Whether we’re using it to heat up yesterday’s leftovers or we’re cooking our favourite ready meal, we come back to our microwaves time and time again.
However, we’ve all faced the somewhat frustrating struggle of either overheating our food or underheating, with it sometimes seeming impossible to find the perfect temperature.
This is especially the case when it comes to foods that we’re cooking from scratch, as Chef Shilpa Uskokovic recently revealed that the little-known power button might be the key to providing the best results.
In a recent video posted on the Epicurious YouTube channel, Chef Shilpa explained why the power button is something that we should all be using.
As she got ready to bake her freshly prepared chocolate cake in the microwave, she explained the importance of the power button and exactly how it should be used: “The power button is similar to adjusting the heat on your stovetop. By adjusting the power level, it doesn’t reduce the output of the power; it simply controls how many times the microwave comes on and off.”
Detailing the benefits of the button further, she added: “If I set the microwave at 50% power for one minute, then the microwave will be on for 30 seconds and off for 30 seconds at various intervals.”
After getting her cake out of the microwave when it had finished cooking, she was instantly pleased with the results, claiming that cooking it at a lower power held the key, saying: “Cooking it at 50% power really helped me get a nice even cook. You could see when I dug in, as it’s evenly cooked from edge to centre.”
She added: “So for ultra-precise cooking, use the power button. It is the most underrated button on your microwave.”
However, the Daily Express has previously reported that there are five common factors affecting how our microwaves perform, as well as possibly shortening their lifespan.
Andrew Wright, founder of kitchen appliance brand Cookology, said: “Microwaves are brilliant tools when used properly, but we see the same mistakes again and again. People often treat them like a one-button solution, but a little know-how goes a long way in improving results and extending the life of the machine.”
The most common mistakes include using unsafe containers, forgetting to stir or rotate food, sealing containers too tightly, neglecting hygiene, and using your microwave’s surface for storage.
