"Peter Aitken" > wrote in message
.com...
> "Paul M. Cook©®" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Default User" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > "Paul M. Cook©®" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Microwave king crab? Whoever would do this deserves to be drowned
in
> > melted
> > > > butter.
> > >
> > >
> > > Again, you aren't microwaving the food. Read what it said. You are
> > > steaming it.
> >
> >
> > The microwave energy penetrates the cells. It then causes the internal
> > water to vaporize which ruptures the cell. This is not steaming.
> > Microwaving is a unique form of cooking. I have never eaten any
microwave
> > food that I cannot immediately detect as such due to its rubbery
texture.
> >
> > Paul
> >
> >
>
> This is almost surely a myth. It sunds like one of those things that
"makes
> sense" to someone with a high school education, and therefore it gets
spread
> around. Do you have any credible references for it? In any case, even if
it
> is true it would be easily avoided by using a lower power that would allow
> the heat to diffuse through the food before any water turns to steam. Your
> statement about always being able to detect microwaved food indicates only
> that you have never had anything but badly prepared microwave food or food
> that does not take well to the MW. Used properly on the right foods the MW
> can equal or exceed other cooking methods. Used improperly or on the wrong
> foods the results are terrible. Do not blame the technology for the
> incompetence of the cook.


Microwave's cook by exciting water molecules in the food using a form of
radiation, in this case electromagnetic. Where are the water molecules?
They are in the cells. When the water turns to vapor, it ruptures the cells
because the vapor expands. It's simple physics and it even says so in my
microwave oven manual under "How does a microwave oven work." If you like
MW food, fine. I've simply never like the results no matter who makes it.
Is that a crime? And I adore seafood and think microwaving it would not do
it any justice.

Paul