-Lanaastar Farming, Saturday, October 18,1986
56
THE
MICRO
m VJ
LANI
BLOOMER
Roasting Meats In
Your Microwave
A young man complained to me
one night about how his microwave
ruined a good beef roast. His roast
was frozen and he was in a hurry,
so he microwaved the frozen roast
on high power Until it was
cooked....
Meats lead the list of foods
ruined in a microwave. When meat
is overcooked, it turns into shoe
leather. When it’s microwaved
properly it’s tender, juicy and
moist.
Two mistakes account for almost
all the microwaved “shoe
leather.” The first is trying to cook
meat quickly, using high power.
High power dries out and toughens
the outside of a roast, and leaves
the center very rare. (If you’re in
that much of a hurry, fix a sand
wich!)
The second mistake people make
is not letting meat finish cooking
during the standing time. Beef
roasts mil have red juice coming
out of the meat at the beginning of
the standing time, even when
cooked to well done. Most people
who see the red juice say, “Ooh,
that’s not done yet! ” They stick the
roast right back in the microwave
to cook longer, and then wonder
why the roast got dried out and
tough.
If you cook roasts in your
microwave, it is really important
to understand this: tho t ontor of
tho rooit will finlth cooking during
tho Handing timoi Temperatures
in the middle of a roast increase
one on two degrees each minute
during standing time as the center
continues to cook.
Don’t cook a roast longer until
after the standing time, even if it
doesn’t look done to you when you
take it out of the oven. If it’s not
done enough for you after the
standing time, then cook it longer.
The following tips apply to all
roasts to be microwaved:
Thoroughly defrost, then wipe
roast dry and rub with garlic,
pepper, herbs, etc. as desired. A
browning agent will make the
roast look browner when cooked.
Boneless rolled roasts (three
to five pounds) cook the most
evenly. Let these stand for 10
minutes after microwaving to
finish cooking. Larger roasts and
those with bones, should stand for
15 minutes.
If the roast is long and skinny,
like an eye roast, shield each end
with a small square of foil. If it is
unevenly shaped, shield the
smaller end with foil.
Start roasts upside down, and
turn them over halfway through
the cooking time. With a temp-
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erature probe, turn the roast over
when the meat reaches 100 to US
degrees.
- If your oven has a temp
erature probe, use it for roasts.
Insert the tip of the probe into the
center of the roast. Don’t let probe
touch bone or fatty areas. Put the
probe in from the side or end of the
roast so you won’t have to move it
when you turn the roast over.
Roasting Tender Beef Roasts
Use these directions for
precooked hams and for rare or
medium tender beef roasts, such
as rib, tenderloin, sirloin tip and
top or eye round roasts. Beef rump
and cross-rib roasts can be roasted
to medium doneness without
becomming too tough. For well
done beef, use the Closed-
Container directions below.
1. Insert the temperature probe
into the roast. Place the roast fat
side down on a roasting rack or
bacon cooker, so the juices will
drain away from the meat. Cover
loosely with waxed paper.
2. Set the probe temperature for
100 to 115 degrees and microwave
on Medium Power (50,5). (If your
oven has no probe, cook for the
first half of the cooking time, using
the times given in the chart.)
3. Turn the roast over. Remove
any juice from the bottom of the
pan (save for gravy). Use foil to
shield roast if necessary, and
recover with waxed paper.
4. Set the probe temperature for
the desired doneness, and
microwave on Medium Power
(50,5) until meat reaches temp
erature set. (Or cook for second
half of the cooking time if you have
no probe.)
5. When oven turns off, let stand
for 10 to 15 minutes to finish
cooking. After the standing time,
check tile meat for doneness; cook
it longer if necessary.
Closed-Container Roasting
Use these directions for any
fresh pork, for well done beef, and
tougher cuts of beef that need
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tenderizing, such as chuck roasts.
Fresh pork can be safely
microwaved when you follow these
directions.
1. Put the probe in the roast. Put
the roast upside down in an oven
cooking bag (or covered
microwave roaster). Put oven bag
into an open flat pan.
2. For potroasts or tough roasts
that need tenderizing, add 1 cup
water or juice. You do not need to
add liquid for tender roasts.
3. Fasten oven bag loosely
around the probe wire, leaving at
least a half-inch opening for steam
Approximate Roasting Temperatures and Times (600-700 Watt
oven at 50% power)
Probe Serving Approximate
Temperature* Temperature* Min./Pound
Rare beef 120-125 130-140 10-12
Medium beef 130-135 140-150 13-14
Welldone beef 140-145 150-160 15-16
Precooked ham 120-125 130-140 10-12
Fresh pork, hams and very well done beef need a closed container
and 30% power:
Meat
Very well
done beef
Fresh perk,
hams
* The “Probe Temperature” is the
temperature you set in your oven,
for the microwave cooking to stop
when the meat reaches this
temperature. The “Serving
Temperature” is the temperature
the roast will be after 10 to 15
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to escape. Fasten bag with plastic
fastener or cut a strip from the end
of the bag; do not use a metal twist
tie.
4. Set probe for 100 to 115 degrees
and microwave on low power (30,3,
defrost). Turn roast (bag, juices
and all) over in the dish. Do not
drain juice; shielding should not be
necessary
5. Set probe temperature for
desired doneness, and microwave
on low power (30,3, defrost). When
meat reaches the set temperature,
let stanc ior 10 to 15 minutes.
Check for Joneness after standing
time.
175-180
minutes standing time.
Note: The times above are for
microwave ovens with 600-700
watts of power. For 500-600 W, add
10 seconds to each minute; for 400-
500 W, add 20 seconds to each
minute.
Copyright 1986, Lani Bloomer
Dietetic Association and Dairy,
Food and Nutrition Council.
The registration fee, which in
cludes materials, lunch and
nutrition break, is $3O. The
deadline for registering is
November 12. For more in
formation or to register contact
Dairy, Food and Nutrition Council
in Wilkes-Barre at 717/472-3648 or
Williamsport at 717/326-7350.
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