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49
Piercing
Foods with skins or membranes must be pierced, scored
or have a strip of skin peeled before cooking to allow
steam to escape. Pierce clams, oysters, chicken livers,
whole potatoes and whole vegetables. Whole apples or
new potatoes should have a 1-inch strip of skin peeled before cooking.
Score sausages and frankfurters. Do not Cook/Reheat whole eggs, with
or without the shell. Steam buildup in whole eggs may cause them
to explode, and possibly damage the oven or cause injury. Reheating
SLICED hard-boiled eggs and cooking SCRAMBLED eggs is safe.
Browning
Foods will not have the same brown appearance as
conventionally cooked foods or those foods which are
cooked utilizing a browning feature. Meats and poultry
may be coated with browning sauce, Worcestershire sauce,
barbecue sauce or shake-on browning sauce. To use,
combine browning sauce with melted butter or margarine and brush on
before cooking. For quick breads or muffins, brown sugar can be used in
the recipe in place of granulated sugar, or the surface can be sprinkled
with dark spices before baking.
Spacing
Individual foods, such as baked potatoes, cupcakes and
appetizers, will cook more evenly if placed in the oven
equal distances apart. When possible, arrange foods in
a circular pattern.
Covering
As with conventional cooking, moisture evaporates during microwave
cooking. Casserole lids or plastic wrap are used for a tighter seal. When
using plastic wrap, vent the plastic wrap by folding back part of the
plastic wrap from the edge of the dish to allow steam to escape. Loosen
or remove plastic wrap as recipe directs for stand time. When removing
plastic wrap covers, as well as any glass lids, be careful to remove them
away from you to avoid steam burns. Various degrees of moisture
retention are also obtained by using wax paper or paper towels.
Shielding
Thin areas of meat and poultry cook more quickly than meaty
portions. To prevent overcooking, these thin areas can be shielded
with strips of aluminum foil. Wooden toothpicks may be used to
hold the foil in place.
CAUTION is to be exercised when using foil. Arcing can occur if
foil is too close to oven wall or door and damage to your oven will
result.
Cooking Time
Cooking times will vary because of food shape variations, starting
temperature, and regional preferences. Always cook food for the
minimum cooking time given in a recipe and check for doneness. If
the food is undercooked, continue cooking. It is easier to add time to
an undercooked product. Once the food is overcooked, nothing can
be done.
Stirring
Stirring is usually necessary during microwave cooking. Always bring
the cooked outside edges toward the center and the less cooked
center portions toward the outside of the dish.
Rearranging
Rearrange small items such as chicken pieces, shrimp, hamburger
patties or pork chops. Rearrange pieces from the edge to the center
and pieces from the center to the edge of the dish.
Turning
It is not possible to stir some foods to distribute the heat evenly. At
times, microwave energy will concentrate in one area of the food. To
help ensure even cooking, these foods need to be turned. Turn over
large foods, such as roasts or turkeys, halfway through cooking.
Standing Time
Most foods will continue to cook by conduction after the microwave
oven is turned off. After cooking meat, the internal temperature will
rise 5 °F to 15 °F (3 °C to 8 °C), if allowed to stand, tented with foil, for
10 to 15 minutes. Casseroles and vegetables need a shorter amount
of standing time, but this standing time is necessary to allow foods to
complete cooking to the center without overcooking on the edges.
Test for Doneness
The same tests for doneness used in conventional cooking may be
used for microwave cooking. Meat is done when fork-tender or splits
at fibers. Chicken is done when juices are clear yellow and drumstick
moves freely. Fish is done when it flakes and is opaque. Cake is done
when a toothpick or cake tester is inserted and comes out clean.
Check foods to see that they are cooked according to the United
States Department of Agriculture’s recommended temperatures.
To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in a thick or dense
area away from fat or bone. NEVER leave the thermometer in the
food during cooking, unless it is approved for oven use.
Cook all food to these minimum internal temperatures as
measured with a food thermometer before removing food
from oven. For reasons of personal preference, you may
choose to cook food at higher temperatures.
Product
Minimum Internal
Temperature & Rest Time
Beef, Pork, Veal & Lamb
Steaks, chops, roasts
145 °F (63 °C) and allow to rest
for at least 3 minutes
Ground meats 160 °F (71 °C)
Ham, fresh or smoked
(uncooked)
145 °F (63 °C) and allow to rest
for at least 3 min.
Fully Cooked Ham
(to reheat)
Reheat cooked hams
packaged in USDA-inspected
plants to 140 °F (60 °C); all
others to 165 °F (74 °C).
All Poultry (breasts, whole
bird, legs, thighs, and wings,
ground poultry, and stuffing)
165 °F (74 °C)
Eggs 160 °F (71 °C)
Fish & Shellfish 145 °F (63 °C)
Leftovers 165 °F (74 °C)
Casseroles 165 °F (74 °C)
Cooking Techniques
F0003BU00CP_Eng_170301.indd 49 2017/3/1 15:45:52
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