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The quantity or volume of a food can affect the amount of
cooking time. As the volume of the food is increased, the
time required to cook or heat the item increases almost
proportionately. If twice the amount of food is placed in the
oven, it will take almost twice as long to cook. To deter-
mine the time for larger quantities, multiply the individual
serving time by the increased amount, then reduce the
total heating time by about 20%.
The density of foods can greatly affect the amount of
cooking time. Porous foods, such as breads, cakes or
pastries, will heat much more quickly than dense meats
of the same size. Porous foods absorb microwaves
quickly throughout. Meats absorb microwaves mostly at
the exterior surface, and the interior is heated by conduc-
tion, increasing the cooking time. Meats can be cooked in
a sauce, if desired. Due to the moisture content, a sauce
will heat rapidly. The heat will transfer to the meat, so the
meat will heat faster due to heat by conduction as well as
by microwaves.
The starting temperature of foods affects the amount of
cooking time. Each temperature degree that the food item
is to raise must be supplied with a definite amount of
energy. Lower initial starting temperatures require more
energy and more time to cook. Therefore, refrigerator
temperature foods require a longer cooking time than
room temperature foods. Foods already slightly warm will
heat very quickly in the oven.
The moisture content of foods affects the amount of
cooking time. The higher the moisture content is in a food
the longer the amount of cooking time.
The fat and sugar content of foods affects the amount of
cooking time. Foods containing high fat and sugar levels
heat very quickly and may reach much higher tempera-
tures than foods having low fat and sugar levels. Foods
having lower fat and sugar levels require longer cooking
times.
The arrangement of food within a microwave oven cavity
affects the way in which the food cooks. A “round”
arrangement is best. Use round utensils whenever
possible. Also, arrange foods such as baked potatoes in
a circle, rather than in rows, for cooking. When only one
food item is being cooked, place it in the center of the
oven glass shelf for cooking.
Manipulation of Foods
Sometimes recipes suggest manipulating or moving food
during cooking. There are several forms of manipulation:
Stirring is required less often in microwave cooking than
in conventional cooking. In conventional cooking, you use
a spoon to move food up from the bottom of a pan to
evenly distribute the heat. In microwave cooking, you still
stir to redistribute the heat within some foods, but you
need to stir from the outside of a dish toward the inside or
center. If a recipe states to stir once or twice during
cooking, stir at approximately even intervals. For ex-
ample, in a 12-minute cooking period, if a recipe states to
stir twice, stir after 4 minutes of cooking and again, after 8
minutes of cooking. However, it is not necessary to be
precise. Stir only when necessary. When using lower
power levels or settings, less stirring is required. Some
examples of foods which may require stirring are pud-
dings, some casseroles, some sauces, some soups, and
some egg dishes. Some foods can’t be stirred. These
foods are rearranged or turned.
Some foods can’t be stirred and should be repositioned
or rearranged during cooking. Some examples include
baked potatoes, cupcakes (in custard cups), and
chicken pieces. Rearranging allows for more even
cooking of foods. Foods which are cooked, covered or
which are cooked using lower power levels, usually
require little rearranging.
Turning foods over: Turning foods over is done to
distribute heat. Meat and poultry are two types of foods
which are sometimes “turned over.” Examples include
roasts, turkeys and whole chickens. Small meat items
such as poultry pieces may need to be turned over when
in casseroles, or when in a browning skillet.