Microwave Cooking Is Different

On Julia Child's cooking show back in the 1980s, a woman complained that she did not have time after her work day to duplicate the dishes that the country's top demonstrator of fine cuisine was showing off. "What about the microwave?" another audience member asked. Julia Child responded, "Microwave cooking is another area, very different from what I've been demonstrating." Most of the country's top cooks would have responded, "You can't produce anything worth eating in that device." Julia Child was one of the first cooking experts to point out simply and factually, "It's different."

When learning to cook in the microwave you need to make adjustments in your thinking. You need to learn to cook by time and not sight as you are accustomed to in conventional cooking. And sometimes, you need to rethink the entire process of preparing some foods. For example, the Hot Dog. In conventional cooking, you would boil your hot dog in a pot of water or fry it in a pan. Both methods take a bit of time and create a dirty utensil. In microwave cooking you can cook a hot dog without using a utensil in seconds. This is an example of a microwave cooking technique that is great for parents and college students. Busy parents can keep a supply of hot dogs and rolls on hand and teach their kids to easily make a hot dog for themselves. College students living in a dorm where microwaves and refrigerators are allowed can keep a supply of dogs and buns on hand for a quick snack while concentrating on studying for that next exam.

Here we provide the hot dog recipe for the microwave. In addition to the recipe, you'll find a photo diary of how to wrap the hot dog in a paper towel at the bottom of the page. Just remember: do not add condiments before cooking because they will become too hot and may burn.

Hot Dog

2 oz. frankfurter

1 hot dog roll

Put frankfurter in roll and place on corner of paper towel*. Fold towel deli-style (see pictures below). Cook 45 seconds (_____) at 100% power. (If frankfurter and roll are frozen, cook 50 seconds (_____) at 100% power.

mustard, ketchup, relish

Unwrap hot dog and garnish with desired condiments.

*When using paper towels in the microwave, ONLY use solid white paper towels. Do not use paper towels with color designs imprinted for decoration.

NOTE: Cooking times are for a 700-watt oven. For best results with this and any other microwave recipe, please be sure to go to the Timing Section of Microwaving Tips for a complete explanation of timing in the microwave.

Photo Diary of Recipe Preparation

(1) Put frankfurter in roll and place on corner of paper towel.

(2) fold corner of towel over roll.

(3) fold one side corner over roll,

(4) fold 2nd side corner over roll, and

(5) wrap rest of towel around roll.

6) Entire towel now wrapped around roll.

(7) Place Hot Dog on microwave oven tray and cook.

(8) Add condiments after cooking. Serve.

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