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24
Cooking Techniques
(continued)
Covering
As with conventional cooking, moisture
evaporates during microwave cooking. Cas-
serole lids or plastic wrap are used for a
tighter seal. When using plastic wrap, vent the
plastic wrap by folding back part of the plastic
wrap from the edge of the dish to allow steam
to escape. Loosen or remove plastic wrap as
recipe directs for stand time. When removing
plastic wrap covers, as well as any glass lids,
be careful to remove them away from you to
avoid steam burns. Various degrees of mois-
ture retention are also obtained by using wax
paper or paper towels.
Shielding
Thin areas of meat and poultry cook more
quickly than meaty portions. To prevent over-
cooking, these thin areas can be shielded with
strips of aluminum foil. Wooden toothpicks
may be used to hold the foil in place.
CAUTION is to be exercised when using
foil. Arcing can occur if foil is too close to oven
wall or door and damage to your oven will
result.
Cooking time
A range of cooking time is given in each
recipe. The time range compensates for the
uncontrollable differences in food shapes,
starting temperature, and regional prefer-
ences. Always cook food for the minimum
cooking time given in a recipe and check
for doneness. If the food is undercooked,
continue cooking. It is easier to add time to
an undercooked product. Once the food is
overcooked, nothing can be done.
Stirring
Stirring is usually necessary during microwave
cooking. Always bring the cooked outside
edges toward the center and the less cooked
center portions toward the outside of the dish.
Rearranging
Rearrange small items such as chicken
pieces, shrimp, hamburger patties or pork
chops. Rearrange pieces from the edge to the
center and pieces from the center to the edge
of the dish.
Turning
It is not possible to stir some foods to distrib-
ute the heat evenly. At times, microwave en-
ergy will concentrate in one area of the food.
To help insure even cooking, these food need
to be turned. Turn over large foods, such as
roasts or turkeys, halfway through cooking.
Stand Time
Most foods will continue to cook by conduc-
tion after the microwave oven is turned off.
In meat cookery, the internal temperature will
rise 5 °F to 15 °F (3 °C to 8 °C), if allowed to
stand, tented with foil, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Casseroles and vegetables need a shorter
amount of standing time, but this standing
time is necessary to allow foods to complete
cooking to the center without overcooking on
the edges.
Test for Doneness
The same tests for doneness used in con-
ventional cooking may be used for microwave
cooking. Meat is done when fork-tender or
splits at fi bers. Chicken is done when juices
are clear yellow and drumstick moves freely.
Fish is done when it fl akes and is opaque.
Cake is done when a toothpick or cake tester
is inserted and comes out clean.
ABOUT FOOD SAFETY AND
COOKING TEMPERATURE
Check foods to see that they are cooked to
the United States Department of
Agriculture’s recommended temperatures.
TEMP FOOD
160 °F ...for fresh pork, ground meat,
boneless white poultry, fi sh,
seafood, egg dishes and
frozen prepared food.
165 °F ...for leftover, ready-to-reheat
refrigerated, and deli and
carryout “fresh” food.
170 °F ...white meat of poultry.
180 °F ...dark meat of poultry.
To test for doneness, insert a meat thermom-
eter in a thick or dense area away from fat or
bone. NEVER leave the thermometer in the
food during cooking, unless it is approved for
microwave oven use.