Microwave Oven
10 Important Do's and Don'ts' of Microwave Cooking
Dos
1. Read and follow the instructions in the owner's manual of your microwave oven. The manual is a wealth of information you'll need to know for safe, healthy cooking, including operating procedures and safety warnings.
2. Read and follow the instructions on prepackaged foods you're going to cook or reheat. Undercooking food in a microwave can leave you with cold, tasteless items that contain harmful bacteria. On the other hand, overcooking food makes it tough, rubbery and inedible.
3. Use microwave-safe containers to cook or heat food or liquids. Suitable plates and containers are usually marked or stamped on their bottoms. For safety's sake, if you're unsure whether a bowl, dish or plate is microwave-safe, don't use it. Or, if the plate or container is made of glass, you can perform a test if you're pretty sure it's safe for microwave cooking: place it in the oven and microwave it for one minute. Then, touch it. If it's lukewarm to the touch or it feels cool, it should be safe. But if the container is warm, don't use it in your microwave oven.
4. Clean the inside of the door and the cavity of your microwave oven after every use. This will prevent food and spatters from becoming cooked onto the surface, making it easier to clean. Keeping your microwave oven clean will also remove germs and unhealthy bacteria that can pollute foods and liquids you place inside it.
5. Use caution when you open a bag, box or other container that's been cooked or heated up
in a microwave oven. Because the container was closed, or even partially closed, scalding steam can build up inside it.
Here's a bonus for you- if you're not sure what the wattage of your microwave is, then do the water test. Pour one cup of water into a microwave-safe glass measuring cup. Place the cup into your microwave and heat it on high heat until the water boils. If it takes less than three minutes for the water to boil, then your microwave oven is about 600 to 700 watts. If it take three or four minutes, then your oven is 500 to 600 watts. And if it takes the water in the cup more than four minutes to boil, your oven has a power of less than 500 watts.
Don't:
1. Use plastic containers such as salad boxes, margarine bowls, whipped topping containers and the like in a microwave oven. The plastic can melt and even contaminate the food or liquid inside.
2. Place metal objects into a microwave oven because this can produce dangerous sparks. This includes aluminum foil, serving and eating utensils, pots, pans and plates, bowls or dishes that have a metallic trim on them.
3. Cook or defrost foods such as beef, pork, poultry, hot dogs, et cetera while they're still in their original containers. Remove plastic wrapping, foam trays and other packaging first before you place food items in your microwave oven.
4. Turn your microwave oven on if it's empty. Since their is no food or liquid to absorb the energy that's produced, the magnetron tube can be damaged.
5. Try to use your microwave oven for cooking if a) the door won't close properly. b) the door is bent or warped. c) the latch is broken or faulty. Call for professional service or replace the unit if any of these conditions exist.
And here's a bonus tip for new mothers or mothers-to-be:
Don't heat a bottle full of baby formula or breast milk up in a microwave oven. One reason for this is, the bottle may feel like it's the right temperature, but the milk inside can be boiling hot. Also, heating a baby bottle in a microwave oven can change the composition of formula and milk. It can actually turn trans-amino acids in formulas into toxic chemicals. Valuable vitamins, nutrients and antibodies in breast milk can be destroyed.
10 Most Common Problems of Microwave Oven
1.No Power
a.Open AC Cord
b.Blown Fuse
c.Defective thermal fuse
d.Defective controller
2.Display does not illuminate, light works
a.Defective power board
b.Defective touch pad
3.Light & fan run continuously
a.Defective interlock switch
b. Defective power board
c.Burned wire to switch
4.M/O runs, but does not cook
a. Blown diode
b.Defective capacitor
c. Defective magnetron
d.Defective high voltage transformer
e. Poor connection at magnetron
5.M/O makes loud noise when cooking
a.Magnetron shorted to ground
b.Defective transformer
c.Defective capacitor
d.Defective diode
6. M/O cooks unevenly
a. Stirrer belt broken
b.Stirrer blade melted
7. Control board does not stop counting down w/door open
a.Defective control board
b. Defective door switch
8.Turntable does not turn during operation
a.Defective turntable motor
b. Defective control board
9.Oven light glows during cooking,but does not when door opened
a.Defective primary interlock switch
10.Oven cooks slow
a.Defective magnetron
b. Defective capacitor
c.Defective transformer
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