When purchasing household appliances, buyers always strive to choose the best of the proposed options, but later they do not use half of the built-in capabilities. This is especially true for microwave ovens: often such useful functions as “quick defrost” and “grill” are left without attention, giving way to more traditional methods. How to turn on these modes and use your microwave to the maximum - further in the material.
What is a grill and what is it for?
A grill is called one of the methods of cooking using special grills or rotating skewers - skewers. For microwave ovens, this device is no longer new: it began to be put into production more than 20 years ago. With it, you can quickly cook rosy bird or meat, as well as vegetables, which according to taste characteristics will resemble cooked on an open fire. The specificity of the device also involves minimizing the use of vegetable fat in the cooking process, which makes them more healthy and dietary.
In modern practice, you can find microwave ovens not even with one, but already with two grills. This design allows you to get better quality and evenly cooked food through the use of two heating elements installed on top and bottom.
Two Tena Microwave
What is a grill?
In order to maximize the use of this function, it is necessary in advance, before buying, to determine the goals: whether it is achieving a golden crust and preserving vitamins or the speed of cooking and saving resources. For each of them there is a specific type of grill.
TEN-grill
Grill with Ten
Its basis is the presence of a heating element, ten, installed in the upper plane of the device. It is a metal spiral, which, when heated to a predetermined temperature, acts on the product from above, thereby forming a characteristic crisp "golden" on its surface. This is the most standard and common solution in microwave design. With its help, you can successfully cook both vegetables and meat and poultry dishes. Chicken wings, chicken legs and other portioned meat and fish products are best prepared using this technology. But such a microwave may not be able to cope with the preparation of a whole grilled chicken. Therefore, it is advisable to cut the carcass into smaller parts - so it is better baked.
The advantage of models with PETN is the simplicity of cooking and ease of care: the heating element is within reach and it is easy to clean it after cooking.
Quartz
Unlike the previous one, this version of the microwave is equipped with a heating element, which is hidden from the user. As it is used a quartz lamp that creates infrared radiation. Fenced off with a special grill, it does not do any harm to either the person or the dishes prepared by him. Thanks to quartz infrared radiation, it is possible to obtain more fried food. At the same time, the energy consumption is significantly reduced, but at the same time the cooking time is increased.
Due to the structural solution, the care of the grill is difficult and it is not possible to wash it.However, in the process, particles of food and fat spray gradually burn out, so this drawback will not bring actual damage to the device. On the other hand, being hidden, this part also increases the useful area of the chamber of the microwave oven.
Ceramic
Model LG MH6043HS with ceramic and quartz grill
A distinctive feature of models equipped with a ceramic element is their combination: ceramics are used in combination with other heating elements - PETN and a quartz lamp. This solution helps reduce the amount of time until the dishes are fully cooked and keeps them juicier. However, such models cost an order of magnitude more than usual, and their operation costs owners more expensive, since the two thermal components consume more electricity. Also, the presence of additional details determines the larger dimensions of the microwave oven - such an apparatus requires a separate place in the kitchen.
How to use a grill?
Before starting use, it is recommended that you read the attached instructions, since the power of microwave ovens varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Therefore, different models show different indicators when cooking in the grill mode. According to average data, it will take about half an hour to cook grilled chicken: 12-15 minutes on both sides when cooking on the grill. For a rotating skewer, the cooking cycle is continuous.
It should be remembered that the operation of the microwave oven involves the use of special dishes. Typically, accessories such as a removable skewer, grill, stand and pan are included. So, it is recommended to place the vegetables in the appropriate container and place it on a stand with legs: due to the reduction of the space between the vegetables and the heating element, the dish cooks faster and turns browned. As for the creation of dishes from fatty or succulent products, such as meat and fish, it is better to use a special tray in which the liquid will drain. This will help keep the appliance clean.
Grill accessories
It’s easy to work with the built-in grill function: just select the appropriate mode by pressing the “Grill” button (in the English version - “Grill” or in the form of a ten pictogram), set the time suitable for a particular dish, and press the “Start / Start” button . In order for the use experience to be successful, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Before starting, you should warm up the chamber for 1-3 minutes.
- Until the end of work, it is not recommended to leave the device unattended.
- If the dish looks ready, but it still tastes raw, you need to switch from the grill mode to the usual one, place a small container of water in the chamber and thus bring to readiness.
Tip: a combination of two modes - “grill” + “convection” will give a characteristic crust to dishes. Typically, such a function is implemented by a separate button with an image of a fan and a heater above it.
Golden crust cooked with a combination of grill and convection
Defrost mode
Regardless of the price category, almost every modern microwave oven is equipped with a defrost function. To indicate it on the control panel, manufacturers most often use the icon of snowflakes or water drops. They also offer automated programs specifically for defrosting specific foods: meat, fish, minced meat, vegetables, etc. However, this process can also be configured manually and adapted to your own needs.
What does the defrost button look like
Auto Defrost
Many manufacturers, taking care of their customers, develop automatic defrost programs for a wide variety of products. They lay the optimal power and the approximate time until complete thawing.
Estimated defrosting time for modern SAMSUNG microwave ovens
This mode is suitable for inexperienced users who have not yet developed their ideal “recipe”. To use it, just select the desired defrost program and click on "Start". The microwave assistant will calculate the time intervals by itself, tell you when it is necessary to turn the product over to the other side, and notify you when the process ends with a sound signal. Advanced models have an additional function that allows you to enter the approximate weight of the product, which gives the best result. The value in grams must be entered immediately after selecting the product of interest.
Quick defrost
When you need to urgently defrost food, the quick defrost function is useful. At different manufacturers, it is also found under the name "Accelerated Defrosting", "Turbo Defrosting" or simply in the form of a button with two snowflakes and droplets. The zipper icon can also be used.
This option is suitable when you need to defrost foods weighing up to 200 grams. The principle of operation is based on the work of high power. However, one should be especially careful here, because if the defrosted product has a small size and weight, then immediately after thawing it goes into the heating stage and the direct cooking process begins. This may be an undesirable consequence of a quick defrost. Therefore, the state of food should be monitored.
How to defrost foods in the microwave?
First of all, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the factory instructions and manufacturer's recommendations, as the general requirements may not be suitable for a particular microwave model. Only then can one proceed directly to defrosting.
- Meat, poultry and fish. Before defrosting, it is necessary to free the product from film or other packaging material. Next, large pieces must be divided into several small ones. Then they are placed in a container, the volume of which will be sufficient to accommodate melt liquid. About halfway through the cycle, you need to flip the pieces to the opposite side. At the end of the regime through penetration of the knife readiness is checked. If necessary, the cycle is repeated.
Important! Thawed meat and fish products must be prepared immediately, since the process of dying of fibers will now occur faster.
Defrosting meat
- Fruits and vegetables. They must be laid out on the dishes in an even layer, pour a little water and close the lid. Usually, a special container for steaming vegetables is provided in the kit, it can also be used during defrosting. In the process of thawing, it is necessary to mix the fruits so that the ice crust comes off evenly.
Defrosting vegetables in a special container
Thus, knowing the advantages of a pet, you can not only greatly simplify culinary research, but also get more healthy food at the exit. In addition, with just two functions, the range of gastronomic opportunities is expanding significantly, allowing you to create dishes of any complexity, while using only one unit of household appliances.
