Thanks, Pamela!

[dreamshark]

in my rambling post about my new microwave I complained about having to look through a table of cryptic settings in order to use the Sensor Cook for anything. Pamela suggested that maybe there was a label with the settings on it like on her microwave. Well, how about that! There is!

Comments

[minnehaha]

Oh, um. What is "Sensor Cook"? The only button I ever press is "add 30 sec."

K.

[dreamshark]

Well, that's the question, isn't it? Also, what is "Sensor Reheat" and how are they different? You may not have either of those buttons if you don't have a trendy new Inverter Microwave. If you do...

The Sensor buttons determine if the food is hot based on steam escape, which means neither one will work properly if you fastidiously cover your food with a glass lid or something of the sort to keep it from spattering.

Sensor Reheat: Heats the food at full power (just like the 30-sec/Start technique) but automatically decides when the food is hot and stops.

Sensor Cook: Much more complicated and totally cryptic. You have to enter a code from 1-15, depending on what type of food you are preparing. Nobody knows exactly what it does with this information. Doesn't set the cooking time, since that's based on the steam sensor. Presumably sets the power level? And maybe some other programming details, since in some cases it stops halfway and beeps twice so you can stir the food or perform some other mysterious ritual.

[minnehaha]

You should run a testing lab.

K.

[dreamshark]

Well, maybe for the potatoes.

[pameladean]

Oh good! You'll still need to check the manual for how much rice and water or pasta and water to put in your bowl, should you want to make either in the microwave. I've been making rice in the microwave recently, but I use a recipe. I used to be able to make it in a saucepan with no trouble, but lost this ability. Also the upstairs stove only has three working burners, and sometimes I need them all for other things.

And if your Potato setting does beep partway through, it's useful to turn the potato over. The potato will already be hot, and I usually stab it with a serving fork rather than burn my fingers.

Also it will work all right if you don't turn it over, but you will probably want to add 30 seconds once or twice at the end. And let it sit for five minutes, unless your manual says something else.

P.

P.

[dreamshark]

POTATOES: Do you just set the potatoes in there uncovered?
We actually have a cloth "potato bag" for microwaving potatoes, given to us years ago by one of my in-laws. We had sort of forgotten about it, but it turned up when we cleaned off the top of the old microwave to remove it and Richard started using it again. The potato bag roasts potatoes at full power in 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Maybe I'll try the Sensor Heat potato setting for comparison.

I use my Instant Pot for rice. The Rice Setting is one of very few actual programmed functions on the Instant Pot and it makes perfect rice, just like a rice cooker.

I might try the soup setting with ramen. Not that ramen is hard to make on the stove, but anything that will cook itself without having to be watched so it doesn't boil away is good. Also, I guess, it's healthier not to turn on the gas burners at all.

I will NOT be using the stew recipe, which is insanely complicated. The whole point of a microwave is that it's quick and simple, not something that requires multiple stages with manual interventions! Although I guess if the only cooking device you had was a microwave it might seem more appealing