27
Cooking and Reheating Guidelines
Most foods reheat very quickly in your oven by HIGH power. Meals can be brought
back to serving temperature in just minutes and will taste freshly cooked and NOT
leftover. Always check food is piping hot and return to oven if necessary.
As a general rule, always cover wet foods, e.g. soups, casseroles and plated meals.
Do not cover dry foods e.g. bread rolls, mince pies, sausage rolls etc.
The charts on pages 28-36 show you the best way to cook or reheat your favourite
foods. The best method depends on the type of food.
Remember when cooking or reheating any food that it should be stirred or turned
wherever possible. This ensures even cooking or reheating on the outside and in the
centre.
When is food reheated?
Food that has been reheated or cooked should be served “piping hot” i.e. steam
should be visibly emitted from all parts. As long as good hygiene practices have
been followed during the preparation and storage of the food, then cooking or
reheating presents no safety risks.
Foods that cannot be stirred should be cut with a knife to test that they are
adequately heated throughout. Even if a manufacturer’s instructions or the times in
the cookbook have been followed, it is still important to check the food is heated
thoroughly. If in doubt, always return to the oven for further reheating.
If you cannot find the equivalent food in the chart then choose a similar type and
size listed and adjust the cooking time if necessary. Food should be reheated on
one occasion only.
PLATED MEALS
Everyone’s appetite varies and reheat
times depend on meal contents. Dense
items e.g. mashed potato, should be
spread out well. If a lot of gravy is
added, extra time may be required.
Place denser items to the outside of the
plate. Between 3-5 mins. on HIGH
power will reheat an average portion. If
stacking two meals, heat on HIGH
power for 6-7 mins. and change the
meals over halfway.
CANNED FOODS
Remove foods from can and place in a
suitable dish before heating.
SOUPS
Use a bowl and stir before heating and
at least once through reheat time and
again at the end.
CASSEROLES
Stir halfway through and again at the
end of heating.
MINCE PIES - CAUTION
REMEMBER even if the pastry is cold
to the touch, the filling will be piping hot
and will warm the pastry through. Take
care not to overheat otherwise burning
can occur due to the high fat and sugar
content of the filling. Check the
temperature of the filling before
consuming to avoid burning your mouth.
CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS AND
LIQUIDS - CAUTION
Take great care when reheating these
items. See Page 6.
Do not leave unattended.
Do not add extra alcohol.
BABIES’ BOTTLES - CAUTION
Milk or formula MUST be shaken
thoroughly before heating and again at
the end and tested carefully before
feeding a baby.
See page 28 for details.
WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU
USE YOUR MICROWAVE TO
STERILISE BABIES’ BOTTLES. If you
have a special microwave steriliser we
urge extreme caution, due to the low
quantity of water involved. It is vital to
follow the manufacturers instructions
implicitly.
