Latest news with #microwave
CNET
02-06-2025
- General
- CNET
My Favorite Microwave Hack Keeps Food From Drying Out
CNET The microwave isn't exactly my go-to kitchen hero. It's more like that unreliable sidekick who occasionally pulls through in a pinch. Still, it has its moments -- especially when it's the only appliance around or I'm racing against the clock and my hunger is threatening to stage a coup. In those times, I'll toss in leftover rice, pasta, and -- when I'm feeling particularly wild -- even meat, then offer a small prayer to the microwave gods that the food doesn't come out drier than my sense of humor. My secret weapon? A humble glass of water. I pop it into the microwave alongside my food -- just 2 to 3 ounces. As it turns to steam, it keeps the air nice and moist, which helps prevent your dinner from transforming into a chewy disaster that could double as shoe leather. Pro tip: if you want that steam to show up before your food finishes heating, start with hot water or give the water glass a head start -- zap it solo for 30 to 40 seconds before inviting your main dish to the party. Heat the water for 30 seconds before placing food inside. David Watsky/CNET How to keep food moist in the microwave Step 1 : Put a small cup of water in the microwave : Put a small cup of water in the microwave Step 2 : Microwave on high for 40 seconds or until water is hot : Microwave on high for 40 seconds or until water is hot Step 3: Add food and microwave as you normally would If you want food to stay even more moist during cooking, add water directly to the microwave-safe dish or bowl your food is in, cover it and heat as you normally would. This will put the food in closer contact with the vapor. This method works best with fattier meats, such as chicken thighs and ground beef. It's perfect for heating prepared and frozen meals. David Watsky/CNET Read more: I Found the Best Way to Reheat Pizza and It's Not the Air Fryer I find the water trick helps most with fattier meats such as chicken thighs, hamburgers and pork. It's also a good safeguard when reheating leftover veggies and carbs such as rice, noodles, pasta and potatoes. It's also helpful when warming frozen foods or preparing meals from your favorite subscription service. Microwave user beware: This trick works well on many foods, but don't expect miracles. Super lean or dense meat may still be prone to drying, even with help from water. Not even a shot glass of holy water will help microwave-reheated pizza taste like it did the first time.
CNET
21-05-2025
- General
- CNET
Think Microwaves Are Useless? Here Are 5 Foods That Make It Worth Keeping
I don't use the microwave all that much these days now that I've got an air fryer in my kitchen. Microwaves tend to get a bad rap, and to be fair, some of it's deserved. But they do have strengths. Microwave radiation is actually great for reheating certain foods, especially when you're in a rush. CNET While the air fryer easily gets five times more use than the microwave in my home for making quick meals and reheating leftovers, I haven't totally abandoned it. It's handy for little tasks like softening butter for baking or quickly heating up last night's mashed potatoes. And believe it or not, there are a few foods I actually cook from scratch in the microwave. Here are five microwave foods that actually work. 1. Poached eggs The microwave makes a mean poached egg and it only takes 60 seconds to do it. David Watsky/CNET This might sound like an odd one but poaching eggs in the microwave is my favorite use of the common appliance. All it takes is one minute, give or take, a small bowl of water and an egg. Here's my step-by-step explainer for making poached eggs in the microwave. 2. Nachos I know I'm going to catch heat for this but microwave nachos are one of my comfort foods. David Watsky/CNET I know some people are going to come for me on this one, but microwave nachos are still my favorite. I won't turn my nose up at oven-baked nachos, but the microwave is my go-to for this classic snack. Why, you ask (probably in horror)? It's because a microwave doesn't dry out the chips or the cheese. What can I say? I like a soggy nacho. Plus, it only takes about 50 seconds to melt the cheese and heat the salsa into a gloopy, gloppy delicious nacho mess. If you're not a soggy nacho lover like me, try using an air fryer since it will also melt the cheese quickly without drying it out or burning the corn chips. 3. Popcorn Bag a rubber popcorn maker and skip the over-salted bags. Molly Price/CNET Popcorn is a microwave classic and that's for a reason. It deftly turns those hard kernels into a puffy snack as well as any other method. You might have to experiment with your microwave's popcorn function, as it might leave too many unpopped kernels if you don't add extra time. But once you figure out the perfect cooking time for your particular microwave, you'll be able to consistently make a tasty move night snack in only a couple of minutes. If you're not keen on bagged microwave popcorn, this $12 device will make microwave popcorn from scratch and save you money on the packaged stuff. 4. Baked potatoes (at least the first part) Cook your potatoes in the microwave and finish them off in the toaster or air fryer. Brian Bennett/CNET Potatoes are another one of those rare foods that can handle a microwave's mysterious heat and not crumble under the rays. For a fast-baked potato, microwave your spud on high for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size, checking occasionally for doneness with a fork. I like to stick the cooked potato in an air fryer on high for 30 seconds afterward to get crispy skin. It sure beats waiting an hour for potatoes to bake in the oven. Read more: I Ditched the Steakhouse With This Quick, Easy Baked Potato Hack 5. Mug cakes Mug cakes take very little baking prowess to pull off. Alexandra Garrett/CNET I don't do a lot of baking but the microwave turns out tasty cakes with very little skill required. Mug cakes were very trendy a few decades ago and there's a reason. Mixing ingredients into a batter and flash-cooking them in the microwave nets a gooey cake that goes particularly well over ice cream or simply eaten with a spoon. Here's how to make a perfect mug cake on any night that cake craving comes calling. Rice, but only in a pinch Microwaved rice isn't my first choice but it works in a pinch. Getty Images I'm a heavy rice cooker user -- I always get it a little wrong trying to make rice on the stovetop -- but when there's no rice cooker to be found, I opt for microwave rice. It's fast, cleanup-free and difficult to screw up. To make rice in the microwave, put 1 cup long-grain white rice, 2 cups water (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup water for creamy rice), and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a microwavable bowl and mix the ingredients together. Cook it on high for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender. More on microwaves If you're wondering if the microwave is the right place to defrost meats or cook frozen foods, the answer is usually no. Here is the proper (and safe) way to defrost meat. As for frozen snacks such as pizza bites and empanadas, get yourself a $75 air fryer and thank me later. FAQs What are the best microwave foods? Good microwave foods are able to withstand the rays of heat without drying out or charring black during the cooking time. While making food from scratch with a microwave isn't usually a good idea, some simple foods like nachos and baked potatoes will get sufficiently warm and gooey -- which is what you're looking for with those particular eats.
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
These Glass Containers Made Me Hate the Microwave a Little Less
Maki Yazawa is a writer focused on making cooking fun. She once cooked for Natalie Portman, and her friends won't let her forget it. In an average week, the most action my microwave gets is reheating leftover spaghetti or reviving a cup of coffee. So preparing a full meal in one seemed more like science fiction than reality, until I tested Anyday, a line of cookware specifically designed to be used in the microwave. Frankly, I didn't see the need to cook meals in a microwave when I could rely on my stove or a multicooker to do the job—until some of my colleagues praised Anyday cookware's convenience.
