This is the absolute BEST explanation of how to use a microwave properly while beautifully explaining the "why" ... which helps me greatly. LOVE this!

@hoilst265

10 ай бұрын

ATK are the absolute kings and queens of instructional video. If you're ever tasked with creating an instructional video, the people are the ones to watch.

@GaiaCarney

10 ай бұрын

Great video!

@live_long_and_prosper

10 ай бұрын

Learn cooking properly and ditch that microwave junk.

@WastrelWay

10 ай бұрын

Yes. It's so good it almost convinces me to get a microwave.

@MrJoshua023

10 ай бұрын

Bonus Tip: Get a small water spray bottle and give leftover food that's drying out a bit a few spritzes. The small water drops will quickly steam in the microwave, help heat up the food and moisturize it at the same time.

I didn't realize that solid ice doesn't react to microwaves like liquid water. That explains so much! Thank you for making this video.

@kane2742

10 ай бұрын

If you look at a bag of frozen vegetables' microwave instructions, they'll often say to add a little water. Now you know why!

@SirYodaJedi

6 ай бұрын

⁠@@kane2742 I've more often see them say to microwave the whole bag without opening it.

@leapintothewild_original

5 ай бұрын

@@SirYodaJedi It's so the water trapped inside the vegetables stays inside as steam.

@SirYodaJedi

5 ай бұрын

@@leapintothewild_original I know.

I use my microwave all the time like most people, and I’ve just realised I had no real understanding of how it works, and that I’ve essentially been using it wrongly all my life - essentially just blasting everything on ‘high’ setting. The fact that microwaves don’t work on pure ice is astounding to me, and has completely changed my appreciation for why lower power modes are important, and how the heat transfer within frozen foods works. I’ve always known that fats are affected by microwaves, but the fried capers and shallots in the microwave is very novel to me. FASCINATING! A brilliant video.

@paddy8507

5 ай бұрын

Brilliant thanks

@R.Akerman-oz1tf

5 ай бұрын

Most importantly; if We like that machine, keep it immaculate. It will reward You!

@ramblingmillennial1560

4 ай бұрын

The ice blew my mind too. Like I was thinking what do you mean it won't heat up the ice It's water isn't it lol?! I knew that microwaves heat up the water in food but I didn't know that only meant liquid water.

As a fellow chemist, I can say with some confidence that Lan Lam is probably the most scientifically proficient cook on KZread (or, if equalled, unsurpassed), and a terrific communicator to boot. She's a stupendous badass, with good taste no less.

@Xilladan093

5 ай бұрын

Josh weissman

@leapintothewild_original

5 ай бұрын

Kenzi Lopez Alt

Thanks for this. One addition: Unlike conventional microwaves, inverter microwaves don't cycle the power on and off. If you set an inverter microwave at 50% power, it transmits at 50% power through the entire selected cooking time; a conventional microwave would be on 50% of the time and off 50%. Currently, Toshiba and Panasonic sell the inverter type.

@someoneanonymous6707

10 ай бұрын

What is the added benefit if I may ask?

@sunspot42

10 ай бұрын

@@someoneanonymous6707They can use less power and cook much more evenly. In conventional microwaves it’s much easier to end up with food that’s burned in some places - usually out on the edges - and uncooked elsewhere. In some foods heat doesn’t transfer well so the usual microwave trick of turning the magnetron off and on doesn’t really work. Inverters, which turn down the effective wattage at lower power settings, apply slow continual heating and aren’t as-dependent on the conductivity of the food. They can still burn hot spots if you cook too long, but it’s less likely. Inverters do have their limits. They can only go down so low before they begin cycling like a conventional microwave. That’s usually on the lower power settings under 30% or so. Most inverter microwaves are also very high power at the highest setting, around 1500 watts or more. A conventional high power microwave can burn food really easily with that kind of power blasting out, even in pulses. With inverters you can dim power for cooking food but crank it up to full blast for boiling water fast. I think of it like a dimmer switch, but for your microwave. You can set the right “mood” for your food. I hope someday all microwaves come with inverters and 1500 watt max capacities. Best of both worlds - fast when you want it, but gentle when you need it.

@keenan_k

10 ай бұрын

I was about to make a similar comment until I read yours. I honestly think Lan needs to make a follow-up to this excellent video that shows how her microwave cooking technique might need to be altered with an inverter type. The inverter types are insanely superior to conventional microwaves when it comes to using anything other than full power. The LG model that I have has completely changed how I microwave nearly everything for the better, including ease of use. Preventing over\under cooking things is a lot simpler.

@keenan_k

10 ай бұрын

@@someoneanonymous6707 Conventional MW's can only cook one way, full blast or nothing. So 50% power is really just flipping back and forth between ALL and Nothing for half of the cook time. Inverters on the other hand actually cut the strength of the power for the designated amount, and cook the whole time. They're the "sliced bread" of the microwave world. Once you try one, you'll never go back!

@mtncreekdawn

10 ай бұрын

Inverter MWs have the potential to be real game changer for recipe development, with the ability to select specific wattages for cooking. One of the challenges with old-school "pulsing" MWs has been the wide variety of baseline wattages, which has restricted the ability to set consistent cooking rates. 1200w pulsing @ 70% is not equivalent to 900w pulsing @ 90%. But with inverters 1200w @ 70% should actually be 840w, which is very close to 900w @ 90% (810w). So a recipe could call for "4 minutes @ 800-850w".

Chef Lan mentioned it quickly in the beginning, but it wasn't shown - microwave is also great for dry toasting nuts. Just put them dry on a flat surface and microwave for one minute. The result is great, the whole process is hassle-free and you can easily avoid burning the nuts :)

@Tonisuperfly

9 ай бұрын

Thank you for this.

@sdharris13

9 ай бұрын

I would love a video on restaurant short cuts with the microwave. I did not know you could fry onions etc like this. Toasting nuts how to would be good too. Thank you for an excellent video

@toryevanss4512

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for this comment - I watched the whole video waiting for details on toasting nuts!

@leahrowe847

4 ай бұрын

​@@toryevanss4512me too... LOL!

@DeeTeeCat2023

4 ай бұрын

Do you microwave the nuts at 100%?

We bought our first microwave, and it was BIG, back in 1978 for a whopping $500. My husband and I both signed up for microwave cooking classes and learned quite a bit. I remember baking a homemade carrot bundt cake for his family in that microwave. They loved it so much that they went out and bought their own microwave! I still use our microwave at all the different cooking levels for different needs. But I’ve never used it for frying anything. Can’t wait to fry some shallots tomorrow! Thanks so much for such an informative video. 😊

@sbpierce9987

6 ай бұрын

Me too 1975 and mine cost $1000. Weighed 90 lb.

@Kragith

6 ай бұрын

Did they really have them crazy haircuts in the 70's?

@yatzibe

6 ай бұрын

​@@Kragithask your mom

@mindlessftw

6 ай бұрын

You can't tell a story line that and not share the recipe!!

@Poopmyjorts

5 ай бұрын

lol microwave cooking classes. That’s hilarious

I've never seen this mentioned before (maybe because I came up with it :) but here's my topology based microwave tip for reheating food evenly: If you're reheating leftovers that are malleable, like a curry, or noddles, or pasta, make a hole in the center of them. This changes the geometry from a spheroid to a toroid, so instead of having a singular point in the middle that is the farthest point from the surface where heat comes in, it's now the circle in the middle of your donut shaped food. The average distance to this center circle is a lot less, so your food will be heated much more evenly!

@michaelplunkett8059

5 ай бұрын

In the 70s we said make it donut shaped for even heating.

@plienair

5 ай бұрын

@@michaelplunkett8059 I guess I've reinvented the wheel. :')

@sw6428

5 ай бұрын

That's why I always arrange everything in a circular pattern...potatoes especially they cook more evenly...more than 4 or 5 is usually a 2 step process but still reduces cooling time

@dianeweeks352

4 ай бұрын

Yup, I figured that one out also. Good tip.

@jeffreyschmidt3997

3 ай бұрын

You're just increasing the surface area to volume ratio by doing this

Lan Lam, as an Electrical Engineer, that is the best explanation of microwave cooking on the Internet. You spoke with such confidence and force, I thought for a second I did not finish my homework and hand it in. Incidently, after World War II, there was a great expansion of radar and rhen microwave communication equipment. Technicians in the military found out accidently they could reheat their coffee by sticking it into a microwave transmission antenna horn that was actively running. Engineers took note. They realized the water molecule bonds were literally vibrating when the right exact frequency was passing through. And the rest is history. You are hard core. Cooking is science!

@vincejohnm

9 ай бұрын

Close. Infrared causes bonds to vibrate. Microwaves are too weak to do this. Microwaves cause molecules to rotate/tumble as the molecular dipole tries to reorient itself in the rapidly switching electric field. The friction of water molecules rotating against each other causes them to heat up.

@dfusa4869

9 ай бұрын

Only idiots heat olive oil … OMG

@David.77

9 ай бұрын

Yeah, @@vincejohnm is right; here's a great video on how microwaves work kzread.info/dash/bejne/paeekpSsaau3lNY.html (MinuteFood: The weirdest thing about microwaves)

@ronaldnixon8226

9 ай бұрын

@@vincejohnm I dont believe in none a that science hogwash! I only believe what's in the Bible and what Donald Trump tell's me.

@DrNickBailey

9 ай бұрын

Should we not take Lan Lam's suggestion that they are "totally safe" with a pinch of salt? I'm pretty sure none of those early technicians left their body parts in with their coffee while it was heating. No one wants a boiled arm.

There's one more important tip for using a microwave. Avoid placing the food item in the center of the microwave. Instead, place the food off to one side. The platform is rotating for a good reason. Faster rotation speed is good and the center of the platform has the least rotational speed so is the least good place to put food. The area inside the microwave is full of hot spots and cold spots. The microwaves are bouncing around inside and creating areas where the waves cancel out and produce no heat. So to even things out the platform moves the food through the spots to insure there's no cold spot in the middle of your food for the entire time.

@44yvo

9 ай бұрын

Thanks, that is a good tip.

@Apersonnamedme

9 ай бұрын

Microwaves worked better when they had the big spinning metal fan inside constantly disrupting the initial conditions.

@dirtyandnasty9011

9 ай бұрын

@@Apersonnamedme Metal inside the microwave ?

@NeilFiertel

9 ай бұрын

Yep

@Psi105

9 ай бұрын

There are exceptions were metal in the microwave is totally fine. It's just that your average person isn't a RF electronics engineer so can't be expected to understand when metal is ok verses when it will arc. So the general rule is "no metal"

Frying - and that caramelizing - in the microwave - wow. So useful and far more precise than burning pans

My recipe for 1/2 cup of oatmeal in the microwave is 8 minutes Power 3. It allows it to simmer basically like it would on the stovetop.

She is amazing. That was very impressive. Keep her on staff at all costs.

@1582len

10 ай бұрын

Absolutely!!

@blamshiza

10 ай бұрын

I subscribed to this channel entirely because of her

@youtubehandol

10 ай бұрын

@@dcf4psu right? I just discovered Molly Baz's own channel after she was let go from bon appeetietii. She's a legend, and I love the odd potty mouth, too.

@poturbg8698

10 ай бұрын

@@youtubehandol Actually Molly Baz resigned from Bon Appetit in solidarity with the people who were fired.

@ellosteve

9 ай бұрын

FR

Making fried garnishes in small batches!? This is such a game changer. 💚

@lemonz1769

10 ай бұрын

We use a lot of fried garlic and onion in my country. I’ve tried microwave a number of times but it always comes out either under or over fried. Gettin a very small frying pan is much more precise.

@mysticode

10 ай бұрын

This is for sure the VIP moment of the video :D

@TinkerTailor4303

10 ай бұрын

Isn't the inside of 6he microwave covered in grease splatter??

@moguel1524

10 ай бұрын

​@@TinkerTailor4303this is why she tolds you to use a big bowl

@tiramisu5901

10 ай бұрын

Use a microwave cover(usually plastic though) or couple of paper towels over a smaller bowl , tucked under so towels don’t fall in or blow off.😊

One important variable that I never see taken into account in ATC microwave recipe instructions is the wattage of the microwave oven. 50% of 1100 vs 700 or something in between makes a big difference.

@gregorystojkov2632

6 ай бұрын

Yes, very important to know.

I cook scrambled eggs in the micro wave, pretty easy. Cook eggs for 30 sec in the microwave scramble the eggs with a fork in-between cooking. Keep checking after each 30 sec interval of cooking until eggs are to your desired consistency.

@mettamorph4523

8 ай бұрын

I think this is sacrilege, but I'm gonna try it! I love eggs but not when they're rubbery.

@arthuurwong49

8 ай бұрын

Beats cleaning a fry pan, esp a heavy cast iron!

Very informative! Soon after my beloved wife passed a bit over 6 years ago, I had our grandkids come over for "popcorn / movie" night. I melted the butter much as you describer (I wanted it melted, but not BOILING). I put 2 sticks of butter in a bowl, hit "start". Not much later, I opened the door to check on it's progress. There, in the center of the 2 side-by-side sticks, was a little puddle of melted butter, IN A PERFECT HEART SHAPE! I'm not ashamed to say, I lost it. My grandkids came into the kitchen to see what was up, then comforted me. I realize it was more likely random chance rather than her trying to reach me to say that she's happy and loves us, but what the hell, I'M ROLLING WITH IT!

@MapleShrimp

9 ай бұрын

God works in mysterious ways

@Joe_Montfort

9 ай бұрын

Roll on. There's nothing wrong with that. 🙂

@carolyntalbot947

8 ай бұрын

My dad sometimes appears to me as little black crickets, they seem to remind me to trust my intuition. It isn’t silly to be reminded of the people we loved during otherwise mundane activities, it just means they live on in our memory. ❤

@MapleShrimp

8 ай бұрын

@@grabble7605 I'll pray for you.

@ChiliCrisp88

8 ай бұрын

This is the sweetest thing!! I bet you guys could taste love in the popcorn💕

Never messed with the power level on my microwave. Never thought about it. Gosh, i am such a typical consumer. Good info.

@bryanmathew2079

10 ай бұрын

Those Capers Had me Happy, Lol, & There's a Freedom (CircLe) Near my Name i`~ColLected Some CooL Things You may Enjoy, Peace✌.

@ArtU4All

10 ай бұрын

🤩😂 because hardly anybody ever reads the owner manuals for the small appliances!

As a retired professional cook I'm depending more and more on my microwave. Simpler meals that allow me to conserve my energy for the many other things I need to do to take care of myself. Thank ATK/Cook's Illustrated for educating me.

Its so refresher to have real useful information presented, and it makes you wonder why the vast majority of content is not that way.

I have employed 50% power for many years. I don't like to "cremate" my food. I'd rather "sneak up" on it. I also use lower percentages, depending on what I am reheating. I really enjoyed learning about how to "fry" in the microwave. Always learn something cool from Cook's Country and America's Test Kitchen. Thank you so much Lan. 😊

@orbensana

9 ай бұрын

"sneak up" on it - love that!

@justinsayin3979

8 ай бұрын

Reheating at low power is even better with an inverter microwave.

@Greippi10

6 ай бұрын

I don't know what it exactly does, how much it lowers the power etc, but I use the defrost function for the same effect all the time. Even stir fry leftovers can still have a little bit of crunch in the veggies when reheated this way, instead of becoming disgustingly sloppy!

@saitodosan9377

6 ай бұрын

Crazy thing is you don't need to put quotations around the word "fry" cause that's literally what it is haha

@gary7vn

6 ай бұрын

Buy an inverter, so much better. This is the 90s after all.

This was a terrific segment. My favorite microwave technique is to dampen a paper towel and wrap things like poundcake or banana bread in it before microwaving. It has a “steaming“ effect that works really well.

@readytogo3186

9 ай бұрын

I do that too. Or, biscuits that you baked yesterday morning and had some left over. Excellent.

@smelma

9 ай бұрын

@@readytogo3186 Lol, that reminds me of when I was younger (and less culinary). I’d heat up Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches in the microwave with a paper towel wrapped around it, worked fantastic for getting the meat and cheese hot while keeping the croissant from drying out.

@readytogo3186

9 ай бұрын

@@smelma Never had Jimmy Dean sandwich but bet it's good! I just heat up homemade biscuits or cornbread. Yum!

@xinxinliu1106

9 ай бұрын

For sure! Works great with tortillas. Keeps them moist and prevents them from being crumbly

@MyCleverHandle

9 ай бұрын

Wrap individual ears of fresh corn in wet paper towels. You can cook up to three ears at a time in the average microwave oven. I swear this is the dish microwaves were made for!

An important thing to note is that every microwave is different. In my microwave, were I to attempt to soften butter on power level 5 for 45 seconds, my butter would be a puddle. Power level 2 for 1 minute is what I would typically use for softening butter in my microwave. But, I often dog sit for a friend, and their microwave is completely different than mine. Where I would defrost 2 slices of bread on power level 4 for 1 minute in my microwave for evenly thawed slices, in my friend's microwave, 1 minute on power level 4 produces bread that is still frozen in the centre and steaming hot around the edges. So just play around with your microwave because they really are a handy kitchen tool that can reduce the effort (and often dishes) needed for a lot of things.

@riteshgarg3176

6 ай бұрын

It is because of the difference of wattages of different magnetron, just like AC have different cooling capacities. So you might be having a higher wattage microwave than your friend's.

I microwave 4 large potatoes for 10-12 minutes on full power. Then they only take about 15 minutes in the oven to get crispy skin and finish cooking. And of course I learned from America's Test Kitchen to check the internal temp of my baked potatoes. :)

Microwaves are so good at making cooking faster and easier! I have a funny story about this: When my cousins were still in high school, they got really involved in extracurriculars, especially community service. One of them volunteered for Meals on Wheels, and for Thanksgiving, they signed up to bring a cooked turkey. However, being a teenager, he pushed it aside and neglected to tell his parents until the morning of. My aunt rushed to the store, bought a large turkey, and by the time she got home, she realized that there wouldn't be enough time to cook it before it was supposed to be at the school. So, in a panic, she popped the turkey into the microwave. She pulled it out with some cook time remaining and tossed it into the oven to finish cooking. She got it to my cousin a few minutes before it was due, and she claims to this day that it is the best turkey she's ever made

@renel7303

9 ай бұрын

This sounds....unbelievable. I've never seen a microwave that would hold a turkey, even a small 10 pound bird. My old microwave would hold a 13×9 inch glass pan. Great for lasagna. But I would have needed to split the turkey in half to fit it inside.

@deesnutz42069

9 ай бұрын

@@renel7303 depending on how long ago this happened, microwave ovens used to be a lot larger. The earliest microwaves that wound up in restaurants were more like the size of a huge refrigerator, and the models that started showing up in home kitchens shortly after weren't much smaller. So if we're talking about an event that happened in the 70s? yeah, the microwave they had from the 50s or 60s very easily could have been big enough to accommodate a bird.

@joansamuels3241

9 ай бұрын

Was invited to a not- close relative's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Turned out to be a mostly microwaved meal beccause the wall oven was filled with...hand made arts & crafts projects. A small, pale turkey breast that was 'browned' by slathering Kitchen Bouquet on it, was the 'star' of the table..... Luckily the chocolate cornicopia for dessert was store bought delicious.

@michellecjackson4956

9 ай бұрын

I've cooked a turkey in my microwave before. Definitely not a large one, but nevertheless, it can be done. I've cooked an apple pie in my microwave, until the fruit was cooked, then in the regular oven to brown. I always choose one that is big enough for a 9x13 pan.

@benjaminbaumgart3935

9 ай бұрын

@@deesnutz42069 this was in the late 90s, but she did assure me that she had an unusually large microwave oven

Our family got a big (and they were all big at that time) microwave in 1967. We stood around it and watched water boil and thought it was magic. Until today, I never realized you could fry foods in a microwave. I appreciate Lam Lam's presenting style and think she is so relatable to her audience. Thank you for the great videos.

@kareninalabama

10 ай бұрын

Wow, they were huge, weren't they? 😄 My father gave my mother a microwave for Christmas in 1972 (so romantic!) and you described it accurately: it seemed like some sort of magic.

@CeePeeDee7190

10 ай бұрын

"Lam Lan"

@ArtU4All

10 ай бұрын

Oh, thank you for this piece of americana! 🤩 In 1967 our family got our first TV and the name of it was Record-64 meaning it was the model of 1964. Ten years later in 1977 on a different model TV I was watching the top-tier physics scientist showing to all of us on the only TV channel in the country what a microwave was and I remember how absolutely blown away and mesmerized I was - he cooked several potatoes while talking about the physics of microwaving and what was happening to the molecules. Thick foot note: this was in the USSR. 🤣

@mariaroldan4200

10 ай бұрын

Your story reminds me of my family watching the dishwasher change cycles! We were the hit of the neighborhood!

@mercygrrl

10 ай бұрын

Lol, I'm recalling Jennifer Lawrence: "Don't put foil in the science oven, Roz" scene from American Hustle

This was fantastic! Growing up my grandad used to make amazing ribs and when I learned one of his secrets was starting them off in the microwave before BBQing them I was shocked! My mum has a creamy cheesy sauce she makes in the microwave too for mac and cheese. We've also made potato chips. It was so cool to learn about essentially deep frying in the microwave though. Thank you!

This is the clearest and most helpful explanation of a microwave oven I have ever seen. Thank you!

I've been using the power level button on my microwave for ages. It really lets you use the microwave to cook a LOT of different things. For example, bring rice with water, salt, and a dash of oil to a boil in a loose-covered container, then immediately lower the power to 20% for 18 minutes or so. It comes out perfect and requires no attention!

@honeynetalove

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing! I've been playing with getting my microwave rice perfect.

@bobcarn

9 ай бұрын

@@honeynetalove Make sure your container is larger than what you're cooking. Mine is a quart-sized ceramic casserole with glass lid. It's perfect for a cup of rice. I use 1 cup rice, 1 3/4 cup water, a little salt, maybe 1 or 1.5 teaspoons of oil. Full power to a boil (you'll learn how long it takes after a couple times so you don't have to keep watching), then about 18 or 20 minutes on 20%. The power cycles on and off and keeps the starchy water from boiling up into a foam and spilling out.

@Sharon-bo2se

9 ай бұрын

Much the same. I usually use a large ceramic pot with a lid and the finger test for water amount. Just need to ensure bowl is big enough to prevent boil overs.

@datasatan

9 ай бұрын

Glad to hear others do it too. Immediately after reaching boiling I give my rice 180 watts (probably the same or less than 20% of your oven), for just 10 minutes, and let rest for 10 minutes. Same time, but could perhaps save some power. I always cook Jasmine or short grain rice though. Other variants could need tweaking.

@bobcarn

9 ай бұрын

@@datasatan Yeah. The rice could probably cook for less and sit longer. I often let it sit for a while anyway after it's finished since I'm usually still cooking. I too use Jasmine as a preference, followed by Basmati. I only use plain white rice occasionally or when I'm going to use the rice for something like stuffed peppers or something where it's heavily seasoned.

Lan's videos quickly became an automatic watch for me

Nicely done video! I’ve been trying to explain this to people for years. On some microwaves, there’s also a good idea to spread your food around the edge of the plate, rather than lump them in the middle. Pizza rolls is an excellent example. They will heat better if you put them around the edge of the plate, rather than all across the plate where the middle ones will stay cooler and the ones on the edge will boil over. My newest microwave actually does a really good job regardless but in older ones it’s a good technique to use. For instance, those sweet potatoes. Instead of keeping them in a parallel position arrange them in a square leaving the center of the plate vacant. They will heat much more evenly that way especially in an older microwave.

Amazing! As always, the basic science behind how this operates is much appreciated.

this is actually a really good video I was not expecting this to pack so much useful information in 10 minutes. People tend to look down on microwaves too much

@bluephreakr

9 ай бұрын

Just ask Gordon Ramsey about it. He probably would imagine Cook's Illustrated to be a detestable resource expressly for encouraging this.

@no_peace

9 ай бұрын

Being a snob about microwaves is not based in reality

@justalonelypoteto

8 ай бұрын

​@@bluephreakr he's a TV chef, he has to be incredibly and illogically pretentious for the persona, just like 80% of italians that have a social media presence for some reason

@arthuurwong49

8 ай бұрын

I’ve been told nuking your food destroys all the vitamins and enzymes in your food so it’s less nutritious - is this true????😊😊

Not only an excellent video on the range of things your microwave can do (who knew?) but tons of tips and ideas as well. Of course, it's Lan!

I first used a microwave way back in 1973, while working as a cook at a Howard Johnson's restaurant. Very early type that had a few buttons on it. Corporate provided instructions for which button to use for certain pre-packaged items. Other than that, we experimented with it for thawing, melting butter, and a few other things. It's been 50 years, so the details are a bit sketchy. I definitely use one today and that power level button makes it a versatile and useful tool.

I always learn something new from Lan Lam!!! I had no idea about frying in a microwave!!! My mind is blown!!!

A physicist told me once that microwaves agitate water. I took that to mean that microwave ovens cook everything all at once. It helps so much to understand that they only penetrate 1/4" and that staggered cooking using the power level setting can get me more evenly cooked food. Thank you so much!

@danielcrafter9349

9 ай бұрын

Heat is generated by molecules vibrating So yes, microwaves agitate water - because their vibration frequency is exactly that of the molecular bonds on H and two O That vibrating the causes heat, which cooks the food

@JustinKoenigSilica

9 ай бұрын

You can think of it as absorption - the microwave intensity reduces towards the center of the food, therefore less heating in the center. The convection of heat within the food is much better in a microwave because we are able to heat the inside of the food partially as well!

@johninh.b.6503

9 ай бұрын

Can't wait to tell my wife that she might be part microwave due to her agitating me all the time. I'll see myself out.

@arthuurwong49

8 ай бұрын

Yes John, out to the dog house ! 😊

Thank you for this excellent presentation. As an instructor for home cooks, I have been told the most revolutionary piece of information I have ever passed on is the proper use of power levels when microwaving. You have done this so well. Your post will be shared with all my students. Thank you!

@Hiltok

9 ай бұрын

I've been telling my nearest and dearest to double the time and halve the power on most of their microwave use for many years. There's a reason they have a 'defrost' setting. Rule of thumb for microwave - the less moisture in the food, the lower the power and longer the time should be set.

In 2000, a family in Mariupol taught me to toast nuts in the microwave. I've been doing that with all nuts (well, not pine nuts) ever since.

I am mesmerized by this. Great instructions and even better recipes, I’ll try them all! Thank you!!!

this needs to be core, repeated viewing to every high school student! So fascinating and it explains so well how to use something most of us take for granted!

@ArtU4All

10 ай бұрын

And college!!!!!!!😂

@SeveralGhost

9 ай бұрын

​@@ArtU4Alllol most dorms don't even allow microwaves these days

@dra6o0n

9 ай бұрын

@@SeveralGhost Youth can't be trusted these days not to throw metal forks and utensils into the microwave to intentionally cause a explosion or ignition of their dorms when drunk or emotionally suicidal. That said, power outlets are everywhere, and you can buy these mini hotpot cookers that can function like a electric pan so to speak for cooking anything, just less control on timer or heat. But you can be very smart on that, since these handheld appliances are simple and straight forward, you can turn a mini hotpot that is 300~600 watts into a slow cooker if you have a programmable outlet switch that lets you turn it on and off to 'control' the heat on the device since it simply runs the specified wattage to heat up at different speeds... Much like a microwave where the power setting basically turns off the microwave in some periods of the cooking time.

@ArtU4All

9 ай бұрын

@@SeveralGhost THAT is outrageous.

@MTMF.london

9 ай бұрын

@@SeveralGhost There are many that do though, together with coffee/tea stations for students to fix themselves some snacks and drinks.

Wow, I never thought to fry foods in the microwave. I see some experimenting in my future.

@ArtU4All

10 ай бұрын

I never did because usually they (the owner manual) warned not to heat up oil in the microwave or not to fry in the microwave. This is really brand new information

I’ve been using a microwave for many years, but this video just tripled what I knew about using one! Thank you!

Who is this woman?!!! That's the best explanation ever! Better than my physics teacher!

The whole video was unbelievably cool, but my jaw simply dropped with the caramel recipe. I can't belive a microwave can do that.

many microwaves allow you to do steps. My current microwave a toshiba and my previous one, kenmore, let's you put in 3 steps. You can heat something for example, 30 seconds at 80%, 2 minutes at 50% and 1 minute at 30%. The way to do it on both of mine were to enter the time for the first step, then select power. Then press the time button and enter in the second step time then select the power level and repeat for third step. At any point in any step you can open the door, stir or rotate the food, close the door, and press start to resume cooking. I use this method mostly for reheating pasta dishes, spaghetti, fettuccine alfredo etc. This is also good for a dinner plate (think thanksgiving leftovers whith turkey stuffing mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans). The time will vary depending on how much food you put in and the power level of your microwave. One other note is to always cover your food. they sell plastic covers with vent holes, which makes covering a plate super easy.

This video is really great, but I know a lot about microwaves (more precisely dialectic spectroscopy), and there was a major omission here. There are four variables in the telegrapher's equations: R, L, C and G. Inductance (L) is the series term, and resistance (R) is the loss term associated with inductance. Capacitance (C) is the parallel term, and conductance (G) is the loss term associated with capacitance. Pure inductance stores energy. Resistance dissipates energy as heat. Likewise, pure capacitance stores energy. Conductance dissipates energy as heat. A circuit with high L and C, but low associated R and G is known as a tank circuit. The energy will oscillate between the inductance and the capacitance, with low energy loss (slow damping). Water is unusual in having an extremely high permittivity. Other than titanium dioxide (used as an additive to whiten paint and many food items) hardly any other material comes close. Effectively the capacitance is high and so a lot of energy is absorbed by the ionic and dielectric contortions of the water. But this doesn't necessarily turn into heat. A while later, this energy might return to the propagating waveform. To illustrate this, if you replace the dielectric material in a coax cable with water, the signal will travel roughly six times slower than in a standard coax cable (there would be enough signal loss even with pure water to make this a bad idea). This is because the water is holding onto much of the energy _temporarily_ as the signal passes along. Yes, the interaction is strong, but that's not the whole story. However, if you add salt to water, the G term skyrockets, and much or most of the energy will be lost as heat. If you get well past the salinity of sea water (above around 80 ppk) in practice you can just about model water as metallic. The microwaves will barely penetrate at all because of extreme loss. Many foods have enough salt that you get your standard 1/2 inch penetration depth. But there are exceptions. With a cold or frozen pork chop with extreme seasoning on the outside surface, you will get very shallow penetration, leaving the center frigid or frozen. Another case is melting frozen butter. Salted butter is not too hard to melt. I usually put a second small container in the microwave with about 2 tablespoons of water, because the butter itself is only 10% water, and that's an awfully small load for a powerful magnetron. (Be careful with that second container, it can get hot enough to flash boil.) I don't specify the power level, but I do use the nerfed "defrost" button for 3 time units (works out to about 90 s in practice, if I recall correctly, at much less than full power). If I do the same thing without realizing I'm melting _unsalted_ butter, the water in my second container boils over, while the butter is barely dented. Same water content. Entirely different outcome. Because the salt matters. [*] "Six times slower" approximates sqrt(81/2) which is the square root of the permittivity ratio between water and standard coax dielectric in the 1-5 GHz microwave band at standard indoor temperature. [**] All the permittivity curves for saline water at various temperatures and frequencies are available from synthetic aperture radar studies as used to track global ocean temperatures. The curves are somewhat complicated in their finer details because the water molecule has many different interaction modes with EM energy, each centered at a different frequency.

The information that has just soaked in and given me that, “ah ha” moment after years of microwave abuse, has thoroughly enlightened me! A lovely presentation, without waffle and genuinely teaching me valuable lessons, so I happily subscribed.

The way she smiles and so earnest says "I did it, I reheated frozen soup :D" makes me so unreasonably happy

Lan, you've been an EXCELLENT addition to the ATK team! ❤❤

I really appreciated Lam’a knowledgeable and understandable explanation of how microwaves work. I had never thought about using my microwave to fry up garnishes! Thanks!

Absolutely the best explanation of how to use microwave ovens. Thank you.

Lan should seriously consider reading audiobooks. Her voice is soothing to me.

I knew about the 50% power hack for reheating frozen things and melting butter, but you blew my mind with frying capers. It NEVER occurred to me to use oil in that method. Incredible. I love fried capers so I am going to try this!

@patrickbodine1300

5 ай бұрын

Noise coming from my microwave oven means that there is something going way wrong!

@mariajparientefragoso9544

3 ай бұрын

and uncovered recipient! nifty tip

This is brilliant! I use microwaves a lot but I had no idea that you can FRY things in them! This is going to add a major upgrade to my food!

SO BEAUTIFULLY explained! I love how you explain the mechanism behind

Microwaving corn on the cob still in the husk for just a minute or two has produced some of the best corn I've had that didn't come from a grill. Edit: oh, forgot to note that it doesn't take too long to cool enough to remove the husk (carefully! the corn is still hot!) and it comes right off, strands included.

@cjaquilino

10 ай бұрын

After I saw this tip a couple days ago, I've eaten microwave corn on the cob *twice* since then. It's a great tip.

@blfmemphis

10 ай бұрын

I like that technique. Can get a similar effect if you purchase packaged corn on the cob without the husks and wrap it in a paper towel.

@capers72424

10 ай бұрын

⁠@@blfmemphisorn on the cob is the only time I microwave plastic, I wrap it in cling film and do it the way ssatva describes above.

@sandylewis8897

10 ай бұрын

I think it's 5 min per ear with the husk on?

@cjaquilino

10 ай бұрын

@@sandylewis8897 I do 4 minutes. Think my microwave is 1000w.

Chef Lam with another banger! I would never have thought to use a microwave like she taught us in this video. She's a national treasure! Great video!

I learned to use the microwave at 20% so my oatmeal wouldn't explode. Low and slow is the way to go. I'll be using that butter softening tip :)

@DiLoMusic

6 ай бұрын

Oh I know mines done when it starts exploding lol

@leapintothewild_original

5 ай бұрын

For me, it's the bowl that matters -- I microwave on 100%, but it always overflows in a straight-sided bowl but never in a round-sided bowl, even if it's pretty full. It's like it can climb the straight angle, but not the rounded one... ?

Awesome video. Very articulate, informative, and accurate. 10/10

I use the power button on my microwave oven all the time. I think a lot of people don't know about it or how to use it. Great information. For the ones who never used the power button.

@steamer2k319

10 ай бұрын

Yeah, it's an electronic device where the primary control is a timer. It seems like something that's pre-calibrated and in fact e.g., gas station microwaves only have a timer with no power control. To make matters worse, food goes into the black box and you don't really get to see how it's doing until the power's off and you open the door. I came to realize through a bit of the hard way that even "smart" electronic devices might still expect that you know what you're doing. I'd bought a well-reputed countertop induction heater and was trying it with a (fortunately cheap) thin pie pan. The pan started getting discolored and warped pretty quickly--at the initial/default power level 5 out of 10. It took me some time to work some courage back up but I realized my mistake and tried again with a thicker pan and a lower setting. Nowadays, I can run it just fine but it's not as automated/pre-programmed as e.g., a pressure cooker appliance. Anyway, shortly after the pie pan incident, I realized that microwave ovens must be similar. The power-level button and I have been great friends ever since.

@sandylewis8897

10 ай бұрын

Agree. I use half power to reheat meats or breads without making them tough!

@m.theresa1385

10 ай бұрын

I’ve tried explaining it to friends and family (esp. those who basically only use the microwave to reheat everything on full power and dry out food) They simply don’t want to know. 🤷‍♀️

@hopsiepike

10 ай бұрын

It also helps with reducing spattering and volcano-like eruptions.

@steamer2k319

10 ай бұрын

@@hopsiepike FWIW, they make plastic domes for microwave ovens to catch spatter. They fit over a large dinner plate without touching the food and save a ton of cleaning effort. My brother has one with a magnet in it so he can store it on the ceiling of the microwave. I'm a little envious for that magnet 😅.

I had no idea I ever needed to know this. However, this is probably the most informative cooking video I've ever watched on KZread.

Spectacular tips! Thank you!

This might be one of the most important videos for my cooking I have seen in years. I always have leftover shallots, capers, etc, that I can now turn into garnish. I am sure this paradigm switch will cause me to find many more microwave ideas. Thank you so much.

@NickIrvineFortescue

8 ай бұрын

You can "fry" poppadoms in there too! Yep, they come out crunchy too. Mind boggling

@cheshirecat7132

4 ай бұрын

@@NickIrvineFortescue yum! I love poppadoms. do you have a recipe/how to ?

@NickIrvineFortescue

4 ай бұрын

@@cheshirecat7132 I've not heard of anyone making their own popodoms, I just buy the raw ones at an Indian supermarket. Then just cook on full power in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Each microwave is different so you'll need to test timings. It creates condensation so I use kitchen roll to rub down the inside of the microwave after each one.

You just changed my world and taught me so much about using a microwave. So often it's treated as just an "on" "off" appliance but there is a skill and art to using it which I never knew. Additionally and most importantly in the heat and humidity of August we try and use our oven/stove as little as possible...you've unlocked a whole new summer appliance for cooking. Thank you so much! Mind blown!

This was educational. I am glad that I didn't skip any of it! Thanks! It's a rare day that I don't use a microwave to cook something. Recently, I discovered that I can make potato chips that taste great and have a terrific crunch too.

I can feel my brain grow as I watch this woman work. Great job.

@annhamilton7319

23 күн бұрын

You are a liberal arent ya!!! Keep on cookin

I never bothered with power levels until my current microwave, which requires you set the power level every single time you use the microwave. It has a dial interface rather than a button interface, so this actually takes less time to set up than a traditional microwave. I was amazed at how much better it worked, and now I use power levels with every microwave I come across (to the amusement of my coworkers)

@steamer2k319

10 ай бұрын

> to the amusement of my co-workers Philistines 😤. Never hide your power-level. Power-level crew for life✊!

@christinebravomom5711

9 ай бұрын

My big ah ha moment happened by accident when I realized I could set sequential power level + time settings. I.e., the machine runs on one setting for x minutes, then switches to the next setting for x minutes.

I love the little microwave packets they sell in Japan to cook fish like Mackerel. The containers are specifically designed to reflect the microwaves back at the fish and it fries it up crispy in the microwave all while containing the strong smell of this oily fish.

@krashanb5767

7 ай бұрын

How do I find them on Amazon or Ebay in the USA?

@einundsiebenziger5488

23 күн бұрын

... to reflect the microwaves *at the fish. "Reflect" already means "throw back". Adding "back" to any word with the prefix "re" is redundant.

@einundsiebenziger5488

23 күн бұрын

@@krashanb5767 There is a search function in both platforms, and there are more sources on the internet to buy from other than these two evil empires.

@TheNewGreenIsBlue

22 күн бұрын

@@einundsiebenziger5488 Language is fluid and pedants will be left clutching their dictionaries while the language changes around them...

One of the most informative ATK videos I have seen...so much to learn about an appliance I have been using for 45 years! Thank you!

Most informative information about microwaves! Thanks Lan.

This is so instructive. I am going to fry capers and other garnishes like Lan shows here first, but I am definitely going to soften butter like she shows too. Great post!

@mettamorph4523

8 ай бұрын

And the tip about using the remaining oil!

Suggestion: put a flexible pad (microwave-safe silicone, kitchen towel, etc) under your bowl before microwaving. When done, you’ve got an easy way to pick up the hot bowl.

Thanks for affirming my 30 year practice of warming foods in a microwave. I was told to use the power button long ago, if you don't want tuff doey bread, heat it on 30% power for a little longer time.

This is so helpful. Learning you can fry in there is a game changer!

Holy crap the fried shallots especially blew my mind! That can apply to onions too I am sure. Save loads of time!

Another neat feature with the power level button is you can actually set multiple different power levels. For example, you can set it for 3 minutes at 20% power then 1 minute at 50%. Just press the Cook Time button after entering the power level. You can even set Power Level 0 if you want to give a specific rest time or delay the start of the cooking cycle.

@thatgirl626

9 ай бұрын

Interesting

@emilwandel

9 ай бұрын

I don't have percentages at my microwave just watts. Considering microwaves work on different levels of maximums watts percentage of the maximum sounds like a stupid way to gice measurements in a recipe meant for many different people who own lot's of different brands.

@kimberlindy

9 ай бұрын

I just tried this and it worked!

@Msvalexvalex

9 ай бұрын

😮 it works! No idea what I'll need this for but it's good to know.

@katarh

9 ай бұрын

This is highly variable on the microwave. Some allow it to be pre programmed in that manner, but others may not. I know I've had some very dumb dial microwaves that literally had a physical switch for the power level, same with the time.

Thank you so much for this awesome explanation and demonstration of how microwaves work! I am a Lan Fan!

Excellent explanations and technics. Thank you Lan!

You're crushing it! Seriously, almost every video you're doing I'm learning stuff after watching videos and cooking for 30 years. This was a fantastic explanation of how to use my microwave. Just picked up three new tips after cooking for 30 years at home😅

@markfmoritz

9 ай бұрын

A must watch video

Note: recipes differ for different size/strength microwaves. For example, my 1000W microwave would start melting portions of the butter on even 30% power for 10 seconds so I have to be really careful.

@elsonck2523

10 ай бұрын

If I want to soften butter, 10 to 15 seconds is enough, at least to butter bread. 25 will melt completely (for use on popcorn). I suppose half power does work best if softening for cookie batter, etc.

@weevilsnitz

9 ай бұрын

@@anahernandezbalzac higher watt will cook faster which accentuate those issues noted in the video where only a portion of the food is cooked at one time, stirring frequently and using the power settings matter even more for higher wattage microwaves. All from my experience, at least.

@dykam

9 ай бұрын

Most microwaves and preparation instructions here display watts. It seems that somehow the US settled on using percentages?

@weevilsnitz

9 ай бұрын

@@dykam cooking instructions on products in the US usually have a note that they were created for an X watt microwave, so you can adjust. But the power settings on the microwave when setting the cook are in %.

Thanks so much for this video, I really feel like I learned something useful. All the people involved in making this are doing great work!

Brilliant, I learnt so much so quickly!!!!!! THANKS A LOT!!! My life has changed drastically and there is no going back

So well done, as always! Love Lan and this series!

I like using a microwave to melt chocolate for dipping. I know the approved method is to use a double boiler but for a quick batch where you don't have to keep the chocolate at temperature for more than a few minutes, the microwave is more convenient. (Also less likely to have condensation contaminate the chocolate.)

@mettamorph4523

8 ай бұрын

I melt chocolate chips in almond milk in the microwave and pour it over brie.

This was so helpful! I long ago realized that not using full power on a microwave helped out a lot for many things. I never knew why. Thank you Lan! I will also try frying garnish and frico. I never thought to do this.

I never considered frying in the microwave. Good video. Very informative!

When making something that steams a lot (basically anything with bread in it), leave it in the microwave with the door closed so that the bread can keep steaming in the humid air. This helps keep it from drying out and hardening. Then, after you take your item out, leave the door open so that the steamy air can diffuse out and into the room. This prevents it from coating the microwave's inside surfaces and growing mold.

@ArtStoneUS

9 ай бұрын

A lot of people make that mistake and immediately remove the food from the microwave as soon as the beep goes off. Inside the microwave you have the heat and humidity which is part of the process of finishing the cooking

@wobblysauce

9 ай бұрын

Paper towel, in various wetness…

@oliverfulayter5515

8 ай бұрын

I've always just gently wet my bread/paper towel when I put bread in, but this is good to know, thanks

@justinsayin3979

8 ай бұрын

@@wobblysauce Or a dome cover.

I'm glad that I watched this right before my dinner, because now, I'm really hungry. On a serious note this is one of the most comprehensive presentations about microwaves I've seen. Explaining the physics and mechanics behind the keyboard input was fantastic. Over the past decades I've learned most of the techniques through trial and error... and I will admit, I've never mastered the defrost button... now I know why... impatience is the ruin of art.

I LOVE this video. Especially the butter. I usually get watery butter even under 10 seconds. I loved the tips for frying garnishes as well. Awesome video. I like ATK so much

Thank You So Much for this video. I used to get so frustrated with my microwave because I didn’t truly understand how it worked and how best to use it. You’ve made my experience in the kitchen a better one! 💗

2 million subscribers! Congratulations, America's Test Kitchen. It's well deserved.

@ArtU4All

10 ай бұрын

I was shocked to see that there was a time when they were under 500k with a few YEARS on KZread. I have been Cooks Illustrated since 1992

I hit like as soon as I saw the title. Lan Lam doing the video is a bonus ❤👏👏👏👏. Extremely helpful tips 👏 👏👏👏 Favorite recipe for the microwave: Ramen noodles in safe bowl loosely covered for 3 minutes. Let the noodles sit for 7 minutes then serve 😁😆.

Every single one of these Lan Lam segments is fantastic.

Thank you for this excellent video! I learned so much and your demos (especially the ice) were amazing!

When I saw the title, I knew you'd be talking about the power level! Great explanations and tips. Just one suggestion: when heating food in containers like the one you used for the soup, unlock the latches so pressure doesn't build up and soup spays out when the container is opened. Looking forward to seeing the next video!

I LOVE making a Bearnaise sauce in a microwave. It is incredibly fast, easy and never burns. I always do several things at a time in the kitchen, so not having to watch something in a finnicky double-boiler is a bonus.

@wiltmarlonelao

9 ай бұрын

Can you share your technique on how you make your sauce in the microwave? I’d really love to test it out. Also, since Bearnaise is a derivative of Hollandaise, the latter should be possible to make in a microwave too, right? Because I would really like to make mess-free eggs benedicts.

@thecook8964

9 ай бұрын

Just ask Google, several recipes for microwave bearnaise & hollandaise sauces

Chef Lan is probably one of the best chefs with clear explanations and techniques, excellent teacher and creatively presented. thank you❤

I'm almost 70 years old and I learned a LOT from this video. Thank you.

Lan is a treasure! Terrific video! Thanks everyone. ❤