# What foods can't you microwave? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003 "2003-06-06T03:58:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/41 "2003-06-07T15:14:03Z")
Grapes do very poorly in the microwave. I was cooking some Jello and wanted to put some cooked grapes and grape halves in it (I had some largish grapes). I sorted the grapes, slicing the larger ones in two, or almost in two in some cases, and placed a single layer on a plate in the microwave. I punched in 1:30 and pressed Start. SWEET SPIRITS OF NITRE! The grapes came to life and the microwave was filled with angry yellow flames erupting from each grape collision. Apparently some bad EM mojo. Further study revealed that the almost divided grapes produced the most dramatic effect. I’m positive that such an experiment, while entertaining to children and ususpecting house guests is actually quite dangerous and like deleterous to ones microwave. ---
**Author:** ![i\_like\_bacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@i\_like\_bacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/i_like_bacon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/42 "2003-06-07T22:45:14Z")
oh duh, i meant the kind they are marketing now that says specifically “microwave bacon” right on the package. ---
**Author:** ![i\_like\_bacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@i\_like\_bacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/i_like_bacon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/43 "2003-06-07T22:46:39Z")
sheesh am i an air head today, in my experience tho, the microwave bacon is sort of limp and nasty. (i meant if you took regular bacon and microwaved it here) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/44 "2003-06-07T22:47:36Z")
I guess they do something to it to make it nukable… ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/45 "2003-06-08T00:09:17Z")
After several exciting experiments with flames coming out of the air vents of my microwave I have learnt to follow cooking instructions VERY carefully. Of course that doesn’t help when your baking a potato and read “heat on high for **1** minute” as “heat on high for **10** minutes”. Now I have a gas stove and that is almost as much fun with the flames. I’ve found pet mince doesn’t heat real good in the microwave either. And all the instructions on the baby formula tins say not to heat baby’s bottles in the microwave due to uneven heat distribution - that is more of a child safety thing than anything to do with taste or eating though. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/46 "2003-06-08T00:11:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by leechbabe \* > **I’ve found pet mince doesn’t heat real good in the microwave either.** :eek: You guys mince your pets in Australia?!? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/47 "2003-06-08T01:43:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by i like bacon \* > \*\*sheesh am i an air head today, > > in my experience tho, the microwave bacon is sort of limp and nasty. (i meant if you took regular bacon and microwaved it here) \*\* Regular bacon microwaves great! Take a dinner plate, lay paper towels on it (2 sheets thick), lay 5 or 6 strips of bacon next to each other on the towels, and nuke them for 5 minutes. They come out great. They’re nice and _crispy_ not limp and nasty. I think they’re better than bacon done the old way. ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/48 "2003-06-08T04:03:35Z")
**nebco9** , I’m dissapointed :(. I took your advice and nuked a cup of cold water for 7 minutes, sat it on the floor (in anticipation of a big mess), dropped in your heaping teaspoon of instant coffee (it’s the only kind we have), and expected fireworks… or at least a little action. End result - a slightly _more_ audible “fitz”, then barely enough foam 1/4" deep to cover the surface when I stirred it up. I am now even more confident than before that it does depend on your microwave and the smoothness of the cup, as I have new found proof. (the water was hot enough that an inch had evaporated out by the time it was done nuking) ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/49 "2003-06-08T04:13:42Z")
Oh, something I discovered when I was 10. Do NOT attempt to microwave popcorn in an ice-cream container. One thing you can do in a microwave is roast almonds in it. Just scatter then on a paper towel and they come out nice and crunchy. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/50 "2003-06-08T04:17:09Z")
**mmmiiikkkeee** if you really want to burn yourself, get a nice new cup - something with no scratches in it. And kiddies, for the love of Og, don’t try this at home! ---
**Author:** ![nebco9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@nebco9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nebco9)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/51 "2003-06-08T04:49:31Z")
**mmmiiikkkeee:** Did you read the link provided by **bibliophahe** above? Check Cecil’s StraightDope Coloumn that he listed there, and I"ve repeated here. The last paragraph describes my experience perfectly, and we all KNOW HE IS THE MASTER. **davidm:** I’ve always put a paper towel on top of the bacon too so it doesn’t splatter all over the oven. I agree it comes out great. ---
**Author:** ![nebco9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@nebco9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nebco9)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/52 "2003-06-08T04:57:26Z")
\*\*mmmiiikkkeee: Sorry I screwed up the link. here it is again. [www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_111.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_111.html) I obviously am NOT THE MASTER ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/53 "2003-06-08T05:16:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nebco9 \* > \*\*\*\*mmmiiikkkeee:\*\*… > davidm: > I’ve always put a paper towel on top of the bacon too so it doesn’t splatter all over the oven. I agree it comes out great. \*\* Yes, of course. I forgot to mention that part but obviously you would want some kind of cover. ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/54 "2003-06-08T05:30:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*:eek: You guys mince your pets in Australia?!? \*\* 😃 lucky for you I wasn’t drinking anything when I read that. 😃 Pet mince is just a mixture of cheap cuts of meat minced up to serve to your pets. Probably doesn’t nuke well because it is cheap meat. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/55 "2003-06-08T06:39:13Z")
Eggs work fine. I usually lightly butter a ramekin, crack an egg into it, and microwave ot for 30 seconds at high power. Perfect poached style egg. ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003/56 "2003-06-08T07:52:36Z")
Yes, I have read that article and numerous others on super-heated water, and they all say what I’ve been repeating here: You’ll need a _very smooth_ cup, and you’ll have to get the water _very hot_ before you sprinkle in your stuff to get the water to start fizzing. Like I said in post #1, unless you have relatively new or seldom used cups, you most likely won’t find anything in the cupboard smooth enough. My first experiment with my _smoothest_ cup and a few minutes in the nuker confirmed that. Then after post #2, I thought maybe my nuker was not so powerful and didn’t get up over 100C, so I used 7 minutes to get the water _very hot_ and added more surface area the second time. Same results, and stated again in post #3 that the cup has to be _smoother_ than mine to get this effect. So, if you have _smooth_ (that’s the 3rd time I mentioned it in a post :D) cups, be careful. If you’re using the same coffee and tea stained el-cheapo cups today that you used as a kid, they’ll have enough nucleation sites on the rough sides to negate the extra ones you add with instant coffee/sweet&low/sand, and you’ll be disappointed if you try to make super-heated water - no matter how long you heat it. Enough now on water - I don’t think it counts as a microwaveable **food** anyways. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-cant-you-microwave/180003.md?page=2)