Go to the Article: How Microwave Ovens Work
Nice pictorial.
Again with the awesome infographics....
Super cool recipes and information as always.
Thanks, clear explanation. However, now that I have a combi oven, microwave and immersion circulator, which technique would you use for which veggies and meat based on which desired results? For instance, for white asparagus sous vide is hard to beat if you don't want it grilled.
Give white asparagus a try in the microwave. It's pretty awesome.
I think that which technology you choose depends on a lot of factors: such as what else needs to be prepared for the dish, how is your kitchen organized, and—most important—which result do you personally like the best? But to give you something more concerte: combi-ovens are great for preparing larger quantities, sous vide does well for veg that benefit from a longer cooking process (or when you need to rehydrate and cook something at the same time), and microwaves are fast and do a great job of retain fresh aromas.
Great article. I have translated it into catalan and spanish and shared it in our blog (http://www.ramirezhostaleria.cat/2014/08/consells-dus-5-el-microones.html).
Thank you!
It´s funny that you hang on to that super ugly machine, where the causes are so controversial. Why risk anything that stupid? Just use a damn oven and take your time for cooking. Kind of disappointed reading a pro-microwave article on here... http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp
So...you do understand that the snopes article you linked to states that microwave ovens are safe, right?
I was given a microwave oven for a wedding shower. In 1984. Is this oven still safe? It still cooks fine. It has 5 levels of power for cooking (lever) and a timer. So I never know how to use friend's digital ovens.
it's like discussing most science... there is no point arguing with non-science based people.. they will only drag you down to their level and you will still be unsuccessful...
[you may have heard this stated somewhat more succinctly...]
bought my first one in 1972... to melt cheese on apple pie... not dead yet!
try to sell a refrigerator to one of them in 1920... or an induction cooktop - what's that noise!?
and get rid of Dr OZ too!!! he is not a doctor but a surgeon... limited medical training
Great story line but I am still waiting for you to go back to the confit of garlic without those pesky metal lids! Note Lindy below with the 1984 unit there would be some exciting sparking with lids in this one. Same when mother in law put Alfoil in my 1984 Panasonic genius. As a RAAF Electronics engineer I took it to work & we found that the Magnetron had arced & destroyed itself.
The Alfoil that was put on the Chicken Legs formed a tuned circuit (ring) & induced a massive load, to this day I do not allow metal in any Microwave we have.
I currently have the latest Toshiba Dome multi-function oven which is “some metal safe” so they say.
Have you tried Kefir & Yoghurt Cheese making in the microwave? I started off using the Sous Vide circulator heater to keep the milk/cream at 42c but once it thickens up the circulator will stop working due to its auto cut out function.
Cheers, Ed
"Essentially, microwaves cook food by producing electromagnetic waves that force polarized water molecules within it to oscillate". This cause friction, this creates heat. Much like how a high speed blender can make hot soup...the friction of the blades and the food.
Another issue with microwave ovens is they heat in an uneven manner, that's why the turntables were introduced. Leftover foods need to reheated to 165 F., in the microwave some of the food maybe at 190F and some is still at 130 F.. So best to mix/stir the food.
Now, can we get the new roasted garlic recipe?
Now I've got Jim Gaffigan intoning "Hot Pocket" on an endless loop in my head.
Not friction. Yes the blender is friction, however the EM used to oscillate the polar molecules changes the energy state of those molecules. That change generates energy in the form of heat. But is not friction.
Look at wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven
the mechanism is dielectric heating
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric_heating
Love these videos and diagrams.
Keep up the great work ChefSteps!
Good wiki on Dielectric Heating. But no need to correct John B about using the word "friction". As the wiki used words such as colliding, drag, agitating and bumping. These words are synonyms for the action in which friction is an acceptable term.
Your opinion on the appearance of this machine is a sill place to start. As the saying goes "don't judge a book by its cover". And making a good case to help people to stress less and cook more is a great thing and something all of us should be happy to see. And ChefSteps is doing just that, a great job educating and teaching people on safe and healthy cooking techniques.
Keep up the great work Team at ChefSteps!
@khaled khunaifer - Try the same thing with no lid and less oil and or a larger jar.
I don't have a "damn oven." I have an almost invisible induction 2 burner cooktop and an attractive microwave/convection countertop oven, that uses deep corner countertop space. Easier on my back, I'm now 73, got rid of huge, ugly range, gave me more cabinet/shelf space, and easier to clean.
This is great! I know you guys don't want to suggest using metal in the microwave, however, looking at a variety of sites diving deeper into the subject, it seems like you could use metal under the right conditions. Clearly the wrong conditions can bring on the 4th of July a bit early.
I want to hear more about why it worked with a lid for you but not for other people. I don't see anything in this piece that explains why metal in bad in the microwave. It seems like the waves would just bounce off the metal. Speaking of Hot Pockets :-) Why are the magic Hot Pocket liners coated with aluminum foil?
The part about food as antennae is misleading and relatively not correct (especially the part about sizes and "coupling"). I understand that it is for sake of simplicity and shortness. But is there any better way to proceed?
Microwaves hit the metal and the metal absorbs them. This electrifies the metal, so it starts shooting off sparks. Also, Hot Pocket liners do not have foil, just a shiny layer.
It would be helpful if you post a table containing different time settings according to each vegie..
Without sending waves in different directions they will not "go down in a single beam" and cause hotspots. Hotspots are caused by interference patterns due to internal reflections from many different angles.
Picked up a Breville Microwave, the "Quick Touch Crisp", Made better white fluffy soft grain rice than my old Zojirushi "Neuro Fuzzy" 1.8 Liter Model.
Used 400 Grams uncooked Rice, and 600 Grams (Water from the Faucet, plus 500 grams from the water in a single water bottle) In a Pyrex 8 cup glass measuring bowl.
It also had the benefit of steaming the inside of the microwave, making it so easy to clean.
Great recipes! But for the microwave try the Panasonic Genius or other make with a heat sensor. For the plastic... try using pots and lids that are marked microwave safe.
We cook sous vide in new microwave oven. Very promising new technology!
https://youtu.be/Mm4khrEdhrg
I am interested in translating to Spanish some of your videos to Spanish. I am a beginner cook learner (vegan).
Please let me know if you will allow me to do this. Ernesto
You guys tried out a lot of Microwaves. Any chance that you'll post an article about which one is your favorite?
Hi Ernesto, Please contact our support team and they can help you with this question: support.chefsteps.com.
Hi @Matthew Ary, Outside of the fact that we are now part of Breville.com, we are big fans of their microwaves. We love being able to adjust using control knobs (like an old-school high-end stereo)—especially because it’s possible to adjust time and temperature on the fly—even while cooking. Check them out here.
How about harnessing the dehydrating to turn greens into powder ?
Thank you. Here.
Ernesto, you sounded very earnest. I surely hope you've successfully completed your quest.
Excellent, you think I would have known this, Thanks
Do you have a simple and short way of describing it? Don't complain add to the dialogue.
