Panasonic NNCD989S Operation Manual | Page 5

Panasonic Ovens Operation Manual - NNCD989S.
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FOOD CHARACTERISTICS  
AND THEIR EFFECTS ON 
MICROWAVE COOKING
Bone and Fat
 
Both bone and fat affect cooking. Bones may cause 
irregular cooking. Meat next to the tips of bones may 
be overcooked while meat positioned under a large 
bone, such as a ham bone, may be undercooked. 
Large amounts of fat absorb microwave energy and 
the meat next to these areas may be overcooked.

Density 
Porous, airy foods such as breads, cakes or rolls 
take less time to cook than heavy, dense foods such 
as potatoes and roasts.

Quantity 
Two potatoes take longer to cook than one potato.  
As the quantity of the food decreases so does the 
cooking time. Overcooking will cause the moisture 
content in the food to decrease and a fire could 
result. Never leave microwave unattended while in 
use.

Shape 
Uniform sizes heat more evenly. The thin end of a 
drumstick will be cooked more quickly than the 
meaty end. To compensate for irregular shapes, 
place thin parts toward the centre of the dish and 
thick pieces toward the edge. 

Size 
Small or thin pieces cook more quickly than thick 
pieces.

Starting Temperature 
Foods that are room temperature take less time to 
cook than if they are at refrigerator temperature or 
frozen.

COOKING TECHNIQUES
Arrangement:
 Individual foods, such as baked 
potatoes, will be cooked more evenly if placed in the 
oven equal distances apart. When possible, arrange 
foods in a circular pattern. Foods should not be 
overlapped. 

Browning: Foods will not have the same brown 
appearance as conventionally cooked foods. Meats 
and poultry may be coated with browning sauce, 
Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce or shake-on 
browning sauce. To use, combine browning sauce 
with melted butter or margarine, brush on before 
cooking.

Covering: As with conventional cooking, moisture 
evaporates during microwave cooking. Casserole lids 
or plastic wrap are used for a tighter seal. When 
using plastic wrap, vent the plastic wrap by folding 
back part of the plastic wrap from the edge of the 
dish to allow steam to escape. Loosen or remove 
plastic wrap as recipe directs for stand time. When 
removing plastic wrap covers, as well as any glass 
lids, be careful to remove them facing away from you 
to avoid steam burns. Various degrees of moisture 
retention are also obtained by using wax paper or 
paper towels. However, unless specified, a recipe is 
cooked uncovered.

Piercing: Foods with skins or membranes must be 
pierced, scored or have a strip of skin peeled before 
cooking to allow steam to escape. Pierce clams, 
oysters, chicken livers, chicken wing, whole potatoes 
and whole vegetables. Whole apples or new potatoes 
should have a 1-inch (2.5 cm) strip of skin peeled 
before cooking. Score sausages and frankfurters.  
DO NOT Cook/Reheat whole eggs with or without 
the shell. Steam built up in whole eggs may cause 
them to explode, and possibly damage the oven or 
cause injury. 
Reheating SLICED hard-boiled eggs and cooking 
SCRAMBLED eggs is safe.

Shielding: Thin areas of meat and poultry cook 
more quickly than meaty portions. To prevent 
overcooking, these thin areas can be shielded with 
strips of aluminum foil. Wooden toothpicks may be 
used to hold the foil in place.

Timing: A range in cooking time is given in the 
charts or recipe. The time range compensates for the 
uncontrollable differences in food shapes, starting 
temperature and regional preferences. Always cook 
food for the minimum cooking time given in the 
recipe and check for doneness. If the food is 
undercooked, continue cooking. It is easier to add 
time. Once the food is overcooked, nothing can be 
done.

Turning: It is not possible to stir some foods to 
redistribute the heat. At times microwave energy will 
concentrate in one area of a food. To help ensure 
even cooking, some foods need to be turned over 
once, halfway through cooking.

Stirring: Stirring is usually necessary during 
microwave cooking. We have noted when stirring is 
helpful, using the words once, twice, frequently or 
occasionally to describe the amount of stirring 
necessary. 

Rearranging: Rearrange small items such as 
chicken pieces, shrimp, or hamburger patties by 
moving pieces from the edge to the center and 
pieces from the center to the edge of the dish. 

Stand Time: Most foods will continue to be cooked 
by conduction after microwave cooking. In meat 
cookery, the internal temperature will rise 5 - 15˚F  
(3 - 8˚C) if allowed to stand, tented with foil, for  
10 - 15 minutes. Casseroles and vegetables need a 
shorter stand time, but it is necessary to allow foods 
to complete cooking in the center without 
overcooking on the edges.

Testing for Doneness: The same tests for 
doneness used in conventional cooking may be used 
for microwave cooking. Meat is done when fork-
tender or splits at fibers. Chicken is done when juices 
are clear yellow and drumstick moves freely. Fish is 
done when it flakes and is opaque.

 

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