Alternative uses for the microwave?

acpgee
acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
I do a couple of non typical things in the microwave.

I use it for blanching vegetables such as green beans in the pricked packet they are sold in and then rinse with hot water afterwards.

I use the microwave to make creme caramel because life is too short for cooking anything au bain marie. I zap 10 minutes on half power, then turn down to the lowest setting and zap at 10 minute intervals until the middle is firm. This takes usually three zaps so takes less cooking time than au bain marie in the oven too. Similarly I use the microwave for recipes calling for melted chocolate.

I make a pretty good facsimile for oil free potato chips by thinly slicing potatoes in the food processor, then laying in a single layer on a large plate lined with silicon mesh or silicon baking paper. Season and zap for 6 minutes on high. Remove any that are golden brown. Zap stragglers at 1 minutes intervals being careful because the margin between golden brown and burnt is quite narrow. These harden to a crisp when cool.

Any other tips for kitchen hacks on less conventional things to do with the microwave?

Replies

  • aliciatastic1
    aliciatastic1 Posts: 15 Member
    Eggs, the only other thing I can think of. Maybe try Crock-Pot cooking. Simple, you can buy liners for easy cleanup plus it's chilli season!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.
  • Peregrin72
    Peregrin72 Posts: 27 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    Yes, bacon in the microwave is fantastic!
  • devnicholson312
    devnicholson312 Posts: 16 Member
    I cook my weeks worth of sweet potatoes in there. I just poke holes, wrap them in wet paper towels and wrap them in cling wrap and cook them for like 2-3 mins on 2 sides
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    I tried for a minute and got a hard yolk and a hard white. Tried again for 30 seconds and got a hard yolk and a runny white.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I cook my weeks worth of sweet potatoes in there. I just poke holes, wrap them in wet paper towels and wrap them in cling wrap and cook them for like 2-3 mins on 2 sides

    But potatoes dont have sides :)

    But if you turn them over half way through cooking they cook evenly. I do my sweet potatoes this way, too, but I don't wrap them.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    You microwave eggs at work? That's pretty heinous....like the dude that sits behind me eating a tuna sub at his desk yesterday...
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    I tried for a minute and got a hard yolk and a hard white. Tried again for 30 seconds and got a hard yolk and a runny white.

    In a mug? Serious?
    My always come out like this.

    1d4eoe1j8f8l.jpg

    Show us your actual egg right after cooking, not some copypasta'd professional photo. Also, take a picture of the mug you use. Different clays, potteries, or plastics will cause the eggs to cook differently.
  • dmcnur
    dmcnur Posts: 157 Member
    My neighbor turned an old microwave into their letterbox.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    dmcnur wrote: »
    My neighbor turned an old microwave into their letterbox.

    My Mom used hers to store all her laundry products in down in the basement.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    I tried for a minute and got a hard yolk and a hard white. Tried again for 30 seconds and got a hard yolk and a runny white.

    In a mug? Serious?
    My always come out like this.

    1d4eoe1j8f8l.jpg

    I used a small bowl for dipping sauce. Will try next time in a mug.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    I tried for a minute and got a hard yolk and a hard white. Tried again for 30 seconds and got a hard yolk and a runny white.

    In a mug? Serious?
    My always come out like this.

    1d4eoe1j8f8l.jpg

    Show us your actual egg right after cooking, not some copypasta'd professional photo. Also, take a picture of the mug you use. Different clays, potteries, or plastics will cause the eggs to cook differently.

    LOL this is my photo, just a normal coffee mug.... but thanks for chiming in :)

    My point was that there is no such thing as a "normal coffee mug". Is it ceramic, pottery, stoneware, glass, or porcelain? Each will heat things different in a microwave. My pottery mugs work well for brownies in a mug but the stoneware does not, but my stoneware mug works the best for reheating soups.

    The person you responded to says their mug is not working so it would be helpful if you tell him/her what type of mug does work.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    You microwave eggs at work? That's pretty heinous....like the dude that sits behind me eating a tuna sub at his desk yesterday...

    Why? Ever heard of a lunch room? What you think I do this at my desk? My lord please tell me thats not what you thought lol

    I have coworkers who make mug eggs at work too, I don't see any problem with it. It's a kitchen. One of them just uses a carton of egg whites though not an actual egg.
  • tess5036
    tess5036 Posts: 942 Member
    Dried poppadoms, take them up a bit first and then microwave until they puff up
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    Drying fresh herbs
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    I use it to quick blanch veggies or to quickly melt butter anything. Other then that, not more more.
    acpgee wrote: »
    I also do bacon rashers in the microwave. Put the rashers on a plate, cover in paper towels and zap being careful not to burn. They come out very crisp because the microwave cooks high fat elements faster than low fat.

    That's why I am not crazy about doing eggs in the microwave. Yolks tend to cook faster than whites.

    Thats not true. Do this.
    - lube a coffee mug so that the egg does not stick
    - crack an egg inside and cover with paper towel
    - full power one minute (but this will depend on your microwave) or until you hear the first pop
    - take out the mug and slide out perfectly poached egg (set white, runny yolk)

    I do this all the time at work for breakfast.

    I tried for a minute and got a hard yolk and a hard white. Tried again for 30 seconds and got a hard yolk and a runny white.

    In a mug? Serious?
    My always come out like this.

    I tried 40 seconds in a pyrex coffee mug and it came out better but yolk was still too set for my taste. Will try a ceramic mug next time.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Why a coffee mug rather than a custard dish or other small bowl?
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    Forty seconds in a small ceramic rice bowl was not a success. The white under the yolk was still runny.
    2vzajgirfjs3.jpg

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    Forty seconds in a ceramic mug fared a little better in that the yolk didn't explode, but yolk was still too set.
    jq7rzsgydb3g.jpg
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    tie-dyeing

    surprisingly easy in the microwave if you buy the correct dye
  • whoami67
    whoami67 Posts: 297 Member
    When I had a microwave, I stored my Crockpot in it. It also works well to store fresh baked items since I keeps the air out so they don't stale so quickly.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,961 Member
    Heated water for a minute then put in the egg and zapped for 30 seconds. White a little runny in places but I got a runny yolk at last.
    gbutnf6vshua.jpg
  • SabAteNine
    SabAteNine Posts: 1,867 Member
    Never tried microwaved eggs... hmm.

    I use it usually for the lazy coffee when I'm out of the normal one (read - nuke some water and throw instant in it). Also for jacket potatoes. When I was doing the cauliflower pizza crust thing, the microwave was my friend. And polenta comes out real nice in there, too.

    Not food related, but I nuke my soil mix for seedlings too :smiley: