Tips of Cooking Meat

Summer is here and if you are anything like me, you don’t want to turn on your oven or stove unless absolutely necessary. I do most of my cooking in the microwave during the summer months. It helps keep my home cooler and cuts down on my cooling bill.

I have found that many people don’t like to cook meat in the microwave. I was once one of those people. Chicken would come out like rubber and I always worried that ground beef didn’t cook thoroughly. I have since found that the trick is to use the right cooking utensils.

There has also been some hype about how it’s not safe to use plastic to cook meat or anything else in the microwave. This is only half true. Certain types of plastic have chemicals that are activated with the extreme heat of the microwave and these chemicals can get into your food. For more detail go to: www.bread-machine-cookbook.com.Hence, the key to cooking in your microwave is, once again, to use the correct cooking utensils. Basically, use containers that are specifically designed for cooking in the microwave.

My preference in microwave cooking is Tupperware. Their cookware is specifically designed for the microwave so you don’t have to worry about the chemicals. Their Oval Cooker is designed to retain the moisture of your meat so that your meat doesn’t come out dry and rubbery. It also has a colander so you can brown your meat and let the grease drip to the bottom. That makes it easy to dispose of the grease drippings or use them for gravy. Tupperware also backs it cooker with a lifetime warranty so if it breaks I can just replace it with a new one, which seems like a good investment to me.

So the instructions I am providing below apply to the Tupperware Oval Cooker. If you feel confident using a different type of microwave cooker, of course, try that, but please make sure you follow the guidelines I stated above.

Cooking Ground Beef Place the ground beef with your favorite seasoning in the colander of the cooker. Cover and cook for 6 minutes per pound. Let sit a few minutes then remove from the microwave. By using the colander all the grease will drain to the bottom of the cooker.

Cooking a Whole Chicken If using the Oval Cooker you will need to use the extender piece for your average size chicken. Then place the chicken in the cooker. Pour about half a cup of water on the bottom of the cooker. For more detail go to: www.delicious-sandwich-recipes.com.Sprinkle your chicken with your favorite’s seasonings. Place the cover on the cooker and cook for 6 minutes per pound. I think you will be surprised at how moist your chicken comes out.

Cooking Cut up Chicken After cutting up your chicken use the same instructions for cooking a whole chicken. Determine by how high the chicken stacks if you will need to use the extender or not.

Cooking Chicken Pieces You can use the colander to cook chicken pieces. Cut the chicken into bit size pieces. I usually use chicken breast cutlets for this. Place the cutup chicken pieces in the colander. Season with your favorite seasonings. Place the cover on the cooker and microwave for 6 minutes per pound.

3 pounds chicken pieces or 1 ½ boneless skinless chicken 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 cardamom pods (optional) 1 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick (optional) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped 1 medium tomato, finely chopped 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoons coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Remove the skin and all visible fat from the chicken pieces. (I often have the butcher clean the chicken.) Cut 2-3 slits, 1 inch long and 1/2 inch deep, in each piece of chicken. Set aside. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and fry for 3-5 minutes, turning the pieces over once or twice until they are white. Transfer the chicken to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add cumin powder, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, chopped onion, garlic and ginger to the oil. Fry for 7-8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions are golden brown. Stir in tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, ground fennel seeds and black pepper. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Whip yogurt with wire wisk and add 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Fry for another 2-4 minutes. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt. Stir to coat the spice mixture …
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