Operating instructions
Microwave oven
M 8261
To avoid the risk of accidents or damage to the appliance it is essential to read these instructions before it is installed and used for the first time.
WGO
M.-Nr. 06 542 960
Contents
Description of the appliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Oven interior and accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Control panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Accessories supplied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Grilling rack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Glass tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gourmet plate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Boiling rod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Caring for the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Warning and Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Modes of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 How does the microwave oven function? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Operating modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 What can a microwave oven do?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 In what ways can a microwave oven be used? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Microwave-solo mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Grilling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Combination mode
(Microwave + Grill) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Automatic programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Suitable containers for microwave ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Material and shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Testing dishes for their suitability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Before using for the first time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Time of day display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Setting the time of day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Altering the time of day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Switching off the time of day display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Night time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 To open the door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Placing the dish in the oven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Turntable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 To close the door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Starting a programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Contents
"door" message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Interrupting or re-starting a programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Altering the settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 To cancel a programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 At the end of a programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Automatic warming function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Quick start (programmable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 System lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Minute minder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Altering a minute minder entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Minute minder + cooking function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Operation - Grilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Gourmet plate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Some suggested uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Operation - Automatic programmes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Automatic defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Automatic cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Saving your favourite programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Changing the settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Reheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Cooking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Defrosting/Defrosting and reheating or cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Some suggested uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Cleaning and care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Oven interior and inside of the door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Appliance front and control panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Accessories supplied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Problem solving guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
After sales service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Electrical connection IRL, U.K., ZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Electrical connection AUS, NZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
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Description of the appliance
Oven interior and accessories
aOven door |
fGrilling rack |
bDoor locking mechanism |
gGlass tray |
cGrill/browning element |
hGourmet plate |
dControl panel |
iCover |
eTurntable |
jBoiling rod |
4
Description of the appliance
Control panel
kElectronic timer and clock display
lRotary selector for microwave power, grill and combination programmes
mRotary selector
to enter time and weight
nAutomatic programme buttons
oTime of day button m
pMinute minder button l
qMemory button (to save a 1-3 stage programme sequence)
rStop/cancel button
sStart button / Add a minute button / Quick start button (programmable) c
tDoor release button a
5
Description of the appliance
Accessories supplied
Grilling rack
The grilling rack can be used for all functions with and without microwave power, except for Microwave-solo mode.
To avoid the grilling rack being used inadvertently with Microwave-solo, it should not be kept inside the microwave oven.
Glass tray
The glass tray is suitable for use with all cooking functions.
When grilling directly on the rack, the glass tray should be placed underneath the rack to catch any fat or juices.
Gourmet plate
The gourmet plate is a round, non-stick grilling plate. It can be used to heat snacks or small meals quickly whilst maintaining crispness.
Cover
The cover supplied must only be used in the Microwave-solo mode.
It prevents the food from drying out and the oven from becoming dirty, and it accelerates the heating process.
Boiling rod
When heating liquids, the boiling rod provided should always be placed in the container. It helps liquids to heat evenly.
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Caring for the environment
Disposal of the packing material
The transport and protective packing has been selected from materials which are environmentally friendly for disposal, and can normally be recycled.
Ensure that any plastic wrappings, bags, etc. are disposed of safely and kept out of the reach of babies and young children. Danger of suffocation!
Rather than just throwing these materials away, please ensure that they are offered for recycling.
Disposal of your old appliance
Electrical and electronic appliances often contain materials which, if handled or disposed of incorrectly, could be potentially hazardous to human health and to the environment. They are, however, essential for the correct functioning of your appliance. Please do not therefore dispose of it with your household waste.
Please dispose of it at your local community waste collection/recycling centre, and ensure that it presents no danger to children while being stored for disposal.
It should be unplugged or disconnected from the mains electricity supply by a competent person. The plug must be rendered useless, and the cable cut off directly behind it to prevent misuse. See the "Warning and Safety" section of this booklet for further details.
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Warning and Safety instructions
This appliance complies with all relevant local and national safety requirements. Improper use can present a risk of both personal injury and material damage.
To avoid the risk of accidents and damage to the appliance, please read these operating instructions carefully before installation and before using it for the first time. They contain important notes on installation, safety, operation and care of the appliance.
Keep these instructions in a safe place and pass them on to any future user.
Correct use
The appliance is intended for domestic use only: to cook, defrost, reheat and to grill food. Any other usage is not supported by the
manufacturer and could be dangerous. The manufacturer cannot be held liable for damage caused by improper or incorrect use of the appliance.
Never use the microwave to store or dry items which could ignite
easily. Moisture evaporates. Fire hazard.
This appliance is not a toy! To avoid the risk of injury, do not allow
children to play on or near it or to play with the controls. Supervise its use by older children, the elderly or infirm. If allowing older children to use the appliance without supervision, please ensure that they are aware of how a microwave oven works and understand the dangers of improper use.
Technical safety
If the connection cable is damaged, the new cable must be
fitted by a Miele approved service technician.
Do not use the microwave if
-the door is warped.
-the door hinges are loose.
-holes or cracks are visible in the casing, the door or the oven interior walls.
Operating the appliance with this type of damage will result in microwave leakage and present a hazard to the user.
Never open the casing of the appliance.
Tampering with electrical connections or components and mechanical parts is highly dangerous and can cause operational faults or electric shock.
Before connecting the appliance to the mains supply, make sure that
the rating on the data plate corresponds to the voltage and frequency of the household supply. This data must correspond in order to avoid risk of damage to the appliance. Consult a qualified electrician if in any doubt.
8
Warning and Safety instructions
Do not connect the appliance to the mains electricity supply by an
extension lead.
Extension leads do not guarantee the required safety of the appliance (e.g. danger of overheating).
The electrical safety of this appliance can only be guaranteed
when continuity is complete between it and an effective earthing system which complies with local and national safety regulations. It is most important that this basic safety requirement is present and regularly tested and where there is any doubt, the on-site electrical wiring should be inspected by a qualified electrician.
The manufacturer cannot be held liable for the consequences of an inadequate earthing system (e.g. electric shock).
The appliance must be built in before operation to ensure that no
electrical components are accessible.
Repairs may only be carried out by a suitably qualified and competent person in accordance with national and
local safety regulations. Repairs and other work by unqualified persons could be dangerous. The manufacturer cannot be held liable for unauthorised work.
The appliance is only completely isolated from the electricity supply
when:
-it is switched off at the wall socket and the plug removed.
-the mains fuse is disconnected
-or the screw-out fuse is removed (in countries where this is applicable).
This equipment may only be used in mobile installations such as
ships, caravans, aircraft etc. if a risk assessment of the installation has been carried out by a suitably qualified engineer.
In countries where there are areas which may be subject to infestation
by cockroaches or other vermin, pay particular attention to keeping the appliance and its surroundings in a clean condition at all times. Any damage which may be caused by cockroaches or other vermin will not be covered by the guarantee.
Use
Always ensure that food is sufficiently heated.
Many factors will affect the overall cooking time, including the size and amount of food, its initial temperature, changes to the recipe and the shape and size of cooking container.
Some foods may contain micro-organisms which are only destroyed by thorough cooking, therefore when cooking or reheating foods, e.g. poultry, it is particularly important that food is fully cooked through (at temperatures over 70°C for more than 10 minutes). If in doubt, select a longer cooking or reheating time.
9
Warning and Safety instructions
It is important that the heat is allowed to spread evenly
throughout the food being cooked. This can be achieved by stirring and/or turning the food, and by observing a sufficiently long standing time, which should be added to the time needed for cooking, reheating or defrosting.
Always remember that times for cooking, reheating and defrosting
in a microwave oven are usually considerably shorter than with traditional methods of food preparation. Excessively long cooking times can lead to food drying out and burning, or could even cause it to catch fire. There is also a danger of fire if breadcrumbs, flowers, herbs, etc., are dried in the microwave oven.
Always ensure that this type of procedure is supervised.
Do not use the microwave function to heat up cushions or pads filled
with cherry kernels, wheat grains, lavender or gel, such as those used in aromatherapy. These pads can ignite when heated, even after they have been removed from the microwave.
Exercise caution when cooking or reheating food with a high sugar
content, e.g. Christmas pudding. If heated for too long, the sugar may caramelise or ignite.
Do not use full power to warm empty dishes. Do not use the
appliance without food, or if it is incorrectly loaded.
Never cook or reheat food or liquids in sealed containers, jars or
bottles.
With baby bottles, the screw top and teat must be removed. Otherwise pressure builds up which can cause the bottle or container to explode, posing a severe risk of injury. Danger of injury.
Before serving, remember to allow a sufficient standing time and then
always check the temperature of the actual food itself after taking it out of the microwave. The temperature of the container is not an indication of the temperature of the food or liquid in it.
This is particularly important when preparing food for babies, children, and the elderly or infirm. Shake or stir baby milk and food thoroughly after heating, and try it for temperature to ensure that it will not scald the baby. When heating food and drink remember that the heat is created in the food itself, and that the container will normally be cooler. The dish is only warmed by the heat of the food.
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Warning and Safety instructions
When heating liquids, the boiling rod provided should always be
placed into the container.
When heating liquids, milk, sauces etc. in the oven without the boiling rod, the boiling point of the liquid may be reached without the production of typical bubbles. The liquid does not boil evenly throughout. This so-called 'boiling delay' can cause a sudden build-up of bubbles when the container is removed from the oven or shaken, which can lead to the liquid boiling over suddenly and explosively. Danger of burning.
The formation of bubbles can be so strong that the pressure forces the oven door open, with a danger of burning. The boiling rod ensures that bubbles are produced, and that liquids heat evenly.
To avoid fuelling any flames, do not open the oven door if smoke
occurs in the oven interior.
Interrupt the process by pressing the Stop/C button twice. Switch off at the wall socket, and where applicable, remove the plug. Do not open the door until the smoke has dispersed.
Never heat undiluted alcohol in the oven as this can easily ignite. Fire
hazard.
Do not heat up tins in the microwave oven. Pressure can
build up and they may explode resulting in injury or damage.
Cover any food which is left in the oven to be kept hot, as moisture in
the food could lead to corrosion damage in the oven. This also prevents the food from drying out.
Try to avoid the interior walls being splashed with food or liquids
containing salt. If it does happen, wipe these away thoroughly to avoid corrosion on the stainless steel surface.
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Warning and Safety instructions
Do not use any containers or cutlery made from or containing
metal, aluminium foil, lead crystal glassware, temperature-sensitive plastics, wooden utensils or cutlery, metal clips or wire ties. Do not use bowls with milled rims, or cream pots with the tinfoil lid only partially removed. Such items could be damaged or cause a fire hazard.
The rack and gourmet plate supplied with the appliance are designed to be compatible with microwaves and can therefore be used for grilling with or without the microwave function.
N.B. Do not use the rack for Microwave-solo.
Do not use the rack and the gourmet plate at the same time.
This will damage the gourmet plate. Always place the gourmet plate directly on the turntable.
Do not use the cover with the gourmet plate, as the cover will get
too hot.
Do not leave the oven unattended when reheating or cooking food in disposable containers made of plastic,
paper or other inflammable materials. Before using single-use plastic containers, make sure they are suitable for use in microwave ovens. See appropriate section.
Eggs can only be cooked in their shells in the microwave oven in a specially designed egg-boiling device
available from specialist shops. Similarly, hard-boiled eggs should not be reheated in the microwave oven as this may lead to the eggs bursting, even after they have been taken out of the oven.
Eggs can be cooked without their shells using microwave heat only if
the yolk membrane has been punctured several times first.
The pressure could otherwise cause the egg yolk to explode.
Danger of injury.
Food with a thick skin or peel, such as tomatoes, sausages, jacket
potatoes and aubergines, should be pierced or the skin cut in several places before cooking to allow steam to escape and prevent the food from bursting.
Do not reheat food in the oven in heat-retaining bags which are
intended for normal ovens. These heat-retaining bags usually contain a thin layer of aluminium foil which reflects microwaves. This reflected energy can, in turn, cause the outer paper covering to become so hot that it ignites.
Always ensure that food, the gourmet plate or a browning dish
has been placed in the microwave, and that the turntable is in place, before switching on.
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Warning and Safety instructions
Do not use the appliance for deep frying food, and do not leave it
unattended when cooking with oils and fats as these can be a fire hazard if allowed to overheat.
Ovenproof earthenware can retain a considerable amount of moisture.
Earthenware and porcelain containers with hollow handles and lid knobs must only be used in this oven if they have vent holes which allow the moisture to escape. Without vent holes pressure can build up, causing the container to crack or shatter with the danger of injury.
When grilling with or without the microwave function, the oven
interior, grill element and door can get hot. Do not let small children touch the oven while it is in operation, as there is the danger of being burnt. Supervise its use by elderly or infirm people.
Wear oven gloves when taking dishes in and out of the oven, or
when handling dishes or food in the oven if the grill is on or has just been in operation. Danger of burning.
The gourmet plate gets extremely hot when in use. Always use oven gloves when handling it to avoid burns. Place it on a suitable heat-resistant mat
or pot rest.
The rack and glass tray get hot during grilling (with and without the microwave function). Take care not to burn yourself on them.
Never place the hot glass tray (or any other hot cooking containers)
on a cold surface, such as a tiled or granite worktop. The glass tray or container could crack or shatter, and the worktop surface could get damaged. Use a suitable heat-resistant mat or pot rest.
Do not use the oven to heat up the room. Due to the high temperatures radiated, objects left near the appliance
could catch fire.
When using kitchen appliances connected to sockets near the appliance, ensure that the cable cannot
get trapped in a hot oven door, which could melt the cable insulation and be dangerous.
To check food temperature, first interrupt the cooking process. Only
use a thermometer specifically approved for food use to measure the temperature of the food. Never use a thermometer containing mercury or liquid, as these are not suitable for use with very high temperatures and will break very easily.
Do not use a steam-cleaning appliance to clean this appliance.
Pressurised steam could reach the electrical components and cause a short circuit.
13
Warning and Safety instructions
When using browning dishes:
Always use oven gloves when handling the browning dish to
avoid burns.
Never place the browning dish directly onto a table or work
surface. Use a suitable heat-resistant mat, grid or board to protect the work surface or table and prevent heat marks.
Browning dishes should only be used in a microwave oven, or as a
serving dish.
In a conventional oven the special glaze would suffer damage.
Disposal of your old appliance
Before disposing of your old appliance, first make it unusable.
Disconnect it from the mains, cut off the cable near the appliance and cut off and render any plug unusable. This should be done by a competent person.
The manufacturer cannot be held liable for damage caused by non-compliance with these Warning and Safety instructions.
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Modes of operation
How does the microwave oven function?
In a microwave oven there is a high-frequency tube called a magnetron. This converts electrical energy into microwaves. These microwaves are distributed evenly throughout the oven interior and rebound off the metal sides of the oven interior to reach the food from all sides. Microwave distribution is improved with the turntable engaged.
In order for microwaves to reach the food, they must be able to penetrate the cooking utensil being used.
Microwaves can penetrate porcelain, glass, cardboard and plastics, but not metal. Do not, therefore, use utensils made of metal, or which contain metal, for example in the form of gold or silver trim. The metal reflects the microwaves and this could lead to the creation of sparks. The microwaves cannot be absorbed.
Microwaves pass through a suitable container and find their way directly into the food. All food contains moisture molecules which, when subjected to microwave energy, start to oscillate 2.5 thousand million times a second. The friction caused by this vibration creates heat, which first starts developing around the outside of the food and then slowly penetrates towards the centre. The moisture, fat and sugar content of food will affect the speed at which it is cooked.
As heat is produced directly in the food,
–food can generally be cooked without adding much liquid or cooking oil.
–cooking, reheating and defrosting in a microwave oven is quicker than using conventional methods.
–nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, are generally retained.
–the colour, texture and taste of food are not impaired.
Microwaves stop being produced as soon as the cooking process is interrupted or the appliance door is opened.
When the appliance is in operation, the closed, sealed door prevents microwaves escaping from the appliance.
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Operating modes
What can a microwave oven do?
In the microwave oven, food is cooked, reheated or defrosted quickly.
You can use your microwave in the following ways:
–Food can be defrosted, reheated or cooked by entering a power setting and a time.
–Deep-frozen, ready-made meals can be defrosted and then reheated or cooked.
–The microwave oven can also be used for other tasks, e.g. for proving dough, melting chocolate and butter, dissolving gelatine etc.
In what ways can a microwave oven be used?
Microwave-solo mode
Suitable for defrosting, reheating and cooking.
Grilling
Ideal for grilling very thin cuts of meat, e.g. bacon.
Combination mode (Microwave + Grill)
Ideal for browning dishes with toppings. The microwave cooks the food, and the grill browns it.
Automatic programmes
You can choose from the following automatic programmes:
–four defrosting programmes (N: Ad 1 to Ad 4),
–one cooking programme for frozen food
(N °: AC 1 ),
–and five cooking programmes for fresh food
(°: AC 1 to AC 5).
These programmes are weight dependent. You enter the weight of the food, and then the cooking time is calculated automatically.
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Suitable containers for microwave ovens
Microwaves
– are reflected by metal,
–pass through glass, porcelain, plastic and card,
– and are absorbed by food.
Material and shape
The material and shape of containers used affect cooking results and times. Heat distribution is more even in round and oval shaped flat containers than in rectangular containers, providing better results.
Metal
Metal containers, aluminium foil and metal cutlery, or china with metallic decoration, such as gold rims or cobalt blue must not be used in an oven being used in microwave mode.
The metal reflects the microwaves, hindering the cooking process.
Exceptions:
– Ready-meals in aluminium foil dishes
These can be defrosted and reheated in the microwave oven, if recommended by the manufacturer. However, as food is only heated from the top, it is better to remove the food from the aluminium foil container and transfer it to a dish suitable for a microwave oven. The heat distribution will be more even.
If sparks and arcing occur when using an aluminium container, stop and transfer the food to a microwave-safe container.
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Suitable containers for microwave ovens
– Pieces of aluminium foil
For even defrosting and to avoid overcooking unevenly shaped cuts of meat, poultry or fish, small pieces of aluminium foil may be used to mask wingtips or other thin parts for the last few minutes of the programme.
Make sure that the aluminium foil is at least 2 cm from the oven walls at all times. It must not touch the walls.
– Metal meat skewers or clamps
These should only be used if they are very small in comparison to the size of the cut of meat.
Glassware
Heat-resistant glass or ceramic glass are ideal for use in the microwave oven.
Crystal glass contains lead which could cause the glass to crack. Glass dishes with a milled rim are also subject to this risk.
Both are unsuitable.
Porcelain
Porcelain is a suitable material.
Do not use porcelain with gold or silver edging or items with hollow knobs or handles, as insufficient ventilation may cause pressure.
Earthenware
Decorated earthenware is only suitable if the decoration is beneath an all-over glaze.
Earthenware can get very hot, and may crack.
Glazes and colours
Some glazes and colours contain metals which make them unsuitable for use in a microwave oven.
Plastics
When purchasing plasticware, make sure that it is suitable for use in a microwave oven.
Plastic containers must only be used in microwave mode alone.
Plastics must be heat-resistant to a minimum of 110 °C. Otherwise the plastic may melt and fuse with the food.
Special plastic utensils designed for use in microwave ovens are available from good retail outlets. Melamine is not suitable as it absorbs energy and heats up.
Disposable containers, such as trays made from polystyrene, can only be used for very short timed warming and reheating of food.
Plastic boiling bags can be used for cooking and reheating.
They should be pierced beforehand so that steam can escape. This prevents a build-up of pressure and reduces the risk of the bag bursting.
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