When cooking food in the microwave, you may have noticed that foods don’t always brown or crispen up like they do in the oven or on the stovetop. There are a few reasons why microwave cooking often fails to produce browned or crispy results.
How microwaves cook food
Microwaves work by causing water molecules in food to vibrate rapidly, creating internal friction that heats the food. This is different from oven or stovetop cooking that relies on external dry heat from the surrounding air or surface to brown and crisp food.
Since microwaves target water molecules specifically, they are not able to produce the Maillard reaction that occurs when foods are exposed to intense dry heat. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that causes browning and caramelization as foods cook.
Lack of hot surfaces
In addition to the moisture heating mechanism, microwaves lack the hot surfaces of pans, baking sheets, or grills to facilitate browning through conductive heat transfer. With the exception of specialty microwave browning dishes and crisping lids, most microwave-safe cookware does not get hot enough to brown foods effectively.
Low power and intermittent heating
Compared to the consistent high heat of an oven or stovetop, the lower power and intermittent nature of microwave heating makes it difficult to build up enough concentrated heat energy to trigger browning reactions. Microwaves cycle their power on and off during cooking, rather than applying continuous intense heat.
Solutions for browning in the microwave
While browning and crisping food directly in the microwave can be challenging, there are a few solutions to get around this limitation:
- Use the broiler – Partially cooking food in the microwave first, then finishing it with a few minutes under an intense broiler can produce surface browning.
- Microwave crisping lids – Special plastic lids with a peel-back film help trap heat and steam to crispen food surfaces in the microwave.
- Microwave browning dishes – Dark metal or ceramic surfaces designed specifically for microwaves absorb more heat to facilitate browning reactions.
- Convection microwave ovens – The addition of a convection fan and heat element allows air circulation for better browning.
- Conventional oven – Use the microwave for the convenience of quick cooking, then use the oven at the end for crisping the surface.
Why lack of browning occurs
In summary, here are the main reasons why food does not brown properly in the microwave:
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Lack of Maillard reaction | Microwaves target water, not sugars and amino acids needed for browning |
| No hot surfaces | Microwave-safe cookware doesn’t get hot enough to brown through conduction |
| Low power and intermittent heating | Cycling on and off prevents sustained heat buildup |
Conclusion
Microwave ovens have revolutionized cooking with their speed and convenience. However, the unique way they use targeted heat makes browning and crisping food a challenge without special accessories or combo cooking. Understanding what causes the lack of browning can help you find the right techniques to achieve the texture you want.