Microwaves: Why is the outside of the food hot but the inside always cold?

[Legendary]

I mean seriously, I just warmed up a plate of lo mein for 4 minutes, and the outside was BURNING hot, but the inside was ICE cold. This has been happening to me and basically everyone forever. What is up with microwaves dammit?!

 

[pyonir]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/microwave.htm

 

[sheselectric]

Because microwaves suck.

No seriously, maybe you need a better microwave. Mine has a turntable and that seems to help.

 

[Scouzer]

I believe my science class said Microwaves can only penetrate 3cm of food

 

[Mark R]

Microwave ovens, like conventional ovens, cook from the outside in.

If you have a large block (e.g. a cake), the microwaves are unable to penetrate to the centre - they only heat the outside edge.

Because of the efficiency and speed that food cooks in a microwave oven, there is insufficient time for the heat to be conducted into the centre of the food, so it stays raw.

If you want to cook a bulky item in a microwave, then you should set the oven to 'low' or 'defrost' power, and operate it for a correspondingly longer period of time - this will allow time for the heat to reach the centre and cook it satisfactorily without burning the outside.

 

[damiano]

what you need to do is cook things for a longer time with a lesser power...

(or if it is frozen...use the defrost button)

 

[ElFenix]

mircowave some. stir. microwave again. stir again. add water if it looks a bit dry. microwave some more. stir.

repeat until hot.

no really, it helps.

 

[LordMaul]

The REAL question is...

Why the FSCK were you eating microwaved lo mein?!

:disgust:

:Q

 

[PsychoAndy]

Technical reason : It takes time for the microwaves to vibrate the water molecules farther in, I think.

And microwaved lo mein kicks ass! How else are you gonna heat it up?

 

[LordMaul]

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy
Technical reason : It takes time for the microwaves to vibrate the water molecules farther in, I think.

And microwaved lo mein kicks ass! How else are you gonna heat it up?

I dunno...really. I could never eat any sort of micorwaved TV dinners. Maybe re-heating pizza or something, but no pre-prepared dinners. BLECH!

The last time I tried them was some kind of "pepper steak". I wouln't even feed my dog that crap. :frown:

 

[Justin218]

ugh microwaves suck. They're only good for warming up a cup of water and popcorn. A popcorn popper would be much better actually.