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All my life I only used microwave to reheat leftover food. All models I used, I experienced all kinds of problems:
-- food cooks unevenly, one side still cold when one corner is already overcooked
-- things explode unexpectedly
-- grease vapor is trapped inside and coats the interior
Overall it just makes a mess. Even when reheating leftovers, I often have to turn the food manually several times in the process.
Does anyone really have success cooking a real meal with the microwave oven? Like can you cook a chicken leg from raw to done?
I have cooked chicken thighs. 10 min. For 4. Then I baste them with barbecue sauce and put them on the grill to crisp not cook. Yeah the do splatter, I wrap a paper towel around the casserole dish to try to minimize that.
Let's say you have these ingredients, is it possible to use just microwave to make an OK-tasting dinner meal:
-- pork chops
-- potatoes
-- broccoli and carrots
You'll need to sear the chops in a pan first, for best flavor, then finish them in the nuker. It can be done. But, if the machine doesn't have a turn-table you'll have to turn them yourself- that's the key to even heating, turning and flipping.
And don't just use 'high power' you need to adjust your power levels and cooking times depending on what it is you want to cook. My wife complains about stuff not coming out right, but she only uses 'high'. It's adjustable for a reason. It takes some finesse, but yes, one can cook a lot and have it come out good in a microwave.
All my life I only used microwave to reheat leftover food. All models I used, I experienced all kinds of problems:
-- food cooks unevenly, one side still cold when one corner is already overcooked
-- things explode unexpectedly
-- grease vapor is trapped inside and coats the interior
Overall it just makes a mess. Even when reheating leftovers, I often have to turn the food manually several times in the process.
Does anyone really have success cooking a real meal with the microwave oven? Like can you cook a chicken leg from raw to done?
It amazes me that someone could still ask this question, after microwave ovens have been around for, what, more than 30 years?
Yes, you can cook - ANYTHING - in a microwave oven. Just like a stovetop burner - you can often not just LEAVE stuff to cook alone. Some things have to be stirred so they heat evenly, or don't scorch.
Microwave ovens have their own cooking characteristics that make them more suited to some things, and less suited to others. For instance, corn on the cob - or white potatoes? Perfect microwave foods! A steak? Not so perfect. Eggs? Eww - big problems! A microwave oven is just a utensil that creates heat in the food to cook it. Most cooking methods provide heat directly. But whatever cooking method you use, you have to learn how to manage it. You don't just stick something in an oven and expect it to come out edible.
It amazes me that someone could still ask this question, after microwave ovens have been around for, what, more than 30 years?
Yes, you can cook - ANYTHING - in a microwave oven. Just like a stovetop burner - you can often not just LEAVE stuff to cook alone. Some things have to be stirred so they heat evenly, or don't scorch.
Microwave ovens have their own cooking characteristics that make them more suited to some things, and less suited to others. For instance, corn on the cob - or white potatoes? Perfect microwave foods! A steak? Not so perfect. Eggs? Eww - big problems! A microwave oven is just a utensil that creates heat in the food to cook it. Most cooking methods provide heat directly. But whatever cooking method you use, you have to learn how to manage it. You don't just stick something in an oven and expect it to come out edible.
Yep that's me... A few tries and failures back in the 90s and I gave up.
I cannot even successfully use microwave to defrost meat. The edges always started to cook before the middle even softened.
And I never figured out how to change the power level. I admit I never read the user manual, but most people probably don't either. I think it's the manufacturers' job to make it intuitive. More knobs/buttons can easily take care of this.
It amazes me that someone could still ask this question, after microwave ovens have been around for, what, more than 30 years?
Yes, you can cook - ANYTHING - in a microwave oven. Just like a stovetop burner - you can often not just LEAVE stuff to cook alone. Some things have to be stirred so they heat evenly, or don't scorch.
Microwave ovens have their own cooking characteristics that make them more suited to some things, and less suited to others. For instance, corn on the cob - or white potatoes? Perfect microwave foods! A steak? Not so perfect. Eggs? Eww - big problems! A microwave oven is just a utensil that creates heat in the food to cook it. Most cooking methods provide heat directly. But whatever cooking method you use, you have to learn how to manage it. You don't just stick something in an oven and expect it to come out edible.
All in how someone enjoys their food: I am not a fan of corn on the cob in the micro but it works in a hurry and feel somewhat the same about potatoes. You are right about what we should know by now about micros but I guess for someone who is new at the game they need to ask. We got our fist micro in 1978, so guess they have been around for closer to 40 plus years. I will never forget what it looked like: WOW.
Yep that's me... A few tries and failures back in the 90s and I gave up.
I cannot even successfully use microwave to defrost meat. The edges always started to cook before the middle even softened.
And I never figured out how to change the power level. I admit I never read the user manual, but most people probably don't either. I think it's the manufacturers' job to make it intuitive. More knobs/buttons can easily take care of this.
You aren't the only that has had challenges with the microwave. There are just somethings that do not work well, the defrost problem you have had is not unusual and for many of us, they are used more for just heating things up, melting chocolate, and nothing more. Oh, cooking veggies also, especially when in a hurry.
It amazes me that someone could still ask this question, after microwave ovens have been around for, what, more than 30 years?
LOL, they have been around since 1970s so more like 50 years (time flies, I just have to look in the mirror). Think Amana Radar Range, the microwave built to literally last forever. They seriously dont build them like they used to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hiero2
Yes, you can cook - ANYTHING - in a microwave oven. Just like a stovetop burner - you can often not just LEAVE stuff to cook alone. Some things have to be stirred so they heat evenly, or don't scorch.
Microwaves have always been sold for convenience and fast cooking speed. If you have to spend all time babysitting stuff and it takes just as long as conventional stovetop or oven, then what is point? They are certainly a PITA to clean.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hiero2
Microwave ovens have their own cooking characteristics that make them more suited to some things, and less suited to others. For instance, corn on the cob - or white potatoes?
Have to disagree on baked potatoes, horrible texture cooked in microwave compared to conventional oven. Plus its not super fast baking potatoes like they used to claim. Well unless you like them semi-raw.
Again if microwave is all you have to work with, yea YOU CAN ADAPT and get by, just like you can get used to cooking in a Dutch oven in fireplace or campfire, but if you have alternatives, its not close to being a great universal cooking method. Actually given choice between microwave and traditional cast iron Dutch oven (kind with legs and lid you can place coals on), I would take the Dutch oven for quality of food you can cook, though most people dont have a wood fired fireplace or place to build campfire in back yard. You can use charcoal briquettes so guess if you can grill you can use Dutch oven that way.
I have never tried to cook meat in the microwave other than reheating. I use it for bacon, poached eggs, vegetables, popcorn and reheating my coffee. Oh and my frozen dinners. If I didn't have a microwave I would starve.
And I never figured out how to change the power level. I admit I never read the user manual, but most people probably don't either. I think it's the manufacturers' job to make it intuitive. More knobs/buttons can easily take care of this.
Between me and my kids we've gone through quite a few microwave ovens over the years (never put any kind of metal in one, lordy, my son never remembered) and I can tell you that some are a lot more intuitive than others. This last one I bought I had to resort to the manual to figure some things out, it's model that supposedly senses when food is done. IMO the easiest to use are the ones designed for college kids that you can usually find at a good price during back to school sales.
Just how old is the microwave you've been using?
Yep that's me... A few tries and failures back in the 90s and I gave up.
I cannot even successfully use microwave to defrost meat. The edges always started to cook before the middle even softened.
And I never figured out how to change the power level. I admit I never read the user manual, but most people probably don't either. I think it's the manufacturers' job to make it intuitive. More knobs/buttons can easily take care of this.
DOH!
That's like only knowing how to turn the oven to 500 degrees. Do you think you could bake a cake if you don't know the right temperature or how long to bake it? Those instructions aren't on a button on the oven, you have to read the instructions (recipe). No wonder you can't use it properly...operator error.
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