Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
Reply |
|
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:56:19 -0000
"john royce" wrote: When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave |
#2
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. |
#3
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
john royce wrote:
When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Would it be possible to use the casserole lid but upside down, so that it doesn't create the seal? Stand the top dish on the lid. Hopefully it would give more stability that something flat. |
#4
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
john royce wrote:
When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. [snip] We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? If I had to support one pot on top of the other, I'd probably just take a couple of chopsticks out of the drawer, lay them across the lower pot, and sit the upper pot on top. Have I missed something? Pete |
#5
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"Owain" wrote in message ... On 4 Nov, 13:56, "john royce" wrote: We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Could you make a rack out of chopsticks across the lower casserole? You could also put the chopsticks across the casserole before putting the lid on top. Owain Thanks to the sensible responses. The glass casserole dishes are so well made that the lids are too closely fitting even when placed upside down. Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it. |
#6
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
In article ,
"john royce" wrote: When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. How full are we talking here? You need some space in there for heat circulation. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. A build-up of pressure? That's a new one to me. Are you sure it's just not the contents of the casserole bubbling due to the cooking? To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. My microwave came with a metal rack. . . . We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Invert a pie place over the bottom one and don't fill the bottom casserole so full that it will bubble over. Set your second casserole on top of the inverted pie plate. PS: I am not responsible for any burns you may incur, nor any mess, nor any bad language. Alternatively, get a pizza stone, the right drill bit, and drill holes in it ‹ the DIY rack you seek. -- -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Who Said Chickens Have Fingers? 10-30-2009 |
#7
Posted to uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
In article ,
Pete Verdon d wrote: john royce wrote: When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. [snip] We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? If I had to support one pot on top of the other, I'd probably just take a couple of chopsticks out of the drawer, lay them across the lower pot, and sit the upper pot on top. Have I missed something? Pete Great idea, Pete! Better than mine and I wish I'd thought of it first. -- -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Who Said Chickens Have Fingers? 10-30-2009 |
#8
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
john royce wrote:
"Owain" wrote in message ... On 4 Nov, 13:56, "john royce" wrote: We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Could you make a rack out of chopsticks across the lower casserole? You could also put the chopsticks across the casserole before putting the lid on top. Owain Thanks to the sensible responses. The glass casserole dishes are so well made that the lids are too closely fitting even when placed upside down. Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it. what about the bottom of one of those chinese bamboo steamers which are a grid of bamboo sticks? These are pretty cheap, or you could use the lid of a microwave streamer as sold by matalan. dedics |
#9
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"john royce" wrote in message
We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? It would need to be something which does not conduct electricity - non metal. Maybe you could find something like a cookie sheet for a regular oven which is non metal and cut it to size, then support it with glass supports at each corner. Or maybe a "glass blower" person could design something for you? Maybe even "glass rods" made into a rack with supports like a metal rack? As to saving pennies or fractions thereof, if people would learn to add, they would know that pennies add up to dollars! That is why my electric bill will be $28 U.S. this month. Many things I have done to my electric system which save pennies! |
#10
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
Melba's Jammin' wrote:
In article , "john royce" wrote: But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. My microwave came with a metal rack. . . . Yeah, not sure what the whole deal is with metal and microwave ovens - ours also came with two metal racks of different heights intended (mainly) for combination-cooking of baked potatoes; ie micro first, then direct heat to brown/crispen them. I don't know whether the issue is that metal can become disproportionately hot with microwaves only, thereby maybe melting a plastic bowl or burning the unwary user? Then again, the legs of our racks even have little rubber feet! so don't ask me. David |
#11
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009, Dave C. wrote:
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:56:19 -0000 "john royce" wrote: When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave No, problem solving can be cheap. But in the original question, there is the assumption that filling the microwave saves money. I'm not so sure, since the more you put in, the longer it takes to heat up, and hence electricity use increases. The advantage of smaller portions at a time is that you can better control how it cooks, and it's certainly easier to open the door, take the lid off one package and stir (when stirring is needed) than to deal with a full oven. So in order for the need for some sort of rack, one first has to see if there really is a savings from filling up that microwave, or is it basically the same electricity useage cooking things separately. Michael |
#12
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 06:32:26 -0800, "Bill" wrote:
As to saving pennies or fractions thereof, if people would learn to add, they would know that pennies add up to dollars! That is why my electric bill will be $28 U.S. this month. Many things I have done to my electric system which save pennies! And a KW costs what exactly ? Andy C |
#13
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:13:30 +0800, "Dave C."
wrote: Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave These nut cases appear every so often. To store all of those casseroles, he needs a large freezer... when the freezer is empty, he's wasting electricity. It's a cycle he hasn't give much thought to. Being frugal doesn't mean being cheap, it just means don't waste. However, he's taking the concept to the point of being a cheapskate. I wonder if he reuses toilet paper? -- I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food. |
#14
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"john royce" wrote in message ... snip Could you make a rack out of chopsticks across the lower casserole? You could also put the chopsticks across the casserole before putting the lid on top. Owain Thanks to the sensible responses. The glass casserole dishes are so well made that the lids are too closely fitting even when placed upside down. Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it. From http://www.economy-point.org/i/ignit...mperature.html "Ignition temperature of some solids: Solid Ignition temperature in "°C Fir wood 280 Wood 280-340 Cork 300-320" A normal convection oven should not go above 250C so bamboo is unlikely to catch fire - especially as it is over food which is cooking and therfore giving off steam. How do you expect the chopsticks not to cope? If you are worried you could always soak them in water first. |
#15
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:56:19 -0000, "john royce"
wrote: So after throwing a snotty fit and not thanking anyone in your sausage query thread you now come back to RFC and ask more stupid questions? GFY! Lou |
#16
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
Michael Black wrote:
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009, Dave C. wrote: On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:56:19 -0000 "john royce" wrote: When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave No, problem solving can be cheap. But in the original question, there is the assumption that filling the microwave saves money. I'm not so sure, since the more you put in, the longer it takes to heat up, and hence electricity use increases. Full does however reduce the inevitable losses, most obviously heating the oven itself, particularly if he uses the convention part at all, but even if he only uses it in microwave mode. The advantage of smaller portions at a time is that you can better control how it cooks, and it's certainly easier to open the door, take the lid off one package and stir (when stirring is needed) than to deal with a full oven. Yes. But if you are into documenting the batches properly, you should be able to get the detail right so you dont need to inspect and adjust with the later batches with most food. So in order for the need for some sort of rack, one first has to see if there really is a savings from filling up that microwave, or is it basically the same electricity useage cooking things separately. Thats unlikely. |
#17
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
sf wrote:
On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:13:30 +0800, "Dave C." wrote: Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave These nut cases appear every so often. To store all of those casseroles, he needs a large freezer... when the freezer is empty, he's wasting electricity. It's a cycle he hasn't give much thought to. Being frugal doesn't mean being cheap, it just means don't waste. However, he's taking the concept to the point of being a cheapskate. I wonder if he reuses toilet paper? I thought many things about his post, but I decided to answer the question that was asked. |
#18
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
john royce wrote:
When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Go to a cheapo tile shop, or even hardware store, and get appropriate size large ceramic floor tiles to separate/stack the dishes. |
#19
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Nov 4, 1:56*pm, "john royce" wrote:
When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; *so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. *Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) *by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, *a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. *Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? * Thanks for advice. Save far more money by tweaking recipes so very little of the ingredietns even need heating, let alone cooking. Saves lots of time too. NT |
#20
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"john royce" wrote in message ... When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Wooden sticks might have to soak in water? Robert |
#21
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"Bob F" wrote in message ... Go to a cheapo tile shop, or even hardware store, and get appropriate size large ceramic floor tiles to separate/stack the dishes. This is **food** we're talking about here - whatever you use, if it has a chance of coming into contact with food, should be food grade. |
#22
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:30:58 +0000, Ian & Hilda Dedic wrote:
john royce wrote: "Owain" wrote in message ... On 4 Nov, 13:56, "john royce" wrote: We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Could you make a rack out of chopsticks across the lower casserole? You could also put the chopsticks across the casserole before putting the lid on top. Owain Thanks to the sensible responses. The glass casserole dishes are so well made that the lids are too closely fitting even when placed upside down. Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it. what about the bottom of one of those chinese bamboo steamers which are a grid of bamboo sticks? These are pretty cheap, or you could use the lid of a microwave streamer as sold by matalan. dedics You should actually be able to use metal skewers instead of chopsticks. As long as the gap between them both and between them and the metal walls is large enough, they will not spark and will have little effect on heating. Oddly enough, our first microwave (a Tricity combination oven fifteen years ago) had a metal rack and specifically mentioned that it was okay to use it for combination cooking - I can only think that thanks to the glass turntable, it was held far enough away from the metal casing. SteveW |
#23
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:41:33 +0000, Lobster wrote:
Melba's Jammin' wrote: In article , "john royce" wrote: But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. My microwave came with a metal rack. . . . Yeah, not sure what the whole deal is with metal and microwave ovens - ours also came with two metal racks of different heights intended (mainly) for combination-cooking of baked potatoes; ie micro first, then direct heat to brown/crispen them. I don't know whether the issue is that metal can become disproportionately hot with microwaves only, thereby maybe melting a plastic bowl or burning the unwary user? Then again, the legs of our racks even have little rubber feet! so don't ask me. David The metal racks do not become hot from the microwaves, but in early microwaves that didn't use turntables or steer the microwaves, all the microwaves would come from one direction and bounce around until absorbed and the metal racks could shield the food preventing it cooking properly. Also if any metal in the microwave comes close enough to any other metal, the gap between them will spark madly. SteveW |
#24
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
john royce wrote:
We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves We use one of these: http://tinyurl.com/yzlet9o It works fine with microwaveable/ceramic containers and fits neatly over a plate so you can, for example reheat a meal and cook something else at the same time. It wouldn't work if you used those microwave containers designed to "brown" food because they get extremely hot. and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Out microwave was supplied with two wire racks that permit food to be stacked when using it as a combination oven. Although chrome plated wire they don't "spark" in the microwave. So umm, I'd say check what comes with the next microwave that you buy. Some of them are better for that sort of stuff than others. |
#25
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "john royce" saying something like: We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. Pyrex casserole dish lid, turned upside down, is just the thing. |
#26
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Nov 4, 8:56 am, "john royce" wrote:
When making casseroles in the microwave combination oven, I try to fill the oven right up; so as to be frugal with electricity. Although some casserole dishes come with lids, I find that these fairly close fitting lids usually create a build up of pressure and some of the liquid then squirts out, all over the place. To utilise all available oven space it means stacking two casserole dishes one on top of the other. Using a normal oven this would be simple to do (bearing in mind I'm not using lids) by using a metal rack on the lower one to support the upper one. But when using the combination feature (which I find usefully lessons the cooking time) both normal heating and microwave are used "together". So when the microwave is on, a metal rack cannot be used. We have been trying to think of a means of supporting one casserole dish on top of another one ( the top one usually a smaller diameter ) by means of something that will tolerate microwaves and the hotter temperatures using the normal oven heating element. Does such a thing exist anywhere for this purpose, or what might be some neat way to solve this problem? Thanks for advice. You will save exactly nothing. The MW puts out so many BTUs and that is absorbed by the food. Two cups of water will take twice as long to boil because it takes twice as many BTUs to raise the temperature the the boiling point. The same principle applies to your plan to put piles of food in the oven. Two equal piles will take twice as long to cook and it won't cook as evenly either when the food is crowded together. Time to rethink your cunning plan. I use two different microwaves on two different circuits. |
#27
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
Al wrote:
You will save exactly nothing. The MW puts out so many BTUs and that is absorbed by the food. Two cups of water will take twice as long to boil because it takes twice as many BTUs to raise the temperature the the boiling point. The same principle applies to your plan to put piles of food in the oven. Two equal piles will take twice as long to cook and it won't cook as evenly either when the food is crowded together. Time to rethink your cunning plan. I use two different microwaves on two different circuits. Agreed. But the OP later wrote: "Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it." Which seems to question just what the OP is doing. Using microwave heating, using element heating, or both? And if he really wants to minimise electricity usage perhaps a hay box would help? -- Rod |
#28
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Nov 4, 5:32 pm, Rod wrote:
Al wrote: You will save exactly nothing. The MW puts out so many BTUs and that is absorbed by the food. Two cups of water will take twice as long to boil because it takes twice as many BTUs to raise the temperature the the boiling point. The same principle applies to your plan to put piles of food in the oven. Two equal piles will take twice as long to cook and it won't cook as evenly either when the food is crowded together. Time to rethink your cunning plan. I use two different microwaves on two different circuits. Agreed. But the OP later wrote: "Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it." Which seems to question just what the OP is doing. Using microwave heating, using element heating, or both? And if he really wants to minimise electricity usage perhaps a hay box would help? -- Rod He could save electricity by cutting vent holes in the top and using all those sticks for kindling under the food. In other words, use the oven like a hibachi. There's plenty of sticks lying about in this season. Do this outside though for safety reasons. Also, this may void the warranty on your microwave. |
#29
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"sf" wrote in message ... On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:13:30 +0800, "Dave C." wrote: Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave These nut cases appear every so often. To store all of those casseroles, he needs a large freezer... when the freezer is empty, he's wasting electricity. It's a cycle he hasn't give much thought to. Being frugal doesn't mean being cheap, it just means don't waste. However, he's taking the concept to the point of being a cheapskate. I wonder if he reuses toilet paper? Some people are so *opinionated* dont you think? The original question was not 'just' about saving money, (which if you are not a merkin, might actually have consequences) sometimes its just more convenient to cook as much as a microwave will take; which often is not all that much anyway. Our cooking rarely if ever gets frozen, so why introduce to others such aspects as this that your over active mind uneccesarily produces? You readily call someone else a nutcase for asking a valid food related question, but empty vessals make the most noise, and you certainly qualify wouldn't you say? Its always a big problem in (therapy) groups that the shallow and opionated want to *hog* everything. when two or more empty vessals start talking to each other they succeed and then spoil the newsgroup for others. Why dont you look at yourself? |
#30
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"Al" wrote in message ... On Nov 4, 5:32 pm, Rod wrote: Al wrote: You will save exactly nothing. The MW puts out so many BTUs and that is absorbed by the food. Two cups of water will take twice as long to boil because it takes twice as many BTUs to raise the temperature the the boiling point. The same principle applies to your plan to put piles of food in the oven. Two equal piles will take twice as long to cook and it won't cook as evenly either when the food is crowded together. Time to rethink your cunning plan. I use two different microwaves on two different circuits. Agreed. But the OP later wrote: "Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it." Which seems to question just what the OP is doing. Using microwave heating, using element heating, or both? And if he really wants to minimise electricity usage perhaps a hay box would help? Rod Thanks to all (except the couple of empty vessals who waste everyones time). To answer some general points: this oven uses both microwave and heating element both at the same time. Our instruction manual specifically say not to use any metal. Once I put in a plate that had a gold glazed rim and it started sparking like crazy. Its not just about economy, the microwave is not so big; so to fill it up is more convenient. Upturned lids are so close fitting that pressure builds up and liquid squirts out, so thats a no go. Grateful especially for the information about the ignition temperatures of wood. Mistakely I assumed that the higher temperatures produced by the heating element would cause the wood to catch fire. This information has now solved this issue since I can easily make something out of some strips of hardwood. Thanks. |
#31
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
"john royce" wrote in message ... (snipped) Grateful especially for the information about the ignition temperatures of wood. Mistakely I assumed that the higher temperatures produced by the heating element would cause the wood to catch fire. This information has now solved this issue since I can easily make something out of some strips of hardwood. Thanks. Just a note of (possibly excessive) caution here. Back in the 1970's energy crisis, a lot of people tried home heating with wood burning stoves. At the time, I read that the ignition temperature of wood can be drastically lowered by long-term exposure to elevated temperatures - in extreme cases, ignition temperature can be lower than the boiling point of water. The article was in connection with placing a wood-burner an adequate distance from walls and furniture for safety. I don't know how accurate that information is, but if your wood rack will be exposed to elevated oven temperatures over a period of years, this may apply to you as well. |
#32
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Thu, 5 Nov 2009 11:39:21 -0000, "john royce"
wrote: Some people are so *opinionated* dont you think? The original question was not 'just' about saving money, (which if you are not a merkin, might actually have consequences) sometimes its just more convenient to cook as much as a microwave will take; which often is not all that much anyway. John, your message was lost after "merkin". Lose that word and you'll be listened to more closely. -- I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food. |
#33
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
john royce wrote:
Some people are so *opinionated* dont you think? The original question was not 'just' about saving money, (which if you are not a merkin, might actually have consequences) sometimes its just more convenient to cook as much as a microwave will take; which often is not all that much anyway. Our cooking rarely if ever gets frozen, so why introduce to others such aspects as this that your over active mind uneccesarily produces? You readily call someone else a nutcase for asking a valid food related question, but empty vessals make the most noise, and you certainly qualify wouldn't you say? Its always a big problem in (therapy) groups that the shallow and opionated want to *hog* everything. when two or more empty vessals start talking to each other they succeed and then spoil the newsgroup for others. Why dont you look at yourself? oh you're gonna fit right in with AmandaF/Mandy Ruby. You both sound like twits. |
#34
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
In article
, "john royce" wrote: "sf" wrote in message ... On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:13:30 +0800, "Dave C." wrote: Let's get this straight... you are trying to think of a creative way to save about .0000000000002 pennies worth of electricity? C'mon, be serious now... is this a troll? -Dave These nut cases appear every so often. To store all of those casseroles, he needs a large freezer... when the freezer is empty, he's wasting electricity. It's a cycle he hasn't give much thought to. Being frugal doesn't mean being cheap, it just means don't waste. However, he's taking the concept to the point of being a cheapskate. I wonder if he reuses toilet paper? Some people are so *opinionated* dont you think? The original question was not 'just' about saving money, (which if you are not a merkin, might actually have consequences) sometimes its just more convenient to cook as much as a microwave will take; which often is not all that much anyway. Our cooking rarely if ever gets frozen, so why introduce to others such aspects as this that your over active mind uneccesarily produces? You readily call someone else a nutcase for asking a valid food related question, but empty vessals make the most noise, and you certainly qualify wouldn't you say? Its always a big problem in (therapy) groups that the shallow and opionated want to *hog* everything. when two or more empty vessals start talking to each other they succeed and then spoil the newsgroup for others. Why dont you look at yourself? I'd suggest you ask your question in rec.food.cooking rec.food.equipment or if it's that important, try to find a bigger microwave/combo unit or why aren't you just using a regular/convection unit (btw I actually don't have a full sized one but use a counter-top convection/toaster unit for lots of my meals. I also have an advantium microwave/convection oven but I don't really like it and am hoping to switch it out for a full sized convection oven) |
#35
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
Lou wrote:
"Bob F" wrote in message ... Go to a cheapo tile shop, or even hardware store, and get appropriate size large ceramic floor tiles to separate/stack the dishes. This is **food** we're talking about here - whatever you use, if it has a chance of coming into contact with food, should be food grade. Ceramic tile is used all the time for kitchen counters. And it's just separating the dishes. Probably not even touching the food. |
#36
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
Bob F wrote:
Lou wrote: "Bob F" wrote in message ... Go to a cheapo tile shop, or even hardware store, and get appropriate size large ceramic floor tiles to separate/stack the dishes. This is **food** we're talking about here - whatever you use, if it has a chance of coming into contact with food, should be food grade. Ceramic tile is used all the time for kitchen counters. And it's just separating the dishes. Probably not even touching the food. Makes more sense to use ceramic plates etc instead of tiles. I use those Corelle plates for that, works fine in both a combo oven and pure oven of either type. |
#37
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Nov 5, 3:47 pm, (spendwize.com)
wrote: Piling one dish upon another is going to alter the way the mocrowave heats both dishes! The waves are going through double densities. So whatever you think you are saving, you are probably spending in needing to heat longer. If you want to cover a dish withour the top "exploding" just don't civer it tightly; leave a little open space for the steam to escape. xxxxo Please don't bother the OP with technical facts about how microwaves work. HE/she would rather experiment with putting wood and other objects into a device designed to cook food in certain reasonable portions. I hope it works out for the OP. I would add in passing that some of the off-gassing from putting objects not designed for microwave cooking into such ovens can cause health problems, but what the hell! |
#38
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Nov 5, 7:02 am, "john royce" wrote:
"Al" wrote in message ... On Nov 4, 5:32 pm, Rod wrote: Al wrote: You will save exactly nothing. The MW puts out so many BTUs and that is absorbed by the food. Two cups of water will take twice as long to boil because it takes twice as many BTUs to raise the temperature the the boiling point. The same principle applies to your plan to put piles of food in the oven. Two equal piles will take twice as long to cook and it won't cook as evenly either when the food is crowded together. Time to rethink your cunning plan. I use two different microwaves on two different circuits. Agreed. But the OP later wrote: "Using the oven eating element easily brings the temperature up to where the wood (chopsticks) cannot cope with it." Which seems to question just what the OP is doing. Using microwave heating, using element heating, or both? And if he really wants to minimise electricity usage perhaps a hay box would help? Rod Thanks to all (except the couple of empty vessals who waste everyones time). To answer some general points: this oven uses both microwave and heating element both at the same time. Our instruction manual specifically say not to use any metal. Once I put in a plate that had a gold glazed rim and it started sparking like crazy. Its not just about economy, the microwave is not so big; so to fill it up is more convenient. Upturned lids are so close fitting that pressure builds up and liquid squirts out, so thats a no go. I solved that lid problem by drilling 1/8" holes in the lids in various places. Liquids can't squirt out unless the container is either over filled and/or over heated. If you start boiling everything, it has to go somewhere. Be prepared to replace your equipment more often too as the cooking methods you favor are more taxing to the electronics. Heat is one of the main killers of electronic parts. Your oven is staying hotter longer and is not able to dispense with the heat. One of the first things that goes with microwaves subjected to this is the overheat sensor/s. These are mere $30 parts, but take an expensive service call or bench charge to replace. I'd do it for you for about $100. And that's the cheapest thing that can happen. |
#39
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
Al wrote:
On Nov 5, 3:47 pm, (spendwize.com) wrote: Piling one dish upon another is going to alter the way the mocrowave heats both dishes! The waves are going through double densities. So whatever you think you are saving, you are probably spending in needing to heat longer. If you want to cover a dish withour the top "exploding" just don't civer it tightly; leave a little open space for the steam to escape. xxxxo Please don't bother the OP with technical facts about how microwaves work. HE/she would rather experiment with putting wood and other objects into a device designed to cook food in certain reasonable portions. I hope it works out for the OP. I would add in passing that some of the off-gassing from putting objects not designed for microwave cooking into such ovens can cause health problems, but what the hell! And we won't bother you with facts like the one that the OP has a "microwave combination oven", not a microwave oven. |
#40
Posted to rec.food.cooking,uk.d-i-y,misc.consumers.frugal-living
|
|||
|
|||
diy rack for oven problem
On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 11:17:58 -0800, "Bob F"
wrote: Al wrote: On Nov 5, 3:47 pm, (spendwize.com) wrote: Piling one dish upon another is going to alter the way the mocrowave heats both dishes! The waves are going through double densities. So whatever you think you are saving, you are probably spending in needing to heat longer. If you want to cover a dish withour the top "exploding" just don't civer it tightly; leave a little open space for the steam to escape. xxxxo Please don't bother the OP with technical facts about how microwaves work. HE/she would rather experiment with putting wood and other objects into a device designed to cook food in certain reasonable portions. I hope it works out for the OP. I would add in passing that some of the off-gassing from putting objects not designed for microwave cooking into such ovens can cause health problems, but what the hell! And we won't bother you with facts like the one that the OP has a "microwave combination oven", not a microwave oven. But in the present case it's you who doesn't comprehend the facts... that it's a combo has not a whit of bearing... the oven cooks with microwaves, the conventional radiant energy portion functions to brown. When the radiant energy produced by the conventional portion is blocked by over crowding the microwaves will overcook the food way before it browns. With those combo ovens it's far more important not to over crowd than with single function ovens. |
Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
mount towel rack/magazine rack to ceramic tile | Home Repair | |||
Gun Rack/Cabinet Plan .... Just the rack part... | Woodworking | |||
Gas Oven Problem | UK diy | |||
problem on GE gas oven | Home Repair | |||
Gas oven problem? | Home Repair |