MICROWAVE OVEN - Yardley Hospitality

FOOD CHARACTERISTICS & MICROWAVE COOKINGStirringStirring is one of the most important of allmicrowaving techniques. In conventional cooking,food is stirred for the purpose of blending.Microwaved food, however, is stirred in order tospread and redistribute heat. Always stir from theoutside towards the centre as the outside of thefood heats first.Turning overLarge, tall foods such as roasts and wholechickens should be turned so that the top andbottom will cook evenly. It is also a good idea toturn cut up chicken and chops.Placing thicker portions facing outwardsSince microwaves are attracted to the outsideportion of food, it makes sense to place thickerportions of meat, poultry and fish to the outeredge of the baking dish. This way, thickerportions will receive the most microwave energyand the food will cook evenly.ShieldingStrips of aluminium foil (which block microwaves)can be placed over the corners or edges ofsquare and rectangular food to prevent thoseportions from overcooking. Never use too muchfoil and make sure the foil is secured to the dishor it may cause ‘arcing’ in the oven.ElevatingThick or dense foods can be elevated so thatmicrowaves can be absorbed by the undersideand centre of the foods.PiercingFoods enclosed in a shell, skin or membrane arelikely to burst in the oven unless they are piercedprior to cooking. Such foods include yolks andwhites of eggs, clams and oysters and wholevegetables and fruits.Testing if cookedFood cooks so quickly in a microwave oven, it isnecessary to test it frequently. Some foods areleft in the microwave until completely cooked, butmost foods, including meats and poultry, areremoved from the oven while still slightlyundercooked and allowed to finish cooking duringstanding time. The internal temperature of foodswill rise between 3°C and 8°C during standingtime.Standing timeFoods are often allowed to stand for 3 to 10minutes after being removed from the microwaveoven. Usually the foods are covered duringstanding time to retain heat unless they aresupposed to be dry in texture (some cakes andbiscuits, for example). Standing allows foods tofinish cooking and also helps flavour blend anddevelop.To Clean Your Oven1 Keep the inside of the oven cleanFood spatters or spilled liquids stick to oven wallsand between seal and door surface. It is best towipe up spillovers with a damp cloth right away.Crumbs and spillovers will absorb microwaveenergy and lengthen cooking times. Use a dampcloth to wipe out crumbs that fall between thedoor and the frame. It is important to keep thisarea clean to assure a tight seal. Remove greasyspatters with a soapy cloth then rinse and dry. Donot use harsh detergent or abrasive cleaners.The glass tray can be washed by hand or in thedishwasher.2 Keep the outside of the oven cleanClean the outside of your oven with soap andwater then with clean water and dry with a softcloth or paper towel. To prevent damage to theoperating parts inside the oven, the water shouldnot be allowed to seep into the ventilationopenings. To clean control panel, open the doorto prevent oven from accidentally starting, andthen wipe the control panel with a damp cloth,followed immediately by a dry cloth. Press STOPafter cleaning.3 If steam accumulates inside or around theoutside of the oven door, wipe the panels with asoft cloth. This may occur when the microwaveoven is operated under high humidity conditionsand in no way indicates a malfunction of the unit.4 The door and door seals should be kept clean.Use only warm, soapy water, rinse then drythoroughly.DO NOT USE ABRASIVE MATERIALS, SUCHAS CLEANING POWDERS OR STEEL ANDPLASTIC PADS.Metal parts will be easier to maintain if wipedfrequently with a damp cloth.18