently good results, you’ll want to
remember a few simple guidelines.
Food Variables
Microwave cooking can be directly aected by dierent food
variables.
The shape of foods can greatly aect the amount of cooking
time. Foods that are at and thin heat faster than foods which
are chunky. For example, a casserole will cook faster in a
at dish, rather than if heaped in a small dish. Foods cut into
small pieces will cook faster than large-shaped foods. Pieces
should be of a uniform size and shape for more uniform
cooking, or the smaller pieces will cook faster. The greatest
amount of cooking takes place within 3/4” (1.9 cm) of the
food’s surface. The interior of large food items, or dense
foods, is heated by the heat conducted from the outer food
layer. The most uniform cooking occurs in at, doughnut-
shaped foods. For best results, cook foods together which
have similar sizes and shapes.
The quantity or volume of a food can aect the amount
of cooking time. As the volume of the food is increased,
the time required to cook or heat the item increases almost
proportionately. If twice the amount of food is placed in the
oven, it will take almost twice as long to cook. To determine
the time for larger quantities, multiply the individual serving
time by the increased amount, then reduce the total cooking
time by about 20%.
The density of foods can greatly aect the amount of
cooking time. Porous foods, such as breads, cakes or
pastries, will heat much more quickly than dense meats of
the same size. Porous foods absorb microwaves quickly
throughout. Meats absorb microwaves mostly at the exterior
surface, and the interior is heated by conduction, increasing
the cooking time. Meats can be cooked in a sauce, if desired.
Due to the moisture content, a sauce will heat rapidly. The
heat will transfer to the meat, so the meat will heat faster due
to heat by conduction as well as by microwaves.
The starting temperature of foods aects the amount of
cooking time. Each temperature degree that the food item is to
raise must be supplied with a denite amount of energy. Lower
initial starting temperatures require more energy and more
time to cook. Therefore, refrigerator temperature foods require
a longer cooking time than do room temperature foods. Foods
already slightly warm will heat very quickly in the oven.
The moisture content of foods aects the amount of
cooking time. The higher the moisture content is in a food the
longer the amount of cooking time.
The salt, fat, and sugar content of foods aects the
amount of cooking time. Foods containing high salt, fat, and
sugar levels heat very quickly and may reach much higher
temperatures than foods having low salt, fat, and sugar levels.
Foods having lower salt, fat, and sugar levels require longer
cooking times.
The arrangement of food within a microwave oven cavity
aects the way in which the food cooks. A “round” arrangement
is best. Use round utensils whenever possible. Also, arrange
foods such as baked potatoes in a circle, rather than in rows,
for cooking. When only one food item is being cooked, place it
in the center of the oven glass shelf for cooking.
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