INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW
• Check for doneness. Look for signs indicating that cooking
temperatures have been reached.
DONENESS SIGNS INCLUDE:
- Food steams throughout, not just at edge.
- Center bottom of dish is very hot to the touch.
- Poultry thigh joints move easily.
- Meat and poultry show no pinkness.
- Fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
ABOUT FOOD
FOOD
DO
DON'T
EGGS,
SAUSAG-
ES, NUTS,
SEEDS,
FRUITS &
VEGETA-
BLES
• Puncture egg yolks
before cooking to
prevent “explosion”.
• Pierce skins of
potatoes, apples,
squash, hot dogs
and sausages so that
steam escapes.
• Cook eggs in
shells.
• Reheat whole eggs.
• Dry nuts or seeds
in shells.
POPCORN
• Use specially bagged
popcorn for the
microwave oven.
• Listen while popping
corn for the popping
to slow to 1 or 2
seconds or use
special
POPCORN
pad.
• Pop popcorn in
regular brown bags
or glass bowls.
• Exceed maximum
time on popcorn
package.
BABY
FOOD
• Transfer baby food
to small dish and
heat carefully,
stirring often. Check
temperature before
serving.
• Put nipples on
bottles after
heating and shake
thoroughly. “Wrist”
test before feeding.
• Heat disposable
bottles.
• Heat bottles with
nipples on.
• Heat baby food in
original jars.
GENERAL
• Cut baked goods
with filling after
heating to release
steam and avoid
burns.
• Stir liquids briskly
before and after
heating to avoid
“eruption”.
• Use deep bowl,
when cooking liquids
or cereals, to prevent
boilovers.
• Heat or cook in
closed glass jars or
air tight containers.
• Can in the
microwave as
harmful bacteria
may not be
destroyed.
• Deep fat fry.
• Dry wood, gourds,
herbs or wet
papers.
ABOUT SAFETY
• Check foods to see that they are cooked to the United
States Department of Agriculture's recommended
temperatures.
TEMP
FOOD
160˚
for fresh pork, ground meat, boneless white
poultry, fish, seafood, egg dishes and frozen
prepared food.
165˚
for leftover, ready-to-reheat refrigerated, and
deli and carry-out “fresh” food.
170°F
white meat of poultry.
180°F
dark meat of poultry.
• To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in a thick
or dense area away from fat or bone.
NEVER
leave the
thermometer in the food during cooking, unless it is approved
for microwave oven use.
• ALWAYS
use potholders to prevent burns when handling
utensils that are in contact with hot food. Enough heat from
the food can transfer through utensils to cause skin burns.
• Avoid steam burns by directing steam away from the face
and hands. Slowly lift the farthest edge of a dish's covering
and carefully open popcorn and oven cooking bags away
from the face.
• Stay near the oven while it's in use and check cooking
progress frequently so that there is no chance of overcooking
food.
• NEVER
use the cavity for storing cookbooks or other items.
• Select, store and handle food carefully to preserve its high
quality and minimize the spread of foodborne bacteria.
• Keep waveguide cover clean. Food residue can cause
arcing and/or fires.
• Use care when removing items from the oven so that the
utensil, your clothes or accessories do not touch the safety
door latches.
ABOUT CHILDREN AND THE MICROWAVE
Children below the age of 7 should use the microwave oven with
a supervising person very near to them. Between the ages of
7 and 12, the supervising person should be in the same room.
The child must be able to reach the oven comfortably; if not, he/
she should stand on a sturdy stool.
At no time should anyone be allowed to lean or swing on the
oven door.
Children should be taught all safety precautions: use potholders,
remove coverings carefully, pay special attention to packages
that crisp food because they may be extra hot.
Don’t assume that because a child has mastered one cooking
skill he/she can cook everything.
Children need to learn that the microwave oven is not a toy. See
page 18 for CHILD LOCK feature.
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