ZAP IT!

1
ZAP IT!

• A Guide to Microwave Cooking

2
Advantages of Microwave Cooking

• Saves time
• Easy to clean up
• Energy-efficient
• Saves nutrients
• Use little or no added fat
• Cook serve in the same dish
• Ideal for convenience foods

3
Power the Microwave Oven

• Higher power setting more microwaves produced
• MW ovens have different power ratings measured
  in watts
• Dont use an extension cord
• with a MW oven it reduces
• its power
• MW power is reduced if
• other appliances are on
• the same electrical circuit

4
Power Settings

• High 100
• Medium-High 70
• Medium 50
• Medium-low 30
• Low 10

5
Defrost

• To defrost means to remove ice crystals from a
  food without cooking the food
• Defrost setting on a MW is usually 30 power
• Follow a defrost cycle with an equal amount of
  standing time
• Cook food immediately after
• defrosting do not hold it for
• later cooking

6
How does a microwave cook food?

• Microwaves are short radio waves.
• They cause the molecules
• in food to vibrate.
• Vibration creates friction.
• Friction creates heat.
• Heat cooks the food.
• MW penetrate food about 1½ deep. In thicker
  foods, heat is conducted to the center.

7
Microwaves travel in a straight path

• Microwaves are reflected by metal.
• Microwaves pass through glass, paper, plastic,
  and wax.
• Microwaves are absorbed
• by water, fat and sugar
• molecules in food.
• Microwaves are attracted to salt wait
• until after cooking to salt the surface
• of a food.

8
Cookware for the Microwave

• YES
• Glass
• Most hard plastic
• Paper
• Some pottery china

• NO
• Metal
• Recycled paper
• Food storage containers, such as margarine tubs

9
Shape of Cookware

• Ring shape is best choice.
• Round is second best choice.
• Shallow cookware works better than deep.
• Square or rectangular shape is worst choice
  because corners overcook before center is
  finished.

10
What is arcing?

• Arcing is an electrical spark inside the
  microwave oven.
• It looks like lightning!
• It occurs when microwaves
• connect between two points
• of metal.
• It can cause a fire if
• flammable materials are inside the MW.
• It can damage the microwave oven.

11
Automatic Features on the Microwave

• Cook 1/Cook 2
• Defrost/Auto defrost
• Preprogrammed touch pads
• Sensors
• Turntable
• Temperature probe

12
When should food be covered?

• Covering -
• holds in steam
• keeps food moist
• shortens cooking time
• cooks more evenly
• reduces spatters

• Cover with
• Plastic wrap
• Waxed paper
• Paper towel
• Lid

13
Special Microwave Techniques

• Stir, turn or rotate
• Standing time
• Pierce
• Shield
• Vent

14
How should I place food in the microwave oven?

• Arrange foods in a ring.
• Arrange foods like the spokes of a wheel.
• Leave space between pieces of food.
• Arrange with the thickest parts toward the
  outside of the ring.

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Factors that Affect Timing

• Hot spots
• Density of the food
• Shape of the cookware
• Size of the food pieces
• Starting temperature
• of the food
• Amount of food in the oven at the same time
• of watts of the MW oven

16
Testing dishes containers

• Some equipment may not be labeled whether it is
  MW-safe.
• To test
• Place a Pyrex measuring cup of water
• in the MW.
• Place the equipment to be tested
• NEXT to the measuring cup.
• Microwave for 1 2 minutes.
• Water should be hot, but equipment being tested
  should still be room temperature.
• If it gets hot, do not use it in the MW.

17
How do I convert my favorite recipes for the
microwave?

• Shorten time to ¼ the conventional time.
• Reduce the amount
• of seasonings.
• Reduce the amount
• of liquid.
• Compare to a similar recipe.