Microwave vs Oven

[Timon]

What is the different between a microwave and an oven?

I am a guy and intend to cook some simple dishes with either one of them. Anybody can advise me, please!
:)

[ginaphan]

Reply from layman:

A convection oven (regular oven) uses heat to cook. It generates heat from electricity, or gas and the heats up the oven chamber. You need to use containers that can withstand the heat without breaking: metal or heat resistant plass (e.g. pyrex).

A microwave oven does not use heat. It gives out small waves (micro) in high frequency. These waves penetrates into your food (e.g. meat). The cells move about because of the waves which then generates heat. Hence the food is cooking from within, if your may. The container you use must not reflect the waves ie. you cannot use metal. Else the waves would be reflected and you get sparking.

In the microwave, you actually can use plastic or glass or ceramic. The container get hot only because the food gets hot which then transfer the heat to the container. (I won't open up the discussion about safe plastics and paints et al but I'm sure someone will point you to a website that will have all the dos and don'ts).

I normally use normal tableware when I can just reheating food and pyrex if I am cooking or baking with microwave.

Note that the external/sides tend to get dry when you cook or reheat with microwave. You need to add a little more water and cover partially for best effect.

Please also be warned: do not cook anything in a tighly sealed container in the microwave. It will explode due to the rising pressure inside. Same with eggs (unless you have pierced the egg yolk) and whole unpeeled potatoes. Bread or pau becomes very hard when heated in a microwave oven and not consumed soon after.

Long winded answer. I'm a layman so if some scientists answers you, he/she is probably more accurate than I am.

Hope this helps.

[Firefly]

If you like baking and stuff like that, then get one that have both. I am using a Sharp unit for the last 18 years. All of my baking is done on it plus my kids use it to heat/ microwave food in it.

[kwchang]

May I supplement Gina's excellent description.
One correction though, the microwaves actually make water molecules vibrate (not the cells) and that heats them up to boiling point and it is the heated water that cooks the food. Thus, if the food is dry, it will not heat up. For example, if you were to microwave a curry puff or the MacDonalds' apple pie, you will find that the crust (which has almost no water content) to remain cool but the internal filling gets very hot. Hence the warning on the MacDonalds apple-pie wrapper which cautions you about the hot internal contents.

Therefor if you were to reheat a plate of fried rice or fried meehoon (which gets very dry in the fridge), you need to add some water to the food before micro-waving.

If you use plastic containers for the microwave, make sure it is certified microwave-safe because the heat from the water can melt plastics that are not certified for microwaves. Similarly for cling-wrap. If you use plasticised cling-wrap (not microwave safe), the wrapping will melt and you will end up with plastic-encased food.

Basically, if you want food cooked as if it was steamed, then that is what microwave ovens do as it basically employs hot water molecules or steam to cook the food.

If you want food that is baked (ie with a hard or crunchy yellow crust), you will need convection ovens.

[fRaNkY]

Why dont you buy a microwave oven?

I love to oven bake my chicken wings :D

[Timon]

Why dont you buy a microwave oven?

I love to oven bake my chicken wings :D


:eek: You have wings ?? :D

[Firefly]

fRanky..na..but firefly have them wings...see avatar. :D

[LMei]

i saw the latest microwave oven by panasonic that has steam and grill function with inverter technology. I am used to using a normal convection oven and have ordered an electrolux oven for my new place. But hubby says if we can get this panasonic microwave that has steam & grill function then we do not need the convection oven.

What is your opinion? Can a microwave works in the same way as a convection oven? meaning i can toast garlic bread with a microwave?

[bslee]

Can a microwave works in the same way as a convection oven? meaning i can toast garlic bread with a microwave?

Plainly speaking, microwave heats from inside to out, whilst convection heats from out to in. Microwave can suitable for small roasts of meat, chicken or lamb, or most suitably reheating foods. Cakes, pastries and cookies are best with convection oven (rules of temperature and time applies for best results). Buy a toaster oven (RM100+??) and suited for your toast garlic bread and reheat pastries. One have watch over and careful with oven toaster as it can burn the food easily. I've got all 3 at home.
BTW, convection oven can be a killer on electrical consumption. Those that fit the kitchen cabinet can consume up to 5kilo Watt.
Buy one that suit your needs. I bought and still use a table top model from Tefal. Its perfect for small chicken or lamb roasts and annual baking of cookies. Sorry, I don't bake cakes..not good at it!. I'd rather buy my favorite choc cake from Taipan area cake shop. Sorry, Secret Recipe too pricy lah!

[LMei]

I've got all 3 at home.

I'd love to have all 3 as well. But hubby wants to save space and highly question the purpose of having even 2!

[EricK]

but food from a microwave oven is so tasteless and rubbery .. or am i microwaving wrongly?

[LMei]

but food from a microwave oven is so tasteless and rubbery .. or am i microwaving wrongly?
looks like you cook it too long. :D

[AllUrban]

I just moved into a new place and it has a microwave oven that also has a grill option.

I think it is a "sharp" microwave oven...older model...and I am just not sure how to use the "grill" feature.

Any ideas? I already have a small counter top convection oven that I use for baking and light toasting - but I wonder if the microwave/grill would work better.

Cheers, m

[syltel]

Basically, the grill feature is for grilling...I've grilled a few dishes with my microwave cum convection/grilling oven. Works great

[AllUrban]

Basically, the grill feature is for grilling...I've grilled a few dishes with my microwave cum convection/grilling oven. Works greatdo you mean that it can also work like a convection oven? If I have a rack and a drip pan I can roast something?

I just realized that life can be tough without an instruction manual. This microwave/grill (I realize now it is a Sanyo, not so "sharp") has the option of microwave, grill, or both, with 5 different temperature settings...How interesting...and complicated

Ok, syltel, any specific guidelines I have to be aware of? Do's and dont's when using it/

Cheers, m

[aRwEn]

for actual bakin, i prefer a regular oven (convection).... but of course, a microwave oven is more convenient for heatin up stuff.... d latter does have convection facilities.... but accordin to a few of my frens, after a while, d convection function of their microwave oven din work anymore....

however, since i bake more often than heat up food, so i opted for d former.... have never owned a microwave n dun intend to get one... lack of space anyways since my kitchen is so small.... so had to pick only one... ;)

[syltel]

do you mean that it can also work like a convection oven? If I have a rack and a drip pan I can roast something?

I just realized that life can be tough without an instruction manual. This microwave/grill (I realize now it is a Sanyo, not so "sharp") has the option of microwave, grill, or both, with 5 different temperature settings...How interesting...and complicated

Ok, syltel, any specific guidelines I have to be aware of? Do's and dont's when using it/

Cheers, m
This microwave/ grill oven you have, does it have features of a convection oven as well?? Do you know what's the wattage?? Does it have the grilling rack?
If it's a very old model with not so high wattage, you probably can just do some light grilling or browning only.....Cook your meat first then put it into your grille to brown it.
Frankly, I have owned 2 types of microwave/convection ovens...and despite having an instruction manual,everything comes down to trial and error. Have to keep checking on the food..so it will not be too dry or burnt!!
If I'm following recipes, I always key in Temp. Lower by 20 - 50 deg F cause microwave/convection oven's cooks food faster than a conventional oven. Either lower the tem.by 20 - 50 deg. F or cooking/baking/roasting time by 25 %.
Do you have the model of this microwave of yours? A tip for reheating your food, I always place a slightly damp kitchen paper towel onto the food I'm reheating in the microwave so, the food wont dry out.

[AllUrban]

This microwave/ grill oven you have, does it have features of a convection oven as well?? Do you know what's the wattage?? Does it have the grilling rack?
If it's a very old model with not so high wattage, you probably can just do some light grilling or browning only.....Cook your meat first then put it into your grille to brown it.
Frankly, I have owned 2 types of microwave/convection ovens...and despite having an instruction manual,everything comes down to trial and error. Have to keep checking on the food..so it will not be too dry or burnt!!
If I'm following recipes, I always key in Temp. Lower by 20 - 50 deg F cause microwave/convection oven's cooks food faster than a conventional oven. Either lower the tem.by 20 - 50 deg. F or cooking/baking/roasting time by 25 %.
Do you have the model of this microwave of yours? A tip for reheating your food, I always place a slightly damp kitchen paper towel onto the food I'm reheating in the microwave so, the food wont dry out.I'll try to find the details ... as for the convection oven feature, I dont think there is a fan inside to blow the air but I will check again when I get home. No grilling rack found so far.

Thanks for the tip. Using a damp paper towel is probably a little better than my solution - spray bottle with water inside :D

Cheers, m

[ginaphan]

My trick to keep the food from drying is to add a little water into the food (if possible) and nuke it loosely covered. (If using a container, I put the cover lopsided).

Then when it is hot, I let it stand with the cover placed back properly. This stops the drying as the steam stays inside the container.

[AllUrban]

Ok, the oven is a "Sharp Superwave" model dual grill/microwave.

800 w of Microwave, 1000W of grill power.

I guess using both modes would increase the power levels so I should avoid using both modes as much as possible.

I used the grill/microwave method to heat up some stingray - noticed the heating element is built into the top of the oven. There is a fan as well.

Now I am really interested with what I can do.

I have a silicone baking pan that would be able to handle the heat of the microwave or the grill. This is gettin exciting.

Cheers, m

[Wan Wan]

I have a silicone baking pan that would be able to handle the heat of the microwave or the grill. This is gettin exciting.
Cheers, mThis is something new and I do have concern about using silicone baking ware.
I opt for Vision corning ware, which I can use to store in the freezer/chiller and straight to gas stove, grill or micro.
For stingray panggang I would wrapped it in banana leaf for that added flavor.

[ginaphan]

Mine's a Sharp Convection Model R-7H55 - has grill function too.

Here's an easy grill recipe for Coconut Grilled Chicken

6 chicken thighs
340 ml coconut cream (thick santan)
1 tsp turmeric powder (kunyit powder)
half tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp ground ginger

Combine the coconut crem, turmeric, chilli powder and ginger in a large shallow dish. Place chicken thigh in marinade and refridgerate (preferably overnight.)
Remove thighs from marinade, place on the high rack and grill for 30-32 minutes until crisp and golden

Best to check now and then since the grill time varies on the power of your oven as well as the weight/size of the thighs. I normally set the time below the recommend.

Does your oven have an Auto Cook function? If yes, it's easy to roast a whole chicken in it.

[Wan Wan]

Does your oven have an Auto Cook function? If yes, it's easy to roast a whole chicken in it.I have Sharp Model R-8H50 which have roasted countless whole chickens and turkeys.
Alas they do not make them tough and strong anymore, the microwave oven that is.
Thanks for the recipe ginaphan my family will definitely be looking forward for a change from the usual fare.

[Laughingman]

If you got something complicated to cook/grill/roast/Bake use the Oven
if want instant use the Mwave

[sly]

Hello guys, i have 3 PAUs in the office now and is there any ways for me to heat it without making it hard like stone? Btw i dont have any cling wrappers with me... any sifu out there? pls help....i love paus... :D thanks

[chloe_yee87]

Hello guys, i have 3 PAUs in the office now and is there any ways for me to heat it without making it hard like stone? Btw i dont have any cling wrappers with me... any sifu out there? pls help....i love paus... :D thanks

i wanted to ask the same question too...
too lazy wanna steam over the gas lar....have to wait for water to boil and everything, so time consuming..hehe

any tips for lazy people like me? :D