FACS STANDARDS 8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4, 8.5.5, 8.5.6, KOWTALUK, HELEN AND ORPHANOS KOPAN, ALICE. FOOD FOR TODAY. MCGRAW HILL-GLENCOE Microwave Cooking Techniques

Microwave Oven Basics Fast, healthful way to cook Food cooks quickly with less fat and liquid; less nutrient loss

Power Settings The higher the power, the faster the cooking time Power set as a percent or a description

How Microwaves Cook Molecule vibrations Microwaves penetrate food to about 1 ½ inches They agitate molecules and produce heat If thick food, conduction takes deeper into food and eventually cooks it all the way through

Better choice for some foods than others Best choice – foods that need moist heat or foods that are moist themselves Foods composition determines how it will cook in a microwave Foods high in water will cook faster

Fat, sugar, and salt attract microwaves – concentrations of these can create hot spots Pasta and rice need time to absorb the water, so no time saved cooking in microwave

Squash and potatoes have thick outer skin, causing steam to build inside vegetable and could burst; pierce these foods to allow steam to escape For the above reason, don’t put eggs in shell in microwave to cook

Microwave Cooking Principles: The heavier a food feels, the more dense it is and the longer the cooking time Foods of uniform shape and thickness will cook more evenly than others The colder the food placed in the microwave, the longer the cooking time

The more food you place in the microwave, the longer the cooking time

Microwave Cookware Microwaves reflect off metal, but are absorbed by glass, plastic, and paper materials Most microwaves don’t allow metal or foil because these materials cause arcing – electric sparks that damage the oven – check owner’s manual

Container Guidelines Glass and glass-ceramic – oven-proof glass and glass-ceramic suitable for cooking Stoneware, china, pottery – most are suitable UNLESS they have a metal trim; avoid pottery with metal glazes

Plastic – use only items marked as microwave-safe Paper – paper plates suitable as long as they are sturdy enough to hold food; choose microwave-safe paper towels; avoid recycled paper products – they may contain metal fragments or chemicals that could catch fire

Size and shape of container affects cooking time Pans should be shallow with straight sides Round pans allow even cooking Square and rectangular pans should have rounded corners

Microwaving Successfully Food arrangement – ring shaped arrangement best – allows microwaves to enter food in more sides; leave space between foods; for more even cooking and since foods in center cook slowest, place thickest part of food toward outside

Covering food – cover holds steam, keeps food moist, and shortens cooking time; keeps food from spattering Foods you would cover using conventional cooking methods should be covered in the microwave

Cover with microwave-safe glass or plastic covers; inverted plate another option; waxed paper and parchment paper – prevent splatters, allow some steam and moisture to escape Paper towels – absorb excess moisture and prevent splatters – wrap rolls, breads, and sandwiches in this to keep foods from becoming soggy

Use oven mitt to remove covers Tilt covers away from you to prevent being burned by steam

Stirring, Rotating, and Turning – to ensure even cooking; unless recipe says otherwise, stir, rotate, and turn halfway through the cooking process – follow directions in owner’s manual

Determining cooking time – microwave cooking has 2 times – time in oven and standing time – time heat buildup in food completes its cooking time; cover foods during standing time to retain heat

Microwave Recipes To adapt a standard recipe to a microwave recipe, best to find similar microwave recipe Microwave cookbook – best to use when learning to cook in microwave

Well-written microwave cookbook has same features of standard recipe, plus:  Size and shape of cooking container  How to arrange food for even cooking  Whether to cover dish or not  Range of cooking and standing times

Care and Accident Prevention Never turn on oven unless there is food inside; can damage the oven Commercially prepare foods – cook according to instructions; don’t eat if package turns brown; don’t reuse containers

Loosen tight fitting covers- prevent food from exploding/bursting because of steam buildup Never attach kitchen magnets to microwave; affects electronic controls

Cleaning Microwave Oven Clean spots and spills after every use Buildup will affect cooking power Keep door seal clean Spilled food allows bacterial growth Wipe inside with clean, wet dishcloth; dry thoroughly; don’t use abrasive cleaners