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8
MICROWAVE OVEN USE
A magnetron in the microwave oven produces microwaves which
reflect off the metal floor, walls, and ceiling and pass through the
turntable and appropriate cookware to the food. Microwaves are
attracted to and absorbed by fat, sugar, and water molecules
in the food, causing them to move, producing friction and heat
which cooks the food.
■ To avoid damage to the microwave oven, do not lean on
or allow children to swing on the microwave oven door.
■ To avoid damage to the microwave oven, do not operate
microwave oven when it is empty.
■ Baby bottles and baby food jars should not be heated
in microwave oven.
■ Clothes, flowers, fruit, herbs, wood, gourds, and paper,
including brown paper bags and newspaper, should not
be dried in the microwave oven.
■ Paraffin wax will not melt in the microwave oven because
it does not absorb microwaves.
■ Use oven mitts or pot holders when removing containers
from microwave oven.
■ Do not overcook potatoes. At the end of the recommended
cook time, potatoes should be slightly firm. Let potatoes
stand for 5 minutes. They will finish cooking while standing.
■ Do not cook or reheat whole eggs inside the shell. Steam
buildup in whole eggs may cause them to burst, requiring
significant cleanup of microwave oven cavity. Cover
poached eggs and allow a standing time.
Food Characteristics
When microwave cooking, the amount, size and shape,
starting temperature, composition, and density of the food
affect cooking results.
Amount of Food
The more food heated at once, the longer the cook time
needed. Check for doneness and add small increments
of time if necessary.
Size and Shape
Smaller pieces of food will cook more quickly than larger pieces,
and uniformly shaped foods cook more evenly than irregularly
shaped food.
Starting Temperature
Room temperature foods will heat faster than refrigerated foods,
and refrigerated foods will heat faster than frozen foods.
Composition and Density
Foods high in fat and sugar will reach a higher temperature and
will heat faster than other foods. Heavy, dense foods, such as
meat and potatoes, require a longer cook time than the same
size of a light, porous food, such as cake.
Cooking Guidelines
Covering
Covering food helps retain moisture, shorten cook time, and
reduce spattering. Use the lid supplied with cookware. If a
lid is not available, wax paper, paper towels, or plastic wrap
approved for microwave ovens may be used. Plastic wrap
should be turned back at one corner to provide an opening to
vent steam. Condensation on the door and cavity surfaces is
normal during heavy cooking.
Stirring and Turning
Stirring and turning redistribute heat evenly to avoid overcooking
the outer edges of food. Stir from outside to center. If possible,
turn food over from bottom to top.
Arranging
If heating irregularly shaped or different-sized foods, arrange
the thinner parts and smaller-sized items toward the center. If
cooking several items of the same size and shape, place them
in a ring pattern, leaving the center of the ring empty.
Piercing
Before heating, use a fork or small knife to pierce or prick foods
that have a skin or membrane, such as potatoes, egg yolks,
chicken livers, hot dogs, and sausage. Prick in several places
to allow steam to vent.
Shielding
Use small, flat pieces of aluminum foil to shield the thin pieces
of irregularly shaped foods, bones, and foods such as chicken
wings, leg tips, and fish tails. See the “Aluminum Foil and Metal”
section first.
Standing Time
Food will continue to cook by the natural conduction of heat,
even after the microwave cooking cycle ends. The length of
standing time depends on the volume and density of the food.
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