One major problem I faced when I first began using a microwave for cooking my food is that the food never comes out crispy.
Who wouldn’t want that satisfying crunch that usually comes with oven-cooked French fries or chicken nuggets?
I had to find tricks to ensure I could still enjoy the crunchiness in my food even after microwaving.
Here is how to make food crispy in the microwave?
You can make food crispy in microwaving by applying tricks like the Use of Paper Towels, Using a Microwave Safe Mug Filled with Water, using a Microwave Crisper Tray, Use Convection Microwave Settings, and the use of microwave-safe utensils.
This article explains how you make food crispy in the microwave. Other discussed topics include Tips for Making Food Crispy in the Microwave, Why does Food Turn Soggy in the Microwave, How to Prevent Food from Getting Soggy in the Microwave, and Does a Convection Microwave Make Food Crispy, among others.
Tips for Making Food Crispy in the Microwave
Below are helpful tips I often use when I want to keep the crunchy and crispy taste of my meals even after microwaving. The tricks are simple and easily achievable.
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Make Use of a Microwave Safe Mug Filled with Water
Microwaving your food next to a mug filled with water prevents the excess moisture that comes from the food while microwaving from settling on the food and making it soggy. Instead, the water in the mug will absorb the excess moisture, and instead of the food becoming soggy, it will remain crispy.
Fill a microwave-safe mug with water and place it in the microwave next to the food you want to warm in the microwave. Finally, microwave the food for the appropriate amount of time it should be microwaved.
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Make Use of a Microwave Crisper Tray
A Microwave Crisper Tray is specifically designed to make food crispy in the microwave. To use the tray, place it in the microwave and preheat it for a few minutes. Then add the food to the tray and microwave like you would without the tray.
Ensure to spread the food evenly; a single-layer spread is better. The tray’s hot surface will cook the meals’ outer surface, giving them a crispy texture.
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Make Use of your Microwaves’ Convection Microwave Settings
Convection settings work by circulating hot air around the food like an oven does. Simply place the food in the microwave and select the convection mode.
However, before using the convection mode, it is advisable to Consult your microwave’s manual first, only use microwave-safe utensils, and do not overcrowd or stack the food.
Convection Settings are not on all microwaves; however, if your microwave has such settings, you can use them to make your food crispy
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Make Use of Paper Towels
Since paper towels are absorbent, they will soak up extra moisture from the food, making your food crispier.
Wrap the food in damp paper towels and place them in the microwave. Microwave the food appropriately, and let it sit for about two minutes before unwrapping and enjoying your food.
Why does Food Turn Soggy in the Microwave?
The microwave uses the moisture inside the food to warm the food. The microwave heats the moisture in the food turning it into steam.
The steam eventually needs a place to escape too, and since there is no place to escape, the steam begins to form water droplets that eventually go back to the food surface and settle, causing it to become soggy.
Also, the amount of heat produced by the microwave is not the same amount of heat produced by an oven. The heat cannot heat the moisture from the food and evaporate it immediately as an oven would, leaving your food in a more wet state.
How to Prevent Food from Getting Soggy in the Microwave
As observed earlier, microwaves are highly likely to make your food soggy, which can be a bit frustrating. You can always use the following simple tips when microwaving your food to prevent it from becoming too soggy.
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Only use a microwave-safe container
Microwave-safe containers or plates like glass or ceramic are known to keep heat which will heat and evaporate the steam settling on the food, causing it to become wet. Plastic containers highly encourage the formation of moisture from the steam, and eventually, your food becomes wet.
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Avoid using containers with tight-fitting lids
The tight-fitting lids on those containers trap the moisture that completely softens your food in the container. After your food is done cooking in the microwave, it is entirely wet. Better remove the lid from the container and cover it with damp paper towels or slightly cover the container with the lid to allow the escape of the steam.
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Stir your food
Use a stirrer to stir the food as it cooks in the microwave. As you open the microwave door, you allow excess moisture to escape, which might have dampened your food. Also, as you stir the food, you allow heat to be evenly distributed for the food to cook evenly.
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Let the food sit for two minutes after cooking
The two minutes will allow the residual heat to finish cooking the food.
Does a Convection Microwave Make Food Crispy?
Yes, a convection microwave can make food crispy and brown. It is for this purpose that many have decided to opt for it.
However, there are modern types of microwaves that have been installed with Convection mode or settings. That way, you can use your microwave for normal microwaving and also use it when you want to microwave brown and crispy meals.
Helpful Tips when Using a Convection Microwave or Convection Settings
Below are helpful tips that can guide you when using a Convection Microwave or Convection Settings of your microwave. They are pretty useful in guiding you to ensure you microwave your food and achieve that crispy or crunchy texture you are looking for.
Consult the Microwave’s Manual
If you are not familiar with or yet to fully understand how Convection Microwave or Convection Settings are operated. You might not achieve the crispy food you want. Therefore it is important to go back to their user manual.
Manuals are equipped with essential device operation details for safe and correct results. The manual will contain details like setting the temperature, where to place your food, and the cooking time.
The only way to achieve expected results and avoid certain dangerous situations is by taking your time to go through your microwave manual.
Use convection microwave-safe containers
Since a Convection Microwave or Convection Settings produce strong enough heat to eliminate moisture and give you crispy food, then the mugs or containers placed under such heat conditions should be strong enough to handle high heat.
Strong containers should be made of materials like glass or ceramic. Avoid using plastic, paper, or cardboard containers in a convection microwave. Such containers will automatically catch fire or melt when exposed to extreme heat.
Avoid overcrowding food
Often, people microwave huge amounts of foods when using a convection microwave or after selecting the Convection. Convection microwaving uses a lot of heat and energy. When you pile or overcrowd your food, you encourage uneven cooking. Sometimes your food begisn to burn from one end while the other end is yet to cook evenly.
Ensure to place balanced food in a container, allow some space in between if necessary or place the food on a single layer. That way, the food will be equally heated and cooked.
How to Make Crispy Chips in the Microwave (Step By Step)
If you have some leftover chips, you could use the steps and the requirements below to reheat and make them crispy, crunchy, and tasty
Requirements
- The leftover chips
- Microwavable plate
- Paper towels
Procedure
Spread the chips on the microwavable plate
For the chips to cook evenly, they must be spread equally, leaving spaces between them. That way, the heat can move in between the chip pieces equally.
Cover the chips with paper towels
The paper towels are essential in ensuring that they trap moisture from the chips, preventing the steam from getting sipped back into the chips and making them soggy.
Microwave the chips
On high power, microwave the chips for 30 to 60 seconds. Suppose they are not hot enough; you could reheat them again until they are ready to your liking. Once ready, remove the paper towels and serve while still hot.
Alternatively, for a quicker method, you could wrap the chips in a wet paper towel and reheat them in the microwave for the same period of time. The damp paper towel will trap moisture in the chips and prevent the chips from drying out. The chips will come out of the microwave crunchy and crispy.
Final thoughts
A microwave will not make your food crispy for you automatically. There are certain tricks that you must learn to achieve this. For instance, Make Use of a Microwave Safe Mug Filled with Water, a Microwave Crisper Tray, a Microwaves Convection Settings, Paper Towels, and a microwave-safe container, avoid using containers with a tight-fitting lid, and Stir your food.
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