Cooking Meat in the Microwave: Issues & Solutions

[PamperedK]

I really want to start using this at my shows, but I have a couple of issues with it...

1. I have a lot of people tell me that they don't like cooking meat in the microwave...

2. How do you deal with small microwaves? I had a host tell me her micro was big, and the baker BARELY fit in it.

3. Old microwaves with no power. Have you run into this issue? Stuff takes forever to cook. I like my recipes to be done fairly close to the end of my demo so that people aren't waiting. The last show I did, it was an extra 30 minutes after the demo because her microwave took so long to cook!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I really want to start using this at my shows, but I have a couple of issues with it...

1. I have a lot of people tell me that they don't like cooking meat in the microwave...

2. How do you deal with small microwaves? I had a host tell me her micro was big, and the baker BARELY fit in it.

3. Old microwaves with no power. Have you run into this issue? Stuff takes forever to cook. I like my recipes to be done fairly close to the end of my demo so that people aren't waiting. The last show I did, it was an extra 30 minutes after the demo because her microwave took so long to cook!

1. First ask them why they don't like cooking meat in the microwave. Then ask them to trust you and promise that they will be amazed.

2. I say "is it the size that fits over the stove?" - they often say yes but then it is small. Or they'll say it's a big microwave and the DCB barely fits. I check it out when I get there. If I see that it is a problem I go to plan B and we turn the oven on and start cooking the meat part right away. If I'm making fajitas I would saute the vegies a bit in the saute pan on top of the stove after demoing the mandoline. Then I take the chicken out, layer the veggies/seasoning/chicken/seasoning and put it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Or start everything on the stove top and because the meat's cooked and other parts are partly done it won't take more than 20 minutes or so to finish in the oven. Yep. plan B is more work and takes longer but she SAID it was a bigger oven. lol -- oh, and I talk about what you can do in the microwave with the baker just as I would if I was not demoing the DCB.

3. Sometimes you can't do anything but punt. If it's an old microwave it would pay to ask her what she cooks in it and how long it takes. That would give you a clue as to whether it would be worth using the microwave.


It's still so worth it to show that stone. I sell several at almost every show. If we're doing a recipe that is not in the DCB I still talk it up and show it or at least go to the page in the cataog and point it out while talking. Now so many people have one that there's often someone who does have one and they sell it for me.

 

[baychef]

Great advice, Beth. In the past 3 months I have made sure that most of my recipe choices revolve around the DCB and/or the 12" skillet.

When people say they don't like meat cooked in the microwave I say what Beth does and I also say...Do you mean the kind of meat that was cooked in a microwave when we were growing up? You know, the kind that you could bounce off the floor? No, this is so different and trust me, I want you to be amazed just like I was the first time I saw how wonderful meat turns out in our DCB.

 

[PamperedK]

Thanks ladies - this is helpful. I really want to use it at my shows. I can't even use it in the microwave at my own house! There's no way it would fit....but I'm getting a new microwave soon!

 

[cmdtrgd]

What I love to do is ask "who is excited about microwaved meat" before we make the recipe. If a DCB owner is there, they most likely raise their hand and start talking about how fabulous it is. If not, I say "well, in about 45 minutes, you will be!" And then I talk about the magic chicken and how it gets steamed and is a healthy way to cook. I also talk about the fact that even though I work at home, I am known for taking the chicken out to thaw in the fridge and finding it 5 days later or even forgetting to take the frozen chicken out, then we just *have* to go out for subway or something. This saves you money because there is no waste and no excuses to eat out. Once you have the chicken cooked, you can do so much with it. I do ask after they have eaten "Now who is excited about microwaved meat?" and most of the hands go up!

 

[cheftiffany]

I've actually done some shows where I make the chicken before any guest gets there so that then they try it and then I tell them how I made it. They are truely amazed. I almost always ask this question--If you hadn't of watch me make this would you have known it was made in the Microwave? Only once have I ever had anyone say they would have, but you're going to run into that everyone once in a while. My MIL is that way. She swears I make everything in the Microwave (with the distained look on her face). Gotta love'em though.

I always explain to the host during host coaching that we are making a micro meal and i need to make sure that thier microwave it big enough. I have even had (asked) hosts to measure it for me. that way I can adjust before I get there and make a skillet recipe instead if it isn't big enough. The biggest problem I come across is that it isn't deep enough for the turn-table to turn. That's what happened last night.

I will say though that I have had people who wouldn't even try it for fear of the radiation. Usually cancer survivors or thier relatives.

 

[cincychef]

"Only once have I ever had anyone say they would have, but you're going to run into that everyone once in a while. My MIL is that way. She swears I make everything in the Microwave (with the distained look on her face). Gotta love'em though."

My husband says he doesn't like anything I microwave in the Baker. He says it just doesn't taste the same. So last time I used it here, I made it before he got home and had it sitting out hot when he walked in. Then I said, " I made it ahead in the oven just so you would like it" At dinner he said "wow this is really good" It is all in their heads!!!!! LOL.