|
Cook: Food Safety and the Microwave! |
||
|
Get to Know Your Microwave How Foods Cook in a Microwave Defrosting Foods in a Microwave Microwave Cooking Techniques Testing for Doneness What to Do With Leftovers Reheating Foods Safely Microwave Food Safety Checks Microwave Cooking Techniques When preparing foods to microwave, keep your hands, utensils, and work areas clean. Handle food carefully to minimize the spread of foodborne bacteria. Discard any food that looks or smells spoiled. Choose only microwave-safe cooking utensils. Never use packaging cartons for cooking unless the package directs you to do so. Many plastic containers in which foods are sold are designed for cold storage and are not suitable for cooking or reheating. Chemicals from them can be absorbed into foods at high temperatures. Cut food into uniform sizes so it will cook evenly. If foods are different sizes, arrange them in microwaveable dishes so thick parts are toward the outside. Outer areas receive more microwaves than the center. For optimal safety, cover the dish with its lid or heavy-duty plastic wrap turned back at one corner. Plastic wrap shouldn't touch the food. Trapped steam will help even the temperature throughout the food, promoting safe cooking. Rotate the dish midway through cooking. If the dish is on a rotating turntable, it's still a good idea to reposition the dish on it. Stir the food and rearrange it; turn large food items over. These practices help the food cook more evenly and safely. Consult microwave cookbooks for estimated cooking times and power levels. Use reduced power levels for longer time when microwaving large cuts of meat and whole poultry to help even the temperatures throughout. Microwave foods for the shortest time indicated and add more time as needed. As with any cooking device, food severely over-cooked can cause a fire. |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |