Eight Microwave Cooking Tips

Cooking vegetables is one of the things a microwave does best: fresh vegetables cook quickly, with minimum amount of water, so they retain nutrients, and have the taste, color, and texture of fresh-from-the-garden produce.

For best results, make sure vegetables are uniform in size. Smaller pieces and quantities cook more quickly as do freshly picked young vegetables. Pierce skin when cooking whole vegetables. Vegetables with tender tips, such as asparagus or broccoli, should be arranged with tender areas toward center, less tender stems or stalks toward the edge.

Microwave beginner cooks take note: Most microwave recipes give you a range of cooking times; choose the lesser amount, then check for doneness. Otherwise overcooking may be a problem.
Plastic wrap is the best choice for covering a dish of vegetables because it wraps tightly, holding in heat and steam. But it’s recommended “venting” the wrap a bit, turning back a small corner, or puncturing to allow steam to escape and prevent wrap from splitting.

Defrosting only half a package of frozen franks or just a bit of ground beef? Shield half the package with foil (this reflects microwaves away from the food, allows covered half to stay frozen). Make sure to keep foil smooth, free of wrinkles and at least one inch away from oven wall to prevent arcing (blue sparks).

The shape of the container, in addition to material, should also be considered. Round oval shapes give the most even cooking. Square or rectangular containers may overcook foods in the corners because more energy is absorbed there. Shallow containers give more even cooking results.
There are a number of accessories available on the market. Before you buy make sure they are suitable for microwave use.

When you put food, food supports, or covering in the microwave oven, make sure that they do not come in direct contact with any of the internal walls or the ceiling of the cavity sinc discoloration may take place.