Thread Number: 92243  /  Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Time To Stop Reheating Foods In Microwave
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Post# 1168169   1/3/2023 at 01:31 (450 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
So says CNET and am inclined to agree.

www.cnet.com/home/kitchen...

Went back to reheating things in oven (large main, counter, toaster, convection) or other means few years ago. Results are far tastier and not the often rubbery texture that can happen with reheating in microwave.








Post# 1168175 , Reply# 1   1/3/2023 at 05:39 (450 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Saw that, inspired me to order a small air fryer a few minutes ago.

 

Got this unit, Wirecutter recommendation for small batches of food.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO MattL's LINK

Post# 1168180 , Reply# 2   1/3/2023 at 06:50 (450 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        

Even though I have a pretty high end microwave, I basically use it for 3 things:

A) Heat up liquids (soup, milk, etc.)
B) Melt cheese over tortillas for Nacho's
C) Give stuff that hasn't thawed in time a quick boost to get it going.


Post# 1168188 , Reply# 3   1/3/2023 at 08:58 (450 days old) by Joeekaitis (Rialto, California, USA)        
Panasonic FlashXpress toaster oven

joeekaitis's profile picture


The best for reheating pizza and even a big fried chicken breast.


Post# 1168189 , Reply# 4   1/3/2023 at 09:01 (450 days old) by Joeekaitis (Rialto, California, USA)        
But when reheating baked pasta in the microwave oven . . .

joeekaitis's profile picture

. . . We use the “double the time at 50% power” method followed by a 5-minute rest to distribute the heat. Works like a charm. Trying the same thing in a toaster oven often leads to a little scorch and drying out.


Post# 1168193 , Reply# 5   1/3/2023 at 09:40 (450 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

foraloysius's profile picture
I don't reheat a lot of food. I'm used to cooking what I need and eat it all. So there is rarely something left that could be reheated. However I cook in the microwave, mostly vegetables. Best way too cook them IMHO.

Post# 1168195 , Reply# 6   1/3/2023 at 09:56 (450 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Re: Reply#4

ea56's profile picture
Joe, I reheat pasta the same way as you do in the MW. I frequently cook enough for 2 to 4 days dinners when I make certain things that are best prepared in larger amounts. I then portion out the leftovers on dinner plates and cover them with MW plate covers and put them in the fridge.

Then for dinner the next day(s) I reheat the plates the same way as you describe in your post. By using 50% power and allowing a 3-5 min rest and then giving the covered plates another 30 to 60 sec on 100% power the reheated food tastes just like it did the first night. Thanksgiving dinner leftovers are especially good reheated this way, they taste just like the first nights dinner.

The reason people have rubbery reheated leftovers is because they don’t use their MW properly. They just slap the food in the MW, press one of the preset buttons and they end up dissatisfied with the results.

I’ve been using a MW since ‘85 when we got our first Amana Radar range MW. There are some things that I will never make on the stove top again as long as I have a MW. Things like white sauces, puddings and pie fillings can’t be beat when using the MW to make them. No danger of scorching, no constant stirring, no lumps, perfect velvety smooth sauces and puddings. Its all in the technique.

When MW’s first started to become widely popular in the early 80’s there were several cooking shows on TV that were dedicated to using your MW for cooking, not just reheating. There was a wealth of knowledge to be obtained from some of these shows.

Eddie


Post# 1168198 , Reply# 7   1/3/2023 at 10:29 (450 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

bradfordwhite's profile picture
Ditched it in 2011.
MVs kill the vitamins and nutrients so it's like, what's the point of preparing food?

Yes, cooking or reheating in a conventional oven takes longer but I'm worth it.


What's even more scary is food cooked in a MV using either plastic containers or a paperboard container with a plastic coating. The plastic changes form as it's warmed and leaches chemicals that mix with the food.

MVs also give off EMFs when running.


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Post# 1168199 , Reply# 8   1/3/2023 at 10:39 (450 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

ea56's profile picture
Microwaving is less likely to destroy nutrients in foods than conventional cooking methods. It is true though that one should be careful about the kinds of covers and containers, particularly plastics, that are used in the microwave to prevent leaching of chemicals into the foods.

See the link from Harvard Health below. Also if one does a search about this topic there are several articles online that also debunk the myth about microwave cooking adversely effecting the nutritional value of foods prepared in them.

Eddie


CLICK HERE TO GO TO ea56's LINK


Post# 1168200 , Reply# 9   1/3/2023 at 10:41 (450 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

foraloysius's profile picture
Cooking always leads to loss of vitamins of nutrients, no matter what method you use. There is nothing magical about a microwave, it's exactly the same as cooking in an oven or a pot. When heating food, the molecules get in motion in the same way. Cooking veggies in a microwave in a minimum of water (I sometimes only use a few drops to prevent the food from drying out) saves more vitamins and nutrients than boiling them in a pot with water. Because the cooking time is shorter in a microwave, less of the good stuff is "killed".

Post# 1168204 , Reply# 10   1/3/2023 at 11:00 (450 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
I've been using my MW since fall 1977. Cooking frozen veggies and some fresh.

If I have to cook something new for a meal, I don't know what that will be until I am at that point. So everything stays in the freezers. So drefrosting meats. Also, cook in bulk and freeze in storage containers. I MW individual portions just enough to loosen from sides of plastic containers and then always thaw and reheat in pyrex/glass containers.

Ted will pull something from the freezer and let it sit out on the counter for a few hours. I don't believe in that, it's too risky as far as I'm concerned.

I rarely use full power, mostly medium low to medium high, just like dryng laundry.


Post# 1168205 , Reply# 11   1/3/2023 at 11:23 (450 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

bradfordwhite's profile picture
Of course there will be "mythbusters" paid for by the food industry who has a food product line to protect. They will try and down play the facts, we've seen it before. They'll hope people forget the truth.

Yes, cooking can destroy vits and nutrients but cooking in a conventional oven is the opposite of cooking in a micro. with the outcome hoping to be the same. ... but it never is.

A micro cooks from the INSIDE of the food with the heat working it's way out. A conventional oven or stove top cooks from the OUTSIDE working the heat in. That's why micros leave food rubbery. They blast the inside and the outside stays more firm.
Whereas conventional cooking can brown food and potentially leave the inside uncooked or under cooked. No MV browns food.


With conventional you have more control because as soon as one removes the heat source, the product stops cooking.

With MV there so much heat INSIDE that it really can be dangerous, like the exploding potato, hotdog, or any other MV'd food item that's been in for too long.

With food, the nutrients are INSIDE because once a food surface is exposed to air the nutrients start degrading so the last place anyone should apply heat is to the INSIDE of the food.

It's like sauteeing a stir-fry. Throw the veg into the wok, shuffle them around for a minute or so to get the outsides seered and eat up for a nutritious meal.
VS.
rubbery veg that was in the MV, in a plastic coated box and now have ZERO nutritional value (and probably lots of salt to make it palatable)


Post# 1168210 , Reply# 12   1/3/2023 at 12:19 (450 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

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"A micro cooks from the INSIDE of the food with the heat working it's way out." No, it does NOT! Please stick to the facts.

While we are on the subject:







Post# 1168214 , Reply# 13   1/3/2023 at 13:24 (450 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

dadoes's profile picture
 
Eliminate use of microwave oven?  Nope, not happening here.

As others have stated above, I often reheat at lower power levels both for better results and to avoid the explosions and boil-overs.

My daily instant oatmeal is done at 30% power for example, then a few cocktail/breakfast sausages in the same bowl at 30%.

I often cook box pasta salad via microwave in an 8-cup mixing bowl.  It's essentially a hydration process so takes the same time but eliminates a separate pot on the stove.  Cook in the mixing bowl, drain in a sieve, cool the bowl under running water and mix in it (adding chicken and/or more veggies), then store the remainder in the same bowl.

Baked potatoes and other fresh (asparagus!) or frozen veggies.  Pasta Roni with tuna added.  Occasionally fresh fish.  Scrambled egg in a mug (with bits of turkey or ham luncheon meat and cheese added).  Zatarains Jambalaya with sausage or chicken added.  Yesterday evening a package of chicken/cream cheese tamales with green enchilada sauce and cheese atop, several mins at high then reduce to 50%.

I don't often defrost via microwave, although I may start briefly at the standard defrost 30% then reduce to 20% or 10% power for a longer time when I do so.  My GE Arctica refrigerator has a Custom Cool drawer with a defrost function, although of course that requires planning ahead (6-hr cycle for 1 lb).


Post# 1168215 , Reply# 14   1/3/2023 at 13:32 (450 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

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One other thing that the MW is great for is softening butter to use in baking , spreading on toast or bread or whatever.

Place 1 stick for hard butter out of the fridge in the MW and nuke it at 10% power for 1 min. If its still not soft enough nuke for another 10-15 secs at 10% power. I’ve been doing this since ‘87 and it never fails. Perfectly softened butter in a flash when you’ve forgotten to take the butter out to soften on the counter and you’re in a hurry to get something in the oven and baked.

Eddie


Post# 1168216 , Reply# 15   1/3/2023 at 13:45 (450 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        
#12

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Remember what was just said about the dirty, paid for "mythbusters" and the counter to reality stories those groups create. Of course they would put out PR claiming that micros don't destroy the most precious part of the food.

Truth:
One can actively see foods like butter being cooked or melted FROM THE INSIDE when placed in a MV. As butter melts a hole will develop through the butter from the heat before the stick turns totally to liquid.

And yes, a MV will soften a refrig. stick of butter in about 7 seconds. It can only do that if its cooking from the INSIDE.

If I put a stick of butter in a hot pan for 7 seconds, what will I get? A stick of butter, mostly still hard with one melted side and a 1/4" of that side that is now soft, but the rest will still be hard. That's because the heat is coming from the OUTSIDE.
Hello.

Those dirty, dirty propagandist myth creators.


Post# 1168217 , Reply# 16   1/3/2023 at 14:04 (450 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

bradfordwhite's profile picture
There was a time when cigarette companies tried to pretend their products were healthy and desirable.

One can see movies and television bits from the 40s and 50s where an actor playing the part of doctor comes out of an operating room with a cigarette (OMG!) in his mouth. AHHHHHH are you freaking kidding?!!!! Totally gross and disgusting.
That's propaganda.

They were encouraging pregnant women to smoke when pregnant. OM-Fing-G! Crazy

-
There was a time when Cocaine was sold over the counter. No big deal right? AHHHH

--

There was a time when DDT was erroneously looked on as a miracle chemical and sprayed about liberally with no thought of damages.

-
There was a time when republicans marketed themselves as moral and upright. They don't even try and lie about that anymore. We all know just how counter to reality that is.
It's is/was propaganda.



Post# 1168218 , Reply# 17   1/3/2023 at 14:17 (450 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
That report about reheating in a microwave

combo52's profile picture
Is BS, people don’t know how to use their microwave if they’re getting rubbery food out of it.

I get beautiful results reheating in the microwave. I love using my Thermidor combination wall oven. It gives beautiful results. You set the temperature of the oven to about 140. You put three or four different food items on a dinner plate and you microwave with the appropriate power the results are wonderful you don’t have to cover anything either because if something does splatter it’s in a self cleaning oven.

Microwave ovens are not going away, it’s one of the safest kitchen appliances ever used. The chance of an injury is minuscule

And nobody has ever been hurt by microwave energy using a microwave oven. It does not affect the food either.

John.



Post# 1168220 , Reply# 18   1/3/2023 at 14:47 (450 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Re: Reply#17

ea56's profile picture
John, I agree with you 100%! Those that don’t know how to use a MW oven properly are the ones that end up with dried out and rubbery food.

And as for the reply#15 claim that the “mythbusters” are working for some big corp to sell something, well I highly doubt that Harvard’s Health Dept. is trying to sell something.

If you don’t like MW’s, then don’t use one. I’ve been using a MW oven daily several times a day for over 37 years with no ill effects.

A MW is like a TV to me. When ever I’ve had either a TV or MW break down, I head right down to the nearest store that very day and buy a new one to replace the broken one.

Eddie



Post# 1168221 , Reply# 19   1/3/2023 at 14:53 (450 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)        

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I am no microwave expert, nor am I am engineer.  I don’t know if it cooks from the inside out or outside in.  I have googled it a few times and all the articles that come up support what the lady says from America’s Test Kitchen which is it cooks from the outside in.

 

Here is what I do know.  I prefer foods heated in the oven or stovetop when I have the time to do it that way.  I feel like the food stays hot longer and I feel like the food is heated all the way through without destroying what is being reheated.  That’s not to say you can’t successfully reheat items in the MW without destroying them.  You can, so when I am in a hurry, I’ll use the MW it’s just not my preference.  I use it more for popcorn than anything else if I really think about how/when I use it.  

 

Eddie is right, it’s like anything else you need to know what you’re doing.  You can destroy a plate of food in both devices if you’re not careful.  I have tried many times to soften butter in the MW.  Even when using the Soften button.  Every time has been a disaster but after reading Eddie’s process, I will try it again and I bet it will work.  I often forget to take the butter out in advance when I am baking.

 

I don’t see MWs going anywhere anytime soon unless they can prove it is damaging to our health.  If that were the case I think we would have known about it long before now.


Post# 1168224 , Reply# 20   1/3/2023 at 15:15 (450 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Way back in the mid '70s when microwave ovens for home use weren't yet ubiquitous, my dad brought home a re-badged Tappan from -- wait for it -- Montgomery Ward, and one of the first things we used it for was reheating leftovers.  We all agreed that the microwave method was infinitely superior to using a stove top or conventional oven.  The dinner of leftovers tasted like it had been freshly made.  So like John, I call BS on most of this article.

 

One thing I do agree with is that pizza needs to steer clear of any microwave.  I put slices on a flat nonstick griddle, cover it loosely, and heat on low for about ten minutes.  It's ready when you can smell it, or if you're close enough to hear the toppings sizzling.  The crust is crisp as opposed to soggy.  I won't reheat pizza any other way.

 

A lot of today's microwaves offer a reheat option.  These tend to work well, but results can vary depending on what you're reheating.  Panasonic's "Sensor Reheat" option was my go-to when we had that microwave for ten years.  Punch two buttons and walk away.  My GE OTR microwave requires going through a nearly unreadable menu to reheat and it's not as reliable as the Panasonic was.  It was here when we moved in.  It just went dead last week and I'm looking into options that include repair, but if I can find another make that will fit, I'll happily dump the GE.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying a Panasonic similar to the one we used to have.  I found it on the Nextdoor classifieds for $10 and it's a joy to use compared to the GE, but at the cost of valuable counter space.

 

That article is more like an opinion piece.  I can't imagine life without a microwave, and there is no way an air fryer is anywhere near as versatile or convenient.


Post# 1168226 , Reply# 21   1/3/2023 at 15:27 (450 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Re: Replies #14 and 19

ea56's profile picture
Ralph,
One last thing about using the MW to soften butter. If you need two sticks of butter softened for a recipe calling for 1 cup of soft butter, but both sticks end to end on the floor of the MW and set it at 10% power for 1 min.

Then at the end of 1 min turn each stick over to the opposite side and opposite ends together and set for an additional 30 secs at 10% power. Repeat if butter isn’t soft enough. The most important step to this is ALWAYS use 10% power for softening butter and use smaller increments of time after the first 1 min until you get the butter to the degree of softness you require.

This always works like a charm.

Eddie


Post# 1168227 , Reply# 22   1/3/2023 at 15:36 (450 days old) by WhiteWhiskers (Silicon Valley, California)        

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When I bought my first Sharp microwave in 1990, the big name on public TV was Donovan Jon Fandre, the "Microwave Master." The microwave is the most used appliance in my kitchen. Gave up on actually cooking food, but it's great to reheat everything.

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Post# 1168230 , Reply# 23   1/3/2023 at 16:09 (449 days old) by robbinsandmyers (Conn)        
Microwave EMF's

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Here's a great read on the facts from the EPA.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO robbinsandmyers's LINK


Post# 1168234 , Reply# 24   1/3/2023 at 16:51 (449 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California)        

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One reason to use a microwave to reheat foods is that it's probably more energy efficient than methods other than using a gas oven or burner. Nearly all the energy goes into the food being re-heated, rather than into the air as with an electric oven. A gas oven uses the same heated air method as an electric oven, but electricity used to heat an electric oven is probably in most cases more expensive than gas used to heat a gas oven. Whether a gas oven is cheaper for reheating foods than a microwave probably depends on your gas and electric rates. And, of course, in the winter, whatever energy is used to reheat food in an oven, can go back into the house.

 

In the summer, it's probably more of an expense if the AC has to kick in to cool the interior air. Here in the SF Bay Area, where in the summer there's often a cooling evening sea breeze, I just open the windows and use a fan as needed.  At present I don't have a gas oven hooked up (other than the BBQ outdoors). I do have an old Modern Maid gas range that I'm planning to use to replace the electric Frigidaire range in the patio kitchen.

 

Some day.

 

 


Post# 1168235 , Reply# 25   1/3/2023 at 16:59 (449 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

bradfordwhite's profile picture
My 1st bf had just remodeled his kitchen when we met in 98 and beside his KA Superba that was incredibly quiet, he also had a black above the range GE microwave.
I was sold on both and went out and bought a new TOL GE bisque micro with a favorite program button. Of course it had a turn table and a plug in probe.

To melt butter I remember just setting the dish with cold butter in there and pushing the 7 button (if I remember right) and it instantly started and gave perfectly softened, but not melted, butter.

I used the program button for heating a cup of water for oatmeal. I think it was 1:35.... not sure.

---

But no more micros for me.

I would choose to have a gas stove again before I would allow a micro in the house, and you know how I, and many others, feel about gas appliances.
But I wouldn't unfriend a person or not date a person if they had a micro where as there are so many things that would get a person disqualified from those two activities.


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Post# 1168238 , Reply# 26   1/3/2023 at 17:02 (449 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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Microwaves penetrate food to a depth of generally 1 to 1.5 inches.  The rest of the food mass heats via conduction.  Thus the full mass of a slice of bacon or pizza gets heated ... but a roast or casserole involves some surface-to-interior conduction.  Microwave energy hits the food surfaces from all directions, including both sides and top at corners of a square or rectangular dish.  It's sometimes advised to shield the corners of a dish with pieces of aluminum foil to avoid overcooking those areas (brownies, cake, etc.).

Microwaves aren't sufficiently energetic to break chemical bonds, ionize molecules, or damage DNA.  Heat is generated by inducing vibration/motion of dipolar molecules (aligning with the oscillating magnetic field), primarily water but also some mild effect on fats and sugar.  Bodily injury can be caused by the heating, not by ionization or damage to DNA.  The lens and cornea of the eye are particularly vulnerable to injury from heat damage that can cause a cataract effect.  I've read advisories to always pause a running microwave oven before opening it to avoid even momentary exposure to the microwave energy, although it travels at literally the speed of light so seems any residual energy after the door interlocks trigger would be absorbed by the food before the door is open enough for any of it to escape.

Microwaves are a frequency range of 300 Mhz to 300 Ghz on the electromagnetic spectrum, between radio waves and infrared.  Microwave ovens operate on a frequency of 2.45 Ghz.  Infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma rays are higher on the spectrum.

Microwaves are sometimes considered a type of radio wave and can be focused into a beam for use in point-to-point communications.  Satellite TV systems, WiFi, Bluetooth, and cell phones all operate within the microwave range of frequencies.


Post# 1168239 , Reply# 27   1/3/2023 at 17:04 (449 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
RE: Reply #20

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Likewise, my folks got a Tappan Microwave in the late 1960s and were most impressed with the way it reheated foods.  I've always had a microwave in my own kitchen, and when Chris and I moved to our former apartment in Montreal, we bought a brand-new stainless steel front model to match the other appliances.  I stopped using it pretty quickly, finding that it didn't seem to reheat things as nicely as a honking big early 1980s Admiral we had at our weekend home.   I'm back to using an RR4D at the house in St-Liboire and a 1976 Bélanger (made by Tappan) in Ogden - I still use it for reheating successfully and do occasionally cook vegetables, sauces, pie fillings, and soups in it, also successfully. 

I'm wondering if the higher power levels of the newer models may have something to do with the reheating performance.   I recall the modern microwave we had claimed an output power of 1000 watts, while I'm pretty sure the Tappan, for example, is only cooking at 650 or maybe 700 watts. 


Post# 1168241 , Reply# 28   1/3/2023 at 17:31 (449 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Unlike most here I actually cook in my microwave.  Chicken leg quarters, wings and such - when I want a quick meal.  Nothing serious, but a bit of BBQ sauce on wings or legs and 8 or 9 minutes later I have dinner.  When I have a bit more time I use convection roast which adds 30% microwave to heat and makes a very moist tender chicken.

 

Most of the time I do my veg's in the microwave and reheat.  I'm anxious to try some chicken or fries in the AF as some of the stuff might time out close to the MW but with better results. I prefer to cook fresh daily but don't want to spend an hour doing it.

 

 


Post# 1168244 , Reply# 29   1/3/2023 at 17:40 (449 days old) by appnut (TX)        
@WhiteWhiskers

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I remember Mr. Fandre. In fact, I watched every one of his episodes that was televised in the mid-late 1980s???? In fact, one of the products he used was a stacked Rubbermade cookware set. Last week I used two piecs of the set-the collander and the 3 qt. pan to cook some ground beef that was going into some soup I was going to make. I just did not feel like standing over the stove browining the gronnd meat and then draining the rendered fat from said meat. All I had to do was crumble the ground beef into the collander, cook it in the microwave for about 6 minutes, and put it in the soup pot with all the other ingredients. Tem pour the grease into a container to be thrown out with the trash. Made life so much easier.

Post# 1168245 , Reply# 30   1/3/2023 at 17:45 (449 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )        

petek's profile picture
The myth that microwaves cook from the inside out comes from early era where people would put a jelly filled donut (or something else with a wet interior/dry exterior) into a microwave for 20 or 30 seconds, take it out with their bare hands as it wasn't hot, then bite into it and burn their mouth and lips. The reason an egg or sometimes a potato will explode is because both have a dry skin enveloping a moist interior, the interior heats up, steam under pressure is created and boom. Hence why you prick the skin of the potato to let the steam out, can't do it to an egg though.
Also, what works well in one particular make/model of microwave does not necessarily mean it will work well in a different one,, ie hot spots.

I got my first microwave oven in 1975,a Litton. A friend of mine, with no experience whatsoever, went on and on about radiation, they don't brown, you can't cook this or that etc.. Well one day I cooked a beef roast in it and all the vegetables and had him and some othe friends over for dinner. Everything turned out great. It was after he'd finished I told him that the whole meal was cooked in the microwave and he couldn't believe it. Well he did but that pretty much shut him up. They eventually got one a few years later. But yeah, most people are clueless on how to cook in one successfully because they never try.


Post# 1168248 , Reply# 31   1/3/2023 at 18:11 (449 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)        

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I took your general advice and reheated some pork chops I made a couple days ago at 400-degrees for about 14-minutes, nothing spectacular, just had with some rice and glad I made them warm at the right temperature as microwaving would have made them a bit hot with some cold areas…

So here’s to my first try at non-microwaved leftovers for dinner…



— Dave


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Post# 1168250 , Reply# 32   1/3/2023 at 18:20 (449 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

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I don't think anyone seriously tries to cook in a mv anymore. Back when the manufacturers were really trying to push them though, the chef's of the year were all hawking their special recipes.

Can you imagine getting like the Time/Life book series or something. A new book each month on how to microwave.

In 1981 I bought a microwave popcorn popper for an aunt who had a 1972 microwave they paid a lot $$$$$$ for back then. That thing was not friendly. If there was any bit of metal in there it would blow the whole circuit and there would be major sparks. It was odd too because the front was the size of what a small micro is today but it was D-E-E-P. It was like 22" deep and they had it built in above their wall oven.

Anyway that plastic corn popper melted the first time she used it. They didn't have turn tables back then either so....


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Post# 1168251 , Reply# 33   1/3/2023 at 18:44 (449 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        
And why? Do we remember the stories....?

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Even back in the 70s there were stories. My Aunt was talking about some farmer near by who washed their cat and then put it in the micro to dry it...
What's frightening is if you do a google search you'll find stuff like this is still "a thing"



CLICK HERE TO GO TO bradfordwhite's LINK


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Post# 1168254 , Reply# 34   1/3/2023 at 19:25 (449 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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And why? ... What's frightening is if you do a google search you'll find stuff like this is still "a thing"
Because there are bunches of stupid or ignorant people out in the wild and the incidence of them probably is increasing.

Is it appreciably different from attempting to dry a wet cat in a gas or electric oven or a clothes dryer?

(BTW, your linked story dates 14 years ago, and the perpetrator was a toddler-child which is typically referenced as 2 to 3 years of age.)


Post# 1168258 , Reply# 35   1/3/2023 at 20:40 (449 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

bradfordwhite's profile picture
It's both sad that a 3 y.o. would think to do this and
kind of funny that the cat was named Stouffers. lol

Always have to look for the funny and thank goodness the kitty survived.

Here's one from just a few years ago if that's more to your taste.

I just don't want to believe that this kind of stuff happens, but it does, as unsettling as it is to me anyway.

----

Kitty Kevorkian- Sabrina Matthews.









CLICK HERE TO GO TO bradfordwhite's LINK


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Post# 1168260 , Reply# 36   1/3/2023 at 21:12 (449 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

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I remember from my youth my grandmother told that a child had put a cat into a spin dryer because she was wet. 2800rpm was too much for a cat too.



Post# 1168279 , Reply# 37   1/4/2023 at 04:58 (449 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        
Microwave nutrient debate

The big advantage of a microwave is the low amount of water used means there will be less dissolution of the compounds in the food - most stuff your body wants is either fat or water soluble. So cooking in fat and water and then discarding it is literally like rinsing out laundry.

Second is the generally lower temperature and time. There is no hot medium transferring the heat to the food.
The hottest thing is the food itself - and especially veg you rarely want to really "cook", more heat and soften.
And cooking times in the microwave are often much shorter.
Both heat and time are the biggest threat to vitamins.

For that reason, a steamer is often the most "healthy" choice of cooking with the most even, yet relatively quick and low water cooking method.



Microwaves do kind of cook from the inside.

The penetration depth of the typical 2.4GHz microwave in food is 2-3cm IIRC. So everything an inch or thinner is cooked "all at once".
The more water the lower the penetration depth.
Thus stuff like lasagnas or that type of stuff is hard to cook that way since they are thick and high moisture.

Miele took that to the extreme with their "Dialog" oven.
It's basically a microwave combination oven, just that it runs at 945MHz, a typical cell frequency.
Lower frequency means higher penetration. That's why that can cook entire thick cuts of meat at microwave speeds.


Post# 1168286 , Reply# 38   1/4/2023 at 08:56 (449 days old) by Joeekaitis (Rialto, California, USA)        
Wait, wait, I lost track again.

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Is coffee a deadly poison or elixir of health this week?


Post# 1168288 , Reply# 39   1/4/2023 at 10:13 (449 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)        
(Because I'm contemplating becoming a LDS...)

daveamkrayoguy's profile picture

Coffee: Right now for me forbidden to drink...

 

 

 

-- Dave


Post# 1168290 , Reply# 40   1/4/2023 at 10:22 (449 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)        
Coffee....

chachp's profile picture

 

The breakfast of champions.  Every time hubby asks me if I have had any water today I answer with the number of cups of coffee stating there is water in the coffee.  He is not amused.  LOL.


Post# 1168292 , Reply# 41   1/4/2023 at 10:57 (449 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

ea56's profile picture
I loved coffee from the time I was 3 years old and would sneak sips out of the adults cups whenever I got the chance. My Mom wouldn’t allow me to drink it until I was 12 years old because she said it was bad for your kidneys.

All my adult life I drank several cups of black coffee daily. I had a massive collection of all types of coffeepots and coffeemakers.

I have acid reflux and in ‘18 I had to finally cut back to just one cup in the morning and after dinner.

Then in July of ‘21 my acid reflux became so bad that I had to give up coffee all together. I thought that I would go through withdrawal from caffeine and coffee in general. So I switched to one cup of green tea in the morning and evening and don’t miss coffee at all, surprisingly. And last month I switched to caffeine free green tea and don’t miss the caffeine either.

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to preserve your health.

Eddie


Post# 1168411 , Reply# 42   1/5/2023 at 20:11 (447 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        

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I'm going to sound crazy here but I actually hate microwaves. I think they are one of if not the weirdest inventions ever made. It wasn't always the case because I didn't minded them as a kid, in fact I thought at first they were kind of cool. Especially our stainless steel Sharp Carousel R-508HS that we had from our last cabin until we later sold the place and left it behind. If we had brought that Sharp back home with us and if it was still working today, maybe I probably would've not minded using it because that was my all time favorite microwave. But as I grew older, I've later learned how microwaves actually worked and definitely noticed a taste difference in the leftovers that'd get reheated versus doing it on a stove. Microwaves just gross me out now and it pretty much will be like that forever unfortunately. Nothing will ever convince me to change my mind. However, I don't hate them completely. I still think they can be useful in someways particularly the over-the-range ones where I can use them as a clock, stove light and fan, and store something warm in there but not turn it on. And I find some of them very fascinating to look at particularly the Japanese makes such as Panasonic and Sharp. I wouldn't mind collecting a few microwaves that I really like but of course I'd never or try my very hardest to not use them at all.

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Post# 1168418 , Reply# 43   1/5/2023 at 20:50 (447 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        
#42

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So, do you have one or not?

 

And if you don't, what kind of stuff do you keep in your 3, or was it 4, full size freezers if not abundant hot pockets, and other things that can be heated in 2 minutes?


Post# 1168432 , Reply# 44   1/5/2023 at 22:47 (447 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        

panasonicvac's profile picture
In the house I'm living at now? Yes, there's three. Two in the kitchen, one black Whirlpool over-the-range and one stainless steel Toshiba countertop one that's also a convection oven. And we have one black Amana Radarange countertop in the basement that's original to the house from 1991. We also have two more, one black High Pointe in our camping trailer which is specifically designed for RVs' and one black Amana Radarange countertop in our storage shed that was replaced by the Toshiba. I don't like using any of them but everybody else in the house does. If anybody wants to see pictures of any of them, I'd be more than happy to share here:)

Post# 1168456 , Reply# 45   1/6/2023 at 10:30 (447 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)        

maytag85's profile picture
Hate to sound like this, but this is one of the silliest threads on AW in regards to microwaves. As John mentioned, if you are getting rubbery food out of a microwave then you aren’t using it correctly. Not us using common sense is the leading cause to dissatisfaction and mishaps.

Post# 1168460 , Reply# 46   1/6/2023 at 11:32 (447 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
You can’t tell by tasting food how it was heated

combo52's profile picture
I would be happy to set up a blind taste test for you. Alex and I would defy you to figure out which food was heated in the microwave and which one was heated conventionally once it’s on the plate and ready to be eaten.

Hundreds of studies have studied this and there’s never been any difference found it’s all a matter of technique like any type of cooking. You can ruin something in any type of cooking procedure.

John


Post# 1168479 , Reply# 47   1/6/2023 at 17:36 (446 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        

panasonicvac's profile picture
I appreciate the offer John but as I said before, nothing would ever change my mind. Even if I got paid millions to do a test, I would easily turn it down. And of course, it's not like I don't know how to use a microwave because I always follow instructions on the cooking labels and recipes. Just because there are hundreds of studies doesn't mean that everybody would buy into it. In fact, each and every one of us doesn't have the exact same type of food that's their favorite. Example is that I've met people that loves seafood but I don't. The point though is that some of us would have different taste buds that could tell the difference of reheating things, the rest like you probably couldn't. There are hundreds maybe thousands if not millions around the globe that'd say they don't like using microwaves and just hasn't said anything. I thought I was the only person here that dislikes microwaves so I chose to not say anything until somebody else brought this up and actually shares the same thoughts as I do so it was time for me to step out of the box. If everybody else likes microwaves, then great! I'm definitely not someone here who thinks that we should outlaw microwaves. But if some of us don't like them, who cares?

Post# 1168487 , Reply# 48   1/6/2023 at 18:35 (446 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        

combo52's profile picture
Hi, the point is you cannot taste the difference and you’re unwilling to even try so you simply don’t like microwaves and that’s OK.

Nobody has to do anything they don’t want to do. But you’re just talking about a personal preference lots of food that you eat in restaurants airplanes, etc. has been microwaved and there’s no way to taste it.

John.



Post# 1168496 , Reply# 49   1/6/2023 at 19:40 (446 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        

panasonicvac's profile picture
John, uh yes I did tell the difference. I'm not going to deny it because I know what I know. I have to agree with Launderess here because I have definitely done a comparison before with you name it. Air fryers, toaster ovens, stoves, etc. So don't think that I haven't even tried. And basically wherever restaurant or place I'd like to go to, I can tell you that my reheated meals are definitely not microwaved. In fact, for example I quit buying cheeseburgers at a basketball arena that I go to because their patties and buns are definitely not as good as fried or grilled since they are all microwaved. Not to mention they cost like almost $10 a piece, I could get frozen burgers like that at Costco to microwave for WAY less.

Post# 1168520 , Reply# 50   1/7/2023 at 03:27 (446 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California)        

sudsmaster's profile picture

Alex,

 

I like those Costco frozen burgers too. Quick and easy they are.

 

 


Post# 1168526 , Reply# 51   1/7/2023 at 05:39 (446 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)        

askolover's profile picture
Tony always uses High setting and things get rubbery or dry on the edges. I usually power it down to around 50% when I heat things in the micro and they are much better.

Post# 1168554 , Reply# 52   1/7/2023 at 11:51 (446 days old) by paulg (My sweet home... Chicago)        
I am one with my microwave

paulg's profile picture
Not only did I work for a rather popular microwave-oven manufacturer (name withheld), but I taught training classes for techs and learned tips and tricks with our own home-economist.
For that reason I can make my virtually indestructible SHARP R-930BK convection-microwave combination jump through hoops and get excellent results consistently. Why, even leftovers come out as delicious as their first day! ;)
I will now reheat my coffee with my perfectly maintained SHARP R530ESF that I keep in my lab.


Post# 1168563 , Reply# 53   1/7/2023 at 13:53 (446 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        
Speaking of manufactures

panasonicvac's profile picture
About the majority of microwaves today are made by the same Chinese company who also owns the Eureka vacuum brand called Midea. I found this out shortly after making my Panasonic Inverter thread here when I discovered a GE microwave online that looked so similar to a Panasonic I was also looking into online. From my understanding, only LG and Samsung make their own microwaves. But I could be wrong however as I'm not really into microwaves you can pretty much tell.






Post# 1168611 , Reply# 54   1/7/2023 at 19:44 (445 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
My information may be outdated, but my understanding was the only brands that ade their own were Sharp and Panasonic. I noticed LG now offers a model or two that includes an inverter technology and I immediately wondered if it was produced by Panasonic.

Post# 1168616 , Reply# 55   1/7/2023 at 20:13 (445 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
As with so many other technologies microwave (as in ovens) was an American invention.

Sadly as wont to happen with so many other electronics, appliances and so forth post WWII and certainly after 1960's Asia soon found ways to make things cheaper and so forth; it's been a race to bottom ever since.

hbr.org/1989/01/fast-heat-how-ko...

My first microwave was a Litton made right here in USA. Next came a Sharp also made in this country. Cannot recall last time have seen a MW oven offered for sale in USA made in America. Perhaps there are but again I've never clapped eyes upon.

Current MW is an old Sharp Carousel from heaven knows what year. It does what one wants from a microwave for now so am happy. Thing was gifted to one many years ago now when an elderly neighbor passed on. It's nearly all metal and weighs a ton.



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Post# 1168617 , Reply# 56   1/7/2023 at 20:18 (445 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
"About the majority of microwaves today are made by the same Chinese company.."

This is true of so many appliances both small and large nowadays.

All those things marketed under either long since defunct but resurrected names, or things sold under names that never made such products in past come to mind.

Midea is behind quite a lot...

www.midea-group.com/our-b....

Indeed as also noted in previous link Midea produces nearly all microwave ovens sold in USA.

www.nytimes.com/wirecutte...
"The New York Times reported that Midea is the largest manufacturer of microwave ovens for several large brands, including Toshiba, Whirlpool, and Black+Decker"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midea_Grou...


Post# 1168619 , Reply# 57   1/7/2023 at 20:24 (445 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
Sharp today isn't same as in past. They're mostly if not wholly owned by Foxconn.


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharp_Corp...–present


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn...


Post# 1168637 , Reply# 58   1/7/2023 at 23:09 (445 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

bradfordwhite's profile picture
The stuff is increasingly made by bots and AI that can operate around the clock, in the dark.
No sick days, no cigarette breaks, no lawsuits, no poor quality, no labor shortage, no Covid issues.
Just consistent, inexpensive, reliable quality.





Post# 1168639 , Reply# 59   1/7/2023 at 23:25 (445 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )        

petek's profile picture
The neatest little m/w I had I bought when I was transferred and living in a small rental apt until my partner finished up his work and moved, so about 10 months. It was a tiny Litton with a built in broiling element on the top and wasn't much bigger than a vintage GE toaster oven, about 10 inches high and a foot wide and not that deep either. The interior cavity was about 9 inches. No turntable. It had a removable wire rack for broiling as well. We bought a house shortly after his arrival and I sold it to a friend. Wished I'd kept it now. I can't find any information or pictures of it online. Litton did come out with a line called the Little Litton, but those were not near as little as that one was as I remember. but i could be wrong

Post# 1168641 , Reply# 60   1/7/2023 at 23:34 (445 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
My parents got a Litton in 1975 or early 1976 while I was in college. It got used heavily and was still working like new in May 2002 when they sold their house. lThe Litton I bought in Summer/early fall 1978 lasted for 24-26 years. Also used very heavily. I did chuck roasts, cooked lasaagna casseroles, meat loaf, so many other things.

Post# 1168646 , Reply# 61   1/7/2023 at 23:49 (445 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        
Weird 1976 microwave

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Post# 1168649 , Reply# 62   1/7/2023 at 23:59 (445 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        
Lights-Out factories

bradfordwhite's profile picture
Impressive.
If you owned a factory, wouldn't you want the same thing?





Post# 1168651 , Reply# 63   1/8/2023 at 00:03 (445 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        
Littl Litton

bradfordwhite's profile picture
I remember the tiny .5 cu. ft. type mvs from the late 80s.

Often they had 4 holes on the top where you could drill through a wall cabinet and hang the MV as an under-cabinet appliance. The wattage was usually less like 500 watts.
But they were cute.


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Post# 1168664 , Reply# 64   1/8/2023 at 02:09 (445 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
I remember when that wierd microwave came out.


Post# 1168687 , Reply# 65   1/8/2023 at 10:32 (445 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )        

petek's profile picture
The Panasonic Sky-lite.. still waiting for one to come across my path LOL.

Post# 1168690 , Reply# 66   1/8/2023 at 10:39 (445 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

dadoes's profile picture
 
#61 ... it's a Panasonic, called the Sky-Lite model.  The local Whirlpool dealer sold Panasonic microwaves, had one on display at the time.

Retroist - Panasonic Sky-Lite Microwave Oven



It has been discussed in the past.

Shoppers Square - Thread 47800 8/2/2013

Shoppers Square - Thread 57337 11/30/2014

Shoppers Square - Thread 60694 7/22/2015



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