FOOD HANDLING & PREPARATION
Composition & quality Food high in fat or sugar (Christmas pudding, mince pies) requires less heating time and should be watched, over-heating can lead to fire. Good quality ingredients should be used for microwaving. Economical cuts of meat are recommended for casserole. Food with skin (such as potatoes, apples, fish, chicken), or with membrane (such as the white and yolk of eggs, including boiled eggs), must be pierced in several places before cooking or reheating. If not, steam will build up and may cause food to explode. Note: Eggs in their shells and hard boiled eggs should not be heated in microwave ovens since they may explode even after microwave heating has endded. Canned potatoes should not be heated in the microwave oven as they may burst. Place thickest parts of food on the outside of the dish, for example, the meaty ends of chicken drumsticks should be placed on the outside of the dish.
Piercing
Arrangement
Covering
Fish, vegetables and certain other foods benefit from being covered during microwave cookery, follow recommendations where given and use vented microwave cling film or a suitable lid.
Size & shape
Food size and shape affect the amount of cooking time needed. When cooking more than one portion of the same food ensure they are of a similar size and shape.
Density & quantity
Food density and quantity affect the amount of cooking time needed, for example, potatoes require more cooking than peas; four potatoes will take longer to cook than two.
Hygiene
Food hygiene standards (storage, handling and preparation) apply to microwaving. Always store convenience foods as recommended by the food manufacturer and keep no longer than the "Use By" date.
