How to pierce yams and sweet potatoes for quick microwave cooking?

[Anonymous]

You don't understand how microwaving works. You aren't getting hot air into the center.

Micro-waves hit water molecules and excite them. When water molecules get excited, they heat up. Micro-waves have a harder time getting through thick objects. That's why the insides take longer. They are being partially cooked by the micro-waves, partially cooked by radiant heat (being next to a hot object, like cooking on a stove or in an oven).

And skewering them through will not get the micro-waves into the center of the food. You either have to cut the food into smaller sizes, cook for longer, cook for longer at a reduced power (allowing radiant heat time to work) or let it sit for 1-2 minutes after done (again to allow time for radiant heat to do its thing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand how microwaving works. You aren't getting hot air into the center.

Micro-waves hit water molecules and excite them. When water molecules get excited, they heat up. Micro-waves have a harder time getting through thick objects. That's why the insides take longer. They are being partially cooked by the micro-waves, partially cooked by radiant heat (being next to a hot object, like cooking on a stove or in an oven).

And skewering them through will not get the micro-waves into the center of the food. You either have to cut the food into smaller sizes, cook for longer, cook for longer at a reduced power (allowing radiant heat time to work) or let it sit for 1-2 minutes after done (again to allow time for radiant heat to do its thing).

This is accurate, and why I hate reheating meat in the microwave. It cooks from the outside in and makes it disgusting.

I do my "baked" potatoes in my instant pot now.