Is it possible to cook multiple things at the same time in a microwave and how do I adjust the cooking time?
What if the two items are identical, do I double the time or multiply it by some other factor?
What if the two items are different and have different individual cooking times?
Best Answer
For different food types there is no single correct answer, as it is very dependent on the specific microwave energy absorption and reflectance characteristics of each item (food and container) in the microwave oven
It's possible to put one item in which has a high absorbency and one with a low absorbency, and to have one fully cooked and the other still cold
e.g. A potato placed in a ceramic bowl, and a sausage on a glass plate, would result in a hot sausage, and a cold potato (assuming the sausage and potato are of the same weight)
For similar food types a general multiplication is required, but not exactly by weight, as each microwave oven has an 'efficiency to food and weight' exponential curve. You will find the result of this out by experience with the oven. This rule applies somewhat to normal thermal convection ovens too
e.g. 250 g of potato takes 6 minutes in your microwave oven, then 500 g may take 9 minutes not 12 minutes, and 1 Kg may take only 12 minutes, until you reach the equilibrium point of no further improvement (about 1 Kg for my domestic microwave oven)