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Why Metal's So Damaging to Your Microwave

Susannah Chen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:41:44 PDT

Even the most cooking challenged would agree: you'd be hard-pressed to mess up popcorn, a TV dinner, or soup in the microwave. But stick a sheet of foil in on accident, and it's a recipe for disaster - just ask my 8-year-old self! So why does the microwave take poorly to metal?

Microwave oven transmitters produce electromagnetic radiation ("microwaves") that disturbs electrons (the negatively-charged bits inside atoms), creating kinetic energy and thereby producing heat. That's how materials that receive radiation, like food and water molecules, become heated. The game changes with certain metals, however, which can be so dense that molecules, when agitated, have nowhere to go. The electrically conductive metals bounce off microwaves, rapidly creating a high voltage between the metal and the radiation source. Once the voltage strength surpasses a certain threshold, a spark is produced and can lead to a fire.

Have you ever unknowingly put metal in your microwave? If so, tell us what happened.

Yummy Links: From Eataly to Microwave Poached Eggs

partysugar — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:30:30 PDT

Inside Eataly, Mario Batali's massive new Italian market in New York City. - Eater NY
Top Chef's Amanda shares her dreams of bringing beautiful people food. - Feast
McDonald's hamburgers are almost entirely indestructible. - Grub Street NY
Chatting with one of the contestants on Top Chef: Just Desserts. - The Epi-Log
Chef Charles Phan shares his go-to dish. - Chow
Do "better" eggs really taste better? - Serious Eats
Meet the world's most expensive cookbooks. - Huffington Post Food
Genius! How to poach an egg in the microwave. - The Kitchn

Do You Have a Microwave?

partysugar — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:15:27 PDT

In Aspen, at a special lunch, Michael Voltaggio named the microwave as "the most underused technology in cooking today." He used the microwave to make a delectable sponge cake and told us how easy it was to re-create at home. I was disappointed because I do not have a microwave. Although my kitchen is modern, there simply isn't a microwave. How about you?

Snack Attack: Oscar Night Popcorn

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:33:06 PST

Whenever I curl up on the couch in front of a good movie, I have to have a bowl of freshly popped popcorn. So the same goes for the Oscars - a night celebrating all the movies we love. Now I'm not talking about microwave popcorn here, there's way too much garbage in it.

There's two ways I make it:
1. The old-fashioned way:

Take a 1 quart size saucepan and pour enough canola oil on bottom just to cover it with a thin layer. You can also use olive oil, but I don't think it tastes as good.
Now pour 1/4 cup loose popcorn kernels in, shaking the pan a little to coat them with the oil.
Turn the burner on between medium and high. Place a top on the pan and shake it constantly from side to side over the heat. You get to work your arms a little bit too.
You'll start to hear the kernels begin to pop. Once the popping slows down a great deal, take the pan off the heat and pour the popcorn into another bowl.
Allow it to cool off a bit before sprinkling it with salt.

Want to know an incredibly easy way to make popcorn without the oil? Then

read more 2. Fat-Free Popcorn: When my dad was on the Pritikin Diet, he couldn't eat any fat, and we used to make popcorn like this all the time. Here's what you do.

Take a small brown bag, the kind you use for lunches, and open it up.
Pour enough popcorn kernels in to cover the bottom of the bag.
Close the bag by folding the opened end tightly 3 times.
Place the entire bag in the microwave, with the folded side on the bottom.
Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes, or until the popping slows down. If it cooks for too long, you'll have yourself a bag of burnt popcorn.
The popcorn tastes just like it came out of an air popper. Add salt for more flavor.

Got a great (and healthy) snack to share? Join the Snack Attack Group and tell us all! I may even feature your snack right here on FitSugar!

Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken with Lemon Over Arugula

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:45:27 PDT

When you're in a pinch and need to make a meal quickly, turn to this simple recipe. It's a delicious and healthy chicken dish that's cooked in the microwave. The seasoned chicken is coated with a light parsley white wine sauce. After being zapped, it's surprisingly moist and tender.

When served on top of a bed of greens it makes the perfect light Summer meal. For the recipe,

What About Microwaving Plastic Containers?

FitSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:00:00 PDT

The recent news about the possible health risks of using polycarbonate bottles (like ones made by Nalgene) has made me a little uneasy. Now I'm wondering about about the relationship between microwaves and plastic, like the reusable food containers I heat up almost daily.

Are the high temperatures leaching chemicals into my food? Should I use ceramic or glass containers instead? To find out

read more. According to the FDA, microwaving plastic food containers is safe, and although small amounts of chemicals from these containers may leach into your food, the amounts are small enough that they can't harm you. This statement is not exactly the reassurance I was looking for. Fit's Tips: It's recommended to use containers that are specifically marked "microwave safe." Margarine tubs and yogurt or carryout containers from restaurants should not be reheated in the microwave. If you're unsure about the container, reheat your food into a regular plate or bowl instead. Or if you don't want to deal with plastic containers at all, you may want to pick up some glass containers with lids.

Nuke Veggies to Keep Them Healthy

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

Look, I will be the first to admit that I've done a bit of microwave bashing in my day. However, a new study has come along and managed to make me eat my words . . . and my veggies. Here's why: in the study researchers found that on the whole, microwaving vegetables and fruits as a means to cook them was the least destructive to nutrients like vitamin C compared to other methods (aside from steaming). This is mainly because cooking methods like baking and grilling exposes foods to higher temperatures and more cooking time, which is destructive to nutrients.

However, go easy on the water because whenever vegetables are immersed in cooking liquid, water-soluble nutrients seep out of the food and into the surrounding liquid, which is why boiling them is not the best option either. To keep the nutrients intact when microwaving, you need only a couple of tablespoons of water to cook raw vegetables. The frozen ones need no extra liquid at all.

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How-To: Clean a Microwave

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:45:40 PST

No matter how tidy you may be, I would bet big dollars that you have encountered a filthy microwave at least once. And you may have even heated up a meal in said microwave, despite the funky food cooked onto the ceiling. There's no reason to put up with this gross-osity; making your microwave so fresh and so clean is a breeze. To learn how to kick the ick,

How Often Do You Use Your Microwave?

partysugar — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:01:17 PDT

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Make Way for the Microwave Drawer

partysugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:15:54 PDT

When I heard about the new microwave drawer recently introduced by Sharp, I couldn't help but think: How come someone hasn't come up with this idea before?

The microwave drawer works like a normal microwave, except that it's built like an oven. According to the Sharp website,

Now microwave cooking is easier for every cook in the family, with no need to remove the dish from the oven to check, stir, or turn the food. For even greater convenience, the new Easy Open Microwave Drawer Oven opens automatically with a gentle pull of the handle. Just push it gently and it closes automatically, even if your hands are full.

Sounds like the microwave of the future has arrived. I like it because the microwave has always been a bulky kitchen appliance, but with this sleek interpretation, you can have clutter free counter tops! How about you? What do you think?

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