microwave food, perfect cooking and downside

[iNow]

7 hours ago, fredreload said:

No no, you don't add water with bread, it just makes it soggy.

Not if it’s getting stale

3 hours ago, dimreepr said:

I always add a knob of butter.

I do this also when reheating pasta

[Phi for All]

OK, I'm impressed, the eggs were better than I thought they'd be. Not better than pan-fried, just different in a good way.

I nuked them for a couple minutes, stirred, then kept adding another minute between stirrings. Took five minutes total. Great texture, which was my big worry.

I'll use fewer and more finely diced onions next time. I usually saute my onions and peppers before adding eggs to the pan, and though I buttered the dish in which I nuked the eggs to keep them from sticking, the flavor was good but not better than sauteing first, imo.

I can see now that the biggest benefit to me is that I can make the rest of the meal in my own time, and when the family is all present and ready to dish up, I can do the eggs in a few minutes and serve them piping hot, which is the best way to eat them, imo. I also used less butter. The inherent timer works well with the cooking process, and you don't have to worry about what's happening to the bottom of your eggs if you take too long between stirrings.   

Happy to have my mind changed. Thanks, everyone!

[mathematic]

23 hours ago, StringJunky said:

Yeah, bread is tricky. It wants partially covering in a box, then when it's done, leaving for a couple minutes to let the outside evaporate some moisture, otherwise it feels soggy.

I wasn't referring to bread, but breaded food such as chicken cooked within a breaded batter and then frozen .

[StringJunky]

18 minutes ago, mathematic said:

I wasn't referring to bread, but breaded food such as chicken cooked within a breaded batter and then frozen .

Right.

[mathematic]

23 hours ago, StringJunky said:

Right.

I found that cooking in a toaster oven worked much better - although it took a longer time.

[Endy0816]

Are microwavable meals not as big a thing elsewhere?

[Phi for All]

1 hour ago, Endy0816 said:

Are microwavable meals not as big a thing elsewhere?

I think they are, but personally I avoid heavily processed foods where I can. 

[StringJunky]

41 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

I think they are, but personally I avoid heavily processed foods where I can. 

You don't like meals that are more 'germ-free'?

[Phi for All]

2 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

You don't like meals that are more 'germ-free'?

I can't trust they are when so many regulations have been "relaxed" recently to provide a better environment for investment opportunities.

[StringJunky]

5 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

I can't trust they are when so many regulations have been "relaxed" recently to provide a better environment for investment opportunities.

That's true for the US. I think I read recently the US wanted us to do same so that they can export to the UK. 

[Phi for All]

1 minute ago, StringJunky said:

That's true for the US. I think I read recently the US wanted us to do same so that they can export to the UK. 

Don't let them. You'll invite a whole raft of unscrupulous ruffians into your mealtimes. It's also a ploy to make your publicly-funded health services look bad. Next they'll suggest the NHS needs to be run like a business. Maintain healthy food standards!

It's a bit off-topic since it involves more than microwave foods, but another tactic being used to increase profits is to downsize your packaging just enough so it's not obvious, but charge the same. Our sugar is sold in 4# bags now instead of 5#. 16 crackers in a stack instead of 20. The microwave burritos are smaller to make their stats look better, and hopefully you'll eat two instead of one. The eternal quest for more and more profit is making the food industry decidedly weird in the US.

[StringJunky]

13 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

Don't let them. You'll invite a whole raft of unscrupulous ruffians into your mealtimes. It's also a ploy to make your publicly-funded health services look bad. Next they'll suggest the NHS needs to be run like a business. Maintain healthy food standards!

It's a bit off-topic since it involves more than microwave foods, but another tactic being used to increase profits is to downsize your packaging just enough so it's not obvious, but charge the same. Our sugar is sold in 4# bags now instead of 5#. 16 crackers in a stack instead of 20. The microwave burritos are smaller to make their stats look better, and hopefully you'll eat two instead of one. The eternal quest for more and more profit is making the food industry decidedly weird in the US.

Package down-sizing happens here. Concerning pre-packed MW meals here, I don't think they adulterate them with as many preservatives now, as they seem to taste as one would make them at home. It's a selling point that they don't mess about so much, and they advertise that. The down side is that they don't keep as long as they used to.

Edited December 10, 2018 by StringJunky

[Endy0816]

9 hours ago, Phi for All said:

I think they are, but personally I avoid heavily processed foods where I can. 

Thanks was curious why no mention of them.

[mathematic]

Breaded chicken can be cooked in a microwave at very low power setting.  Mine is 1100 (setting 10) watts, but I set it to 4 (440 watts),   Chicken came out fine.