No Luck With the Microwave Chip Maker

[KellerCooks]

So, at the last show I went to before becoming a consultant, the consultant who ran the show made great chips on this -- it was a huge hit. She did sweet potatoes, but they were super orange so perhaps it was a yam.

Anyway, I've been talking this up to everyone and today went to test it (potato and sweet potato) before my upcoming kick off show. No dice. The thin ones were too thin and got too crispy and tasteless, the thicker sweet potatoes wouldn't get crispy but two started to get dark marks so I didn't leave them in longer.

I have a new microwave and cooked them between 2-3.5 minutes on the turntable.

Any tips?

 

[lkhartmann]

I would keep practicing to get it right.. I have also told my guest this month that it takes some work to get it right with your microwave but it will be worth it in the end. I don't make it at peoples homes because I don't want to risk an issue..

 

[pchockeymom]

I have told my hosts I would make them at home and if they turn out I'll bring a bowl of them for everyone to sample. I've explained that I haven't "mastered" them yet as all microwaves are different. This seems to do the trick.

I thought yams and sweet potatoes were the same thing? Like pop and soda?

 

[KellerCooks]

Nope. Yams are dark orange in color and sweet potatoes look almost like potatoes on the inside (and lighter peel on the outside than yams). People use them interchangeably but if you look in your supermarket you'll see them right next to each other. Similar tastes, but difference in color. I guess I'll have to keep trying. Really disappointed as they were made at the show I was at with no problem and were awesome.

 

[Ginger428]

I do 1 tray at a time in mine. My best is using large red skin potatoes leaving the peel on, in my micro wave they take between 4-5 minutes. When slicing on #1 if you add pressure the slices come out perfect. After blotting I add minimal salt, they come out perfect every time! HTH

 

[wadesgirl]

Watch the time, start out at the lowest time and go up from there. Mine take over 5 minutes to come out crispy with two trays. Not sure if you are doing both potatoes at once either but try just doing one if you are.

 

[esavvymom]

What potatoes are you doing? I didn't have as much luck with Sweet Potatoes as I did with Russet potatoes. My SW potatoes didn't crisp as well. But Russet were great. And yes- practice. Watch the video on CC if you need to (not sure how your previous consultant did them at her show).

 

[pccbradley]

I tried mine 2 nights ago, and took almost 8 minutes to do them, I need to figure it out cause I can show it if i can not get it to work right, on the other hand I just took my mfp out of the box, i am a newbie and used my veggie wedger to cut a onion dropped it in the mfp and after about 15 pumps had amazing chopped onion, i may never use my food chopper again, i have arthritis and the mfp is so much easier, need to point that out at shows.

 

[KellerCooks]

Just used the MFP today myself (practicing for my upcoming kick-offs) and LOVE it.

 

[MLinAZ]

I tried it with a yam the other day and had mixed results. Here's what I learned though...I found that it was taking about 2.5 minutes to get them crispy. So my final batch (3rd), I put in for 2.5 minutes straight. They burned terribly. So i would recommend starting with maybe 1 to 1.5 minutes and then doing 30 seconds at a time after that, at least for sweet potatoes. Oh and I have an 1100 watt microwave.

 

[esavvymom]

I think as you use the microwave and it gets hotter, subsequent batches may not take the exact same time as the first few batches. So as you do more batches,decrease by 30 seconds and then check them.

 

[KellerCooks]

Having slightly better luck. I started taking them out after 3 minutes or so while they were firm but not crispy -- then as they sat out they got crispy. If I waited for them to start to crisp up the sweet potatoes started to turn brownish in the center. Anyone else have that issue?

 

[raebates]

Yeah, the larger slices of sweet potato turn slightly brown for me, but that doesn't bother me at all.

 

[frugalchef]

tried the apple slices and i thought thy were gross,anyone else try they and have better luck?

 

[mgranich]

I set up a table at a Weight Watchers meeting and sold eight of the chip makers!! I have had good luck with mine but the potatoes have to be cut thin and you have to blot them dry before cooking.

 

[ChefPeg]

I got mine in the other day. I found a video on youtube by PC about how to make the chips. I followed the instructions carefully, thinly slicing with the SS and blotting the slices. I've got a pretty powerful microwave (1250W) so started with a minimum time of 2 minutes and went up in 30-second increments from there, eventually working up to 4 minutes for one tray. This morning, I tried two trays and haven't quite found the timing sweet spot yet. So far, I've only used russet potatoes.

 

[Jillmami]

I use it all the time with tortillas - carb-friendly even! Make my own pita chips and people LOVE them! Do a little hummus in the MFP and you're good to go!

 

[marystell1]

I've found that the secret to making great chips on this is to find that magical first cook time. In my microwave, I cook my white potato chips for 3 minutes for the first time and then add 30 second intervals after that. With sweet potatoes, it takes me about 5 minutes for the first cook time. I've found that some never get crisp doing them 1 minute then 30 seconds and then another 30 seconds and so on. I really think the secret is finding out how long you can cook them without burning them on the first try. It just takes experimenting. And subsequent batches do require different time sometimes. Especially with all the vapor that's in the microwave and residual heat.

I too do not like to demonstrate them at shows. It's never worked for me. I always make some at home and bring them to the show.