Is microwaving bad for your food

microwave

I am an electrical engineer, who have studied ins and outs of microwaves – so I would find ludicrous, scientifically and physically wrong conjectures like microwaving destroys the "structure" of food or makes it radioactive.

Why do restaurants and ascribed "good-chefs" avoid the reputation of using the microwave oven? At least, I get that vibe from Hell's kitchen.

To me, when used expertly, the microwave oven in combination with convection or grilling produces excellent and tasty food. And it saves electricity. For example, I microwave my chicken first for a few minutes in an enclosure, before roasting or grilling it.

Why would a restaurant or renowned chef not boast of "expertise in microwave" but in fact, hides it, as much as he/she would boast of their expertise on the wok or on the flame?

Is microwaving bad for your food? Or reputation? Why?

Best Answer

Microwaves steam food from within, because they excite water molecules to the point of heat production. This has varied side effects such as:

  • Glutens tighten (that's why breads come out rubbery, and pasta sometimes falls apart)
  • Meats cook unevenly (though, as you mentioned, this can be a way to give marrow bone-in meats a head start so they cook completely in less time on dry heat)
  • Vegetables steam very quickly and are easily overcooked (though spuds in a microwave can be a handy shortcut)
  • While those 'crisper' liners can help, you can't really sear anything that's steaming. It's meant to reheat things mostly, and it's good at cooking some things entirely.

I would no sooner put waffles in a pressure cooker than I would tenderloin or fresh squash in a microwave - it's just the wrong tool for the job. But I will use one to melt butter, thaw demi glace, soften potatoes, quickly heat water to replenish a pasta pot that has been going a while, and lots of other things.

My objection to the use of them in commercial kitchens is mostly centered around cooks preparing and freezing stuff and then just microwaving it on demand. I can buy frozen food much cheaper in the grocery store. If you can easily reheat something that needs bulk prep and cold storage without degrading the taste or texture, who cares how you do it? I don't mind if you microwave my mash as long as it was made recently and tastes like you made it today :)

My objection to home use is assembling an entirely cold dinner plate and whacking it in there for a few minutes - my short ribs get all dry and my string beans start staring at me like Whoopi Goldberg would if I accidentally walked in on her in the restroom. Microwaves don't replace conventional ovens, but they're often marketed as if they do.

But I don't hate microwaves, in fact I'm considering an upgrade to one of the smarter ones in hopes of getting more use out of something that occupies some prime counter real estate.

Much like hammers, I think they just get used as inappropriately as they do appropriately, and you're hearing lots of people complaining about throbbing thumbs :)

I think some also resent the implied suggestion that microwave manufacturers make, which is "go on, cook more of stuff that shouldn't be reheated, in fact you don't even need to worry about that anymore - we've got this!" At least I did when I saw my mother-in-law grab 750 grams of cooked tiger prawns and throw them in the microwave on high for three minutes and I knew it would be rude not to eat them.

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