A Guide To Using Your Microwave Oven

Befor using your microwave there are are some basics you need to remember to get the best results you are looking for.


Safety:
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using the microwave. It's important to keep the oven interior clean from spills and splatters, especially around doors and seals. Food buildup can impede cooking time and effiency.

If your microwave is not working properly, get it checked by a professional before using again.

Heating Consistency:
To ensure thorough results; rotate, stir or rearrange large amounts of food and/or containers halfway through the cooking cycle. Microwave ovens with a carousel feature do this automatically for you.

Standing Time:
Food removed from microwave ovens often require a few minutes of "dwell time" before serving.

Steaming:
Microwave steamers and toasters need a quarter inch of water or other liquid in the bottom of the unit of microwave cookware. Some foods are required to monitor the progress of cooking and add water until it is dry.

High Fat Foods:
Avoid microwave foods with high fat content (such as some meat & pork products) in microwave and storage containers not designed for those foods.

Timing:
Compact and other low-watt microwave ovens (600 watt or less) may require longer cooking times than some recipes or packaging intructions call for.

Cleaning:
Fill microwave safe glass container with 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. The steam will help loosen stuck on food products and splatters for easy cleaning. The Lemon is also a natural deodorizer.

Proper Microwave Containers:
You should only use proper microwave safe containers in your microwave. Just because a container is made of plastic doesn't mean its microwave safe.

Make sure any paper products such as paper plates, paper towels, etc. that you use in your microwave are also designated safe for microwave use.