Microwave Oven - How to get the best out of it

[Epona]

So I've now got a microwave oven - just a basic 17l compact one, 700W, no bells and whistles.

The idea is that it's going to save energy with regard to OH's jacket spud addiction (he doesn't like crispy skins so can do them 100% in the microwave rather than having the oven on for fucking ages) and also time and energy in terms of him reheating food/meals that I've left in the fridge or freezer for him to eat before/after his shifts.

But what else can I do with it besides those things?

Looking especially at energy saving uses, or to save hob space as we only have 2 working hobs atm - I imagine cooking/steaming veg or parboiling hard/root veg ready for roasting is sensible to free up hob space. Melting chocolate for baking is I think a lot less faff in a microwave.

I'm not looking to entirely replace hob or oven cooking of course, just anything where it might come out fine and save energy. I also have an air fryer btw. which also uses less energy than preheating the oven to cook small things in it, for stuff that is supposed to come out crispy.

Anything else I should consider? Any tips or tricks?

 

[editor]

I was without gas in my flat for a while and had to do all my cooking with a microwave. They're surprisingly versatile, and I was cooking vegetables like a pro on them, and managing to put together some decent meals.

 

[Skim]

Cheap heats: microwave cooking tips to save you time and money

Saw this the other day, might have some ideas? I’ve never steamed fish or veg in the microwave, just through force of habit of switching on the oven/firing up the hob.

 

[Epona]

Cheap heats: microwave cooking tips to save you time and money

Saw this the other day, might have some ideas? I’ve never steamed fish or veg in the microwave, just through force of habit of switching on the oven/firing up the hob.

That's great, thanks! Clearly I am not the only one considering this as an energy saving option. There was also a link a bit down that page on the left to some microwave cooking ideas, am bookmarking both.

 

[ouirdeaux]

he doesn't like crispy skins

Surely that's the main attraction of a jacket potato?

 

[bluescreen]

It won't do a roast. Great with veg and fish.

Cake in a mug looks quick and tempting. Lots of recipes online.
Important to check that the recipe corresponds to your wattage.

 

[spitfire]

Bacon.

Popcorn.

 

[weltweit]

My microwave is filthy ..

eeeewwyy

Even though it looks caked on, it just wipes away, don't know what they did to the surfaces but I am grateful.

 

[Epona]

It won't do a roast. Great with veg and fish.

Absolutely, some things need the actual heat of the oven to do right, I cannot imagine a chicken cooked in a microwave is in any way appetising for example, it needs to be in the oven to crisp up the skin, cooking it in the heat adds something to it.

Steamed fish I can imagine working fine in a microwave.

 

[Epona]

I also steam most veg that we have on the side (as opposed to in with other stuff, or roasted) so that can't be any different in the microwave, will still retain flavour and nutrients but just save a space on the hob and some energy.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

The microwave gets used a lot - it's brilliant for cooking veg, doing scrambled eggs, poached eggs, etc. There are tons of recipes out there for all sorts of stuff that I've never used it for - I suppose it's a trial and error thing to see what works well for how you like your food.

 

[StoneRoad]

Cooking veg, fish, scrambled eggs mainly, but I've found some things just don't look/taste right when cooked in the popity-ping, plus quite a bit of defrosting / re-heating food.

A few winters ago, I was making suet puds and porridge as an experiment, the former worked remarkably well.
Various casseroles / pasta bakes work quite well, and get the surface browned with a quick whizz under the grill ...

 

[Artaxerxes]

 

[farmerbarleymow]

View attachment 341395

I've got this one - picked it up in a charity shop I think



Published in 1981 so may be a wee bit out of date. ISBN 0-583-13544-7

 

[geminisnake]

Cheap heats: microwave cooking tips to save you time and money

Saw this the other day, might have some ideas? I’ve never steamed fish or veg in the microwave, just through force of habit of switching on the oven/firing up the hob.

Salmon spits like a spitty thing ime, container or wrapping required, other fish may be fine but I've no experience there. Worth either getting a book fae the charity shops or looking up recipes online, you can do things like mince and cobblers in the microwave, cakes, flapjacks etc.

 

[Epona]

Salmon spits like a spitty thing ime, container or wrapping required, other fish may be fine but I've no experience there. Worth either getting a book fae the charity shops or looking up recipes online, you can do things like mince and cobblers in the microwave, cakes, flapjacks etc.

Yep I am going to see if I can find some of those microwave safe plate/bowl covers with the steam vent, the more I can prevent splatter from anything the better!
And an option that can be reused is preferable to cling film or other disposable wrapping.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Yep I am going to see if I can find some of those microwave safe plate/bowl covers with the steam vent, the more I can prevent splatter from anything the better!
And an option that can be reused is preferable to cling film or other disposable wrapping.

I've got some of these - they're not that cheap unfortunately, but do a good job for the microwave. Anything with a lid will work though - I bought some pyrex oblong things a while back which have quite a large capacity, and they came with tupperware type lids. Those could be used with the lid slightly ajar to let the steam escape.

 

[Epona]

I've got some of these - they're not that cheap unfortunately, but do a good job for the microwave. Anything with a lid will work though - I bought some pyrex oblong things a while back which have quite a large capacity, and they came with tupperware type lids. Those could be used with the lid slightly ajar to let the steam escape.

Oh I love those pyrex containers with the clip on plastic lids (my mum gave me a crumble in one once, I froze it in the thing and cooked it in the oven in it (sans lid of course) too, was most impressed) - I don't have any yet but Asda do an own brand version which is a lot cheaper, I only get over to Asda a few times a year though and last time I went the size I wanted were out of stock. I'll check that their brand ones are microwave safe, I am sure they must be though.

 

[bluescreen]

Yep I am going to see if I can find some of those microwave safe plate/bowl covers with the steam vent, the more I can prevent splatter from anything the better!
And an option that can be reused is preferable to cling film or other disposable wrapping.

Yes! Essential to cover stuff to stop it spitting, and also helps stop it drying up.
These reusable things are inexpensive and v useful. Can be used with Pyrex, no need to buy special cookware. (But don't put pottery in the microwave unless it says it's microwave-proof.)
The Product | Covermate | Food Covers

 

[Epona]

I've managed to find a microwave plate cover with steam vent lurking in the back of a cupboard, so that will do for now to prevent splatter (it is what it was designed for after all, so I have high hopes of it!)

I'll probably pop over to Stratford at the weekend (assuming everything isn't going to be shut ) to look for some specific microwave bowls/cookware, I don't know whether some of the stuff I have is microwave safe other than the pyrex (which will do for now).

 

[Calamity1971]

Yep I am going to see if I can find some of those microwave safe plate/bowl covers with the steam vent, the more I can prevent splatter from anything the better!
And an option that can be reused is preferable to cling film or other disposable wrapping.

£1.50 in home bargains.
Lidl/Aldi often have microwave steamers in.

 

[weltweit]

Hmm never saw them when I was in Lidl last week

I do baked potatoes, and pre cook spuds also, I heat things up, I will give scrambled eggs a try at some point. I do have a microwave cook book somewhere, will have to dig it out

 

[Calamity1971]

Hmm never saw them when I was in Lidl last week

I do baked potatoes, and pre cook spuds also, I heat things up, I will give scrambled eggs a try at some point. I do have a microwave cook book somewhere, will have to dig it out

Home bargains the one I posted. Bit flimsy but does the job.

 

[Artaxerxes]

£1.50 in home bargains.
Lidl/Aldi often have microwave steamers in.
View attachment 341622

Tiger are doing some silicone covers if that’s any use - will fit a range of bowls and cups along with veg half’s

 

[geminisnake]

if you like roast tatties microwave some baby ones then oil and crisp off in the oven(if it's already on), just remembered this.

 

[Epona]

if you like roast tatties microwave some baby ones then oil and crisp off in the oven(if it's already on), just remembered this.

Yep certainly will be starting roasties off that way rather than parboiling on the hob, will save space as I only have 2 working hobs atm.

 

[Boudicca]

Might not be so useful for two person meals but I put my veggies into a pasta bowl with a splash of boiling water, cover, microwave for 2 minutes and pour water away. I then add the rest of my meal (usually a bit of pan fried meat or something out of the oven). This saves washing a saucepan and also gives me a warmed plate for my meal.

 

[Epona]

I successfully used the microwave oven to reheat some stuff, it's been an absolute age since I last used one so it's not coming naturally and I have to look up times etc. but it worked fine, the food came out fine, appropriately hot right the way through, not dried out or anything.

I'm going to pop over to Asda tomorrow to pick up some cheap crockery - we've got an odd hotchpotch of stuff at the moment and Asda are doing a rollback on their budget glass dining ware range which can go in the microwave, at 50-60p per item that will be perfect for reheating and eating out of, we desperately need some cereal type bowls anyway as all ours are knackered or cracked.
Will also have a look at their plastic microwave safe food containers.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

A few thoughts which may be stating the obvious -

If something is stirrable (like soup), it's better to do it in shorter spells and stir more often than the recommendation than have to clean the explosion off whatever you cover it with or the inside of the microwave if you don't cover it.

It's best to leave the door open for a bit after you've cooked something, even if that means the light stays on for a bit (or switching off at the mains) - otherwise some of the steam will condense and cause rusting, and probably isn't all that good for the electrics. I always leave the door open between uses (with mine, the light only comes on while it's cooking) and current microwave was a house-warming present from mum-tat in about 1994.

Think those microwave-able wheat bag things are more cost effective to heat than boiling a kettle for hot water bottles when it comes to winter, and less faffing about.

 

[Epona]

A few thoughts which may be stating the obvious -

If something is stirrable (like soup), it's better to do it in shorter spells and stir more often than the recommendation than have to clean the explosion off whatever you cover it with or the inside of the microwave if you don't cover it.

It's best to leave the door open for a bit after you've cooked something, even if that means the light stays on for a bit (or switching off at the mains) - otherwise some of the steam will condense and cause rusting, and probably isn't all that good for the electrics. I always leave the door open between uses (with mine, the light only comes on while it's cooking) and current microwave was a house-warming present from mum-tat in about 1994.

Think those microwave-able wheat bag things are more cost effective to heat than boiling a kettle for hot water bottles when it comes to winter, and less faffing about.

I'd probably still be inclined to do soup on the hob, it only takes a few minutes and stirring (EDIT: ie reheating pre-prepared soup), while in the microwave is short bursts and stirring, there doesn't seem to be a "less faff" factor for using the microwave But yeah I am aware of the explody liquid thing that can happen with microwaves, thanks for the reminder though

Good tip on leaving the door open, just a crack though or fucking mice'll be in it crapping and pissing and I'll probably end up shutting one in there to die of thirst or nuking it (we still have a mouse problem).

The destruction manual says not to use wheat bags or non food items in the oven, I guess this is just typical manufacturer's warranty arse-covering as they cannot vouch for whether a product being heated might be poorly made or defective?