Owner's Manual
9
UNDERSTANDING
YOUR
MICROWAVE
OVEN
TIPS
FOR
MICROWAVE
COOKING
BROWNING
Meat
and
poultry
with
high
fat
content
that
are
cooked
for
10
or
15
minutes
or
longer
will
brown
lightly.
Foods
cooked
a
shorter
time
can
be
brushed
with
a
browning
agent,
such
as
Worcestershire
sauce,
soy
sauce,
or
barbecue
sauce.
COVERING
A
cover
traps
heat
and
steam
and
causes
the
food
to
cook
more
quickly.
Use
a
lid
or
microwave-safe
plastic
wrap
with
one
corner
folded
back
to
vent
the
excess
steam.
Lids
on
glass
casseroles
can
become
hot
during
cooking.
Handle
carefully.
Waxed
paper
will
prevent
the
food
from
splattering
in
the
oven
and
help
retain
heat.
When
warming
bread
items,
use
waxed
paper,
napkins,
or
paper
towels.
To
absorb
extra
moisture,
wrap
sandwiches
and
fatty
foods
in
paper
towels.
SPACING
Arrange
individual
foods,
such
as
baked
potatoes,
cupcakes,
and
hors
d'oeuvres
in
a
circle
and
at
least
1
inch
apart.
This
will
help
the
food
cook
more
evenly.
STIRRING
Stirring
blends
flavors
and
redistributes
the
heat
in
foods.
Always
stir
from
the
outside
toward
the
center
of
the
dish.
Food
at
the
outside
of
the
dish
heats
first.
TURNING
Large
foods,
such
as
roasts
and
whole
poultry,
should
be
turned
so
that
the
top
and
bottom
cook
evenly.
Also
turn
over
chicken
pieces
and
chops.
ARRANGEMENT
Do
not
stack
food.
Arrange
in
a
single
layer
in
the
dish
for
more
even
cooking.
Because
dense
foods
cook
more
slowly,
place
thicker
portions
of
meat,
poultry,
fish,
and
vegetables
toward
the
outside
of
the
dish.
TESTING
FOR
DONENESS
Because
foods
cook
quickly
in
a
microwave
oven,
you
need
to
test
frequently
for
doneness.
STANDING
TIME
Food
often
needs
to
stand
from
2
to
15
minutes
after
you
remove
it
from
the
oven.
Usually,
you
need
to
cover
food
during
standing
time
to
retain
heat.
Remove
most
foods
when
they
are
slightly
undercooked
and
they
will
finish
cooking
during
standing
time.
The
internal
temperature
of
food
will
rise
about
10
°F
during
standing
time.
SHIELDING
To
prevent
some
portions
of
rectangular
or
square
dishes
from
overcooking,
you
may
need
to
shield
them
with
small
strips
of
aluminum
foil
to
block
the
microwaves.
You
can
also
cover
poultry
legs
and
wing
tips
with
foil
to
keep
them
from
overcooking.
Always
keep
foil
at
least
1
inch
from
oven
walls
to
prevent
arcing.
PIERCING
Pierce the
shell,
skin,
or
membrane
of
foods
before
cooking
to
prevent
them
from
bursting.
Foods
that
require
piercing
include
yolks
and
whites
of
eggs,
hot
dogs,
clams,
oysters,
and
whole
vegetables,
such
as
potatoes
and
squash.