Control Guide

8
Cookware and Dinnerware
Cookware and dinnerware must fit on the turntable. Always use
oven mitts or pot holders when handling because any dish may
become hot from heat transferred from the food. Do not use
cookware and dinnerware with gold or silver trim. Use the
following chart as a guide, then test before using.
Material Recommendations
Aluminum Foil, Metal See “Aluminum Foil and Metal”
section in the Quick Start Guide.
Browning Dish Bottom must be at least 3/16" (5 mm)
above the turntable. Follow
manufacturer’s recommendations.
Ceramic Glass, Glass Acceptable for use.
China, Earthenware Follow manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Melamine Follow manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Paper: Towels,
Dinnerware, Napkins
Use non-recycled and those
approved by the manufacturer for
microwave oven use.
Plastic: Wraps, Bags,
Covers, Dinnerware,
Containers
Use those approved by the
manufacturer for microwave oven
use.
Pottery and Clay Follow manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Silicone Bakeware Follow manufacturer’s
recommendations.
Straw, Wicker, Wooden
Containers
Do not use in microwave oven.
Styrofoam
®
† Do not use in microwave oven.
Wax Paper Acceptable for use.
To Test Cookware or Dinnerware for Microwave Use:
1. Place cookware or dinnerware in microwave oven with 1 cup
(250 mL) of water beside it.
2. Cook at 100% cooking power for 1 minute.
Do not use cookware or dinnerware if it becomes hot and the
water stays cool.
Microwave Cooking Power
Many recipes for microwave cooking specify which cooking power
to use by percent, name, or number. For example, 70% = 7 =
Medium-High.
Use the following chart as a general guide for the suggested
cooking power of specific foods.
MICROWAVE COOKING POWER CHART
PERCENT/
NAME
NUMBER USE
100%, High
(default
setting)
10 Quick heating convenience
foods and foods with high water
content, such as soups,
beverages, and most
vegetables.
90% 9 Cooking small, tender pieces of
meat, ground meat, poultry
pieces, and fish fillets.
Heating cream soups.
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 cover the thin pieces of
irregularly shaped foods, bones, and foods such as chicken
wings, leg tips, and fish tails. See “Aluminum Foil and Metal”
section in the Quick Start Guide 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.
Turntable On/Off (on some models)
For best performance, the turntable should be on during
microwave cooking.
If using oversized cookware that does not turn freely on the
microwave turntable, turn the turntable off. To turn off the turntable
when setting a microwave function, touch TURNTABLE and then
OFF. When cooking with the turntable off, food should be turned
halfway through the cooking process.
NOTE: The turntable cannot be turned off during any auto cooking
cycle.
†Styrofoam® is a registered trademark of the Dow Chemical Company.