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/ck/ - Food & Cooking

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9496850 No.9496850 [Reply] [Original]

I don't understand how to microwave things. If it says, for instance, "microwave 2 to 4 minutes", what do you do? 2 minutes? 4 minutes? Split the difference at 3 minutes (this is what I usually do)? Put it in for 4 minutes and check it periodically? There are too many options. What are you supposed to do?

Everyone says "well, every microwave is different, so the time to cook is different". But the box of food usually never specifies "if your microwave is such and such power level, cook it for such and such minutes". Are you supposed to just guess? Also, why does it always say "heat on HIGH"? I don't even see a setting to make it high or low, it must always be on high.

>> No.9496857
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9496857

>> No.9496903

>>9496850
Check the wattage of your microwave. 1100 is considered high, 600 is considered low. If you have a 1100 watt, use the shorter time. If you have a 600 watt, use a lower time. If you have an 800 watt, go middle of the road.

Most microwaves have a power setting and you're just not looking hard enough. The way it works on mine is you put in the time you want, then you hit power, then you enter the setting you want. My egg cooker says to use medium power for about a minute, so I hit:
[Time Cook] [1] [1] [0] [Power] [6] [Start]
Even that microwave you posted has a power setting (appears to be the top-middle button)

>> No.9497001

>using a microwave
top pleb

>> No.9497179

>>9496903

where is the wattage usually located? i can never find it

>> No.9498365

>>9496850
It's dumbed down for Americans because numbers are hard and a selectable-power microwave requires a slightly more expensive magnetron. So it's a combination of "guess low the higher-power your microwave is" and arcane model-specific quirks, since powers which aren't high aren't it running at an actual lower power but just it running an unspecified and unstandardized percentage of the cook time.

>> No.9498423

>>9497179
On the back if at all

>>9498365
Look at Mr Fancypants with his cookie cutter perfect portions and living at sea level with low humidity.

>> No.9498783

Just push some buttons man it will come out fine

>> No.9499025

>>9496850
you have autism. start by splitting the difference, or the minimum. if it's not warm enough, microwave some more. eventually you'll find a time that works consistently

>> No.9499038

>>9496850
>what do you do?
I set it for the middle time, then stand there and watch what's going on. If the food starts splattering, steaming, or otherwise overcooking I turn it off.

>> But the box of food usually never specifies
In my area the food nearly aways states the power on the directions. I cooked something last night that said "microwave directions (1000W) cook 2 min on high". My microwave is 1500 watts, so I set it for 1:30 and checked.

>>Are you supposed to just guess?
Yes. If it's not done yet just but it back in. If it starts overcooking stop it early. This is not rocket science anon.

>> No.9500483

>>9499038
In the rest of the world, when the box says 1000W you get a power dial to set it to 1000W.

>> No.9500501

>>9500483
The US models are adjustable too. Every one I have ever used has buttons or a knob to adjust the power.

I didn't bother to adjust mine down in this case because I know from experience it cooks very well at full power, but if I wanted to it would be a no-brainer to do so. For other applications I do so.

>> No.9500510

>>9500501
It doesn't adjust the power, it just turns the microwave on and off while the timer keeps going. That's why the directions are so vague.

>> No.9500535

>>9500510
Mine is an inverter drive model, it really does adjust the power directly.

Most models do what you describe, which is called a "duty cycle". I.e. if you set it for 50% power it's only "on" for half the time. That can suck or it can be fine, it depends on how fast the microwave switches back and forth. If it takes long pauses that can be a problem. If the cycle is fast (like on for half a second, off for half a second, repeat) then it causes no issues at all.

Though in my experience it's very rare that you actually need to cook something at less than full power. Some foods are prone to splattering but most would be fine at max.

>> No.9500550

>>9500510
>it just turns the microwave on and off while the timer keeps going
That's the same thing any electric range, coil or induction, does.

>> That's why the directions are so vague.
There is nothing "wrong" with using duty switching to regulate power.

There are tons of variables here. Even how cold your freezer is matters--if you take two identical frozen meals and one was just below freezing while the other was 20 below they would take different cooking times even with identical microwaves. As with any cooking method there are always lots of variables to consider. Cooking times are always guidelines. A person would have to be a fool (or a newbie) to trust the exact numbers of any package of food or printed recipe, regardless of the cooking appliance used.