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Cooking is generally time consuming and tedious, and most people with busy jobs and busier lifestyles really do not fancy cooking much. At the same time, we all get fed up of eaten store bought frozen food or calling for takeaways all the time. Nothing equals home cooking when it comes to taste and nutrition, and eventually we all have to end up spending time in the kitchen. However, you can easily shorten your time in the kitchen by using the microwave for cooking instead of just using it as a heating and defrosting device. Modern microwaves with convection and grill make it possible to prepare delicious food in a short span of time. Apart from making the usual steamed vegetables, instant noodles or rice in your microwave, you can also use it to prepare finger licking good meat. Just follow these simple microwave cooking tips for cooking meat and you will start using your oven more and more often for making non vegetarian food.

• The first thing that you should pay attention to when cooking in the microwave is the kind of container you use for your food. While plastic containers that are microwave safe are usually good enough to heat food, use only utensils that are specially manufactured for microwave cooking if you really plan to cook. Glass and good quality microwave proof plastics are best for microwave cooking. Using any other material, including cheaper quality of plastics might lead to chemical transmission into your food, which will not only spoil its taste, but also make it dangerous for consumption.

• When you plan to cook meat in the microwave, it is a good idea to defrost it by keeping it in the fridge twenty four to twelve hours before cooking. This is because when you defrost meat in the microwave, it gets partially cooked in places. On top of this, defrosting takes almost as much time as cooking, so you won’t save much cooking time if you defrost in the microwave. 

• The microwave oven is most suitable for making dry meat dishes instead of stews and gravies. In order to make your chicken, lamb or beef soft and tasty, you should always marinate it before putting it in the microwave. Dishes that use marinades or sauces turn out best in the microwave because the spices and flavors have already permeated the food before you put it in the oven. Pierce the meat to be cooked with a fork or a sharp knife all over and then coat it with salt, spices or sauces—whatever you plan to cook it in—at least four hours before cooking. Leaving it overnight in the fridge will give you the best results, however. Once the meat is marinated, all you need to do is take it out and put it in the microwave.

• Remember that turning and moving around meat in the microwave is important if you want your meat to be thoroughly cooked all over. Keep turning meat pieces every ten minutes or so and move them around in their container so that they are thoroughly cooked.

• Always keep your container covered with cling film till the meat gets tender. Once it is three fourths cooked, you can remove the plastic covering and let the excess moisture vaporize. This would ensure that your meat is not hard and dry when cooked.