Panasonic NN-H264 Operating Instructions Manual

Contents

Panasonic NN-H264 Operating Instructions Manual Manual pdf 28 page image

26Cooking Techniques (continued)CoveringAs with conventional cooking, moisture evaporates duringmicrowave cooking. Casserole lids or plastic wrap are used fora tighter seal. When using plastic wrap, vent the plastic wrapby folding back part of the plastic wrap from the edge of thedish to allow steam to escape. Loosen or remove plastic wrapas recipe directs for stand time. When removing plastic wrapcovers, as well as any glass lids, be careful to remove themaway from you to avoid steam burns. Various degrees of mois-ture retention are also obtained by using wax paper or papertowels.ShieldingThin areas of meat and poultry cook more quickly than meatyportions. To prevent overcooking, these thin areas can beshielded with strips of aluminum foil. Wooden toothpicks maybe used to hold the foil in place.CAUTION is to be exercised when using foil. Arcing canoccur if foil is too close to oven wall or door and damage toyour oven will result.Cooking timeA range of cooking time is given in each recipe. The timerange compensates for the uncontrollable differences in foodshapes, starting temperature, and regional preferences.Always cook food for the minimum cooking time given in arecipe and check for doneness. If the food is undercooked,continue cooking. It is easier to add time to an undercookedproduct. Once the food is overcooked, nothing can be done.StirringStirring is usually necessary during microwave cooking. Alwaysbring the cooked outside edges toward the center and the lesscooked center portions toward the outside of the dish.RearrangingRearrange small items such as chicken pieces, shrimp, ham-burger patties, or pork chops. Rearrange pieces from the edgeto the center and pieces from the center to the edge of thedish.TurningIt is not possible to stir some foods to distribute the heat even-ly. At times, microwave energy will concentrate in one area ofthe food. To help insure even cooking, these food need to beturned. Turn over large foods, such as roasts or turkeys,halfway through cooking.Stand TimeMost foods will continue to cook by conduction after themicrowave oven has turned off. In meat cookery, the internaltemperature will rise 5°F to 15°F (3°C to 8°C), if allowed tostand, tented with foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. Casseroles andvegetables need a shorter amount of standing time, but thisstanding time is necessary to allow foods to complete cookingto the center without overcooking on the edges.Test for DonenessThe same tests for doneness used in conventional cookingmay be used for microwave cooking. Meat is done when fork-tender or splits at fibers. Chicken is done when juices are clearyellow and drumstick moves freely. Fish is done when it flakesand is opaque. Cake is done when a toothpick or cake tester isinserted and comes out clean.ABOUT FOOD SAFETY AND COOKINGTEMPERATURE• Check foods to see that they are cooked to the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture’s recommended temperatures.TEMP FOOD160˚F ...for fresh pork, ground meat, boneless whitepoultry, fish, seafood, egg dishes and frozenprepared food.165˚F ...for leftover, ready-to-reheat refrigerated, anddeli and carryout “fresh” food.170˚F ...white meat of poultry.180˚F ...dark meat of poultry.To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in a thick ordense area away from fat or bone. NEVER leave the ther-mometer in the food during cooking, unless it is approved formicrowave oven use.