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General guide lines.
Since microwave cooking differs from tradi-
tional cooking, the following guidelines should
considered when using the oven.
If the food is undercooked.
Check if the correct power level was selected.
Check that the time selected was sufficient.
Remember, recipes are only approximate and
times may differ depending on weight, density,
initial temperatures and so forth.
Check to see if the container was appropriate for
the type of meal being cooked.
If the food is dried out, overcooked or burnt.
Check if the correct power level was selected.
Check if the time selected was too long
Remember, recipes are only approximate .
Points to remember when defrosting.
The shape of the food alters defrosting time.
Shallow rectangular shapes defrost faster than
deep spherical shapes.
Separate pieces or slices as they defrost to speed
up the process.
Shield sensitive food areas with thin strips of alu-
minium foil to prevent premature cooking.
Defrosting works best when the food is thawed in
the oven and allowed to defrost completely dur-
ing a standing time.
Quantity of food.
The more food you wish to cook, the longer it
takes. Double the quantity takes nearly double the
time. For example, a single potato might take four
minutes to cook while two potatoes require seven
minutes.
Starting temperatures.
The lower the temperature of the food placed in
the oven, the longer the time required to cook it.
Food at room temperature will cook quicker than
refrigerated food.
Composition of the food.
Food with a high fat or sugar content will heat up
faster than food containing a lot of water. Fat and
sugar will also achieve a higher temperature dur-
ing the cooking process than water.
The more dense the food, the longer it takes to
cook. Meat for example takes longer to heat than
sponge cake.
Size and shape
Smaller pieces will cook faster than larger pieces
and uniform pieces will cook more evenly than
irregular pieces.
Thin parts will cook faster than thicker parts.
Place the thinner chicken wings and legs nearer
the centre of the tray.
Stirring and turning the food
Stirring and turning are techniques used in con-
ventional as well as microwave cooking. It allows
heat to distribute more quickly and avoids over-
cooking at more exposed areas.
Covering the food
Covering the food with perforated cling wrap or
pot lids, reduces splatter, shortens cooking times,
and retains moisture. All materials which allow
the passage of microwaves are suitable.
(see utensil guide)
Releasing pressure in foods
Several foods are covered with a membrane.
Steam builds up under the membrane and these
foods should be pricked with a fork or cocktail
stick to release pressure and prevent them from
bursting. Typical examples of these foods are po-
tatoes, chicken livers, sausages, egg yolks, and
certain fruits.
Standing time.
Experience has shown that standing time , after
using the oven, always improves results as it al-
lows heat to be evenly distributed prior to con-
sumption.
In a microwave, food continues to cook even
when the microwave energy is turned off.
The reason for this is the transfer of heat from the
food centre through a conduction process.
The length of standing time is dependent on the
volume and density of the food and may range
from 1 to 10 minutes. Generally the larger dense
foods need more standing time.
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