ChattyCathy > wrote:
> Got one of those 'combi' MWs - i.e. microwave/grill/convection oven,
> think I've only ever used it for defrosting/re-heating...
>
> Was gonna cook outdoors - but it rained (again). I was busy cleaning my
> electric stove/oven and I had a (small) whole chicken that I had
> planned on cooking...
>
> Anyway, my MW has an 'auto roast' function for doing whole chickens,
> hunks of beef or pork, so I thought 'What the heck?'. Put my usual rub
> on the bird, slapped it in the MW, chose 'auto roast/chicken', punched
> in the weight of the bird on the panel, hit the start button and voila!
> the MW 'did it's own thing' i.e. chose it's own combi settings and
> proceeded to cook the chicken. Approx 40 minutes later I had a very
> edible bird. The skin was crispy, and the meat was tender and moist.
> Not too shabby, IMHO. To think I've had the MW for over 6 years and
> never tried this before <lol>.

I used to have a large GE with a probe, was very good at pot roast,
but still didn't easily permit tasting, reseasoning, and adding
ingredients in the order they need to cook... didn't do well with
stopping and starting.

But still there are many foods an ordinary no frills unit cooks
well... a microwave oven does an excelent job with cooking fatty foods
in small amounts (one or two portions); does well with bacon, sausage,
meatballs, and various cold cuts like sliced salalmi, balogna, and
Spam... even with eggs, a nuker cooks a perfect Western. Will cook a
portion or two of rice or pasta to perfection without having to heat a
large pot of water. And nothing cooks frozen veggies better. A
microwave is one of the best ways to cook corn on the cob. Aside from
the usual reheating/defrosting I cook something in my microwave at
least once a day, already cooked a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.