Oven to Microwave Conversion

AZ_Dawn

AW Addict
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,298
Reaction score
229
Location
Southern Arizona
So I have this craving for fishsticks that have no microwave directions and our oven went kaput. Anyone know how to convert conventional oven direction to microwave, or will I have to make an educated guess?

Thanks!
 

ULTRAGOTHA

Merovingian Superhero
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
2,467
Reaction score
313
Zap for a minute, check temperature, zap for another minute if not hot. Repeat until done.

Microwaves are so individual, that's best even if you do have directions.
 

Osulagh

Independent fluffy puppy.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
1,488
Reaction score
222
Location
My dog house.
Buy more fishsticks, ask a friend to borrow their oven, have a fishstick party with them. :D

Eh... I wouldn't microwave them. Soggy, chewy... and if they're cheap fishsticks... ew. Doable, though.

Got a toaster oven? Can you borrow one from a friend? Or, you could always DIY your toaster to bake them... and risk having them pop out onto the floor--done this, still ate them. :)
 

robjvargas

Rob J. Vargas
Banned
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
6,543
Reaction score
511
Almost every manufactured fish entree I've ever seen has recommended against microwaving them. I don't know the science, but I've tried it, and wound up with battered flubber.

So I have to agree with the manufacturer of those fish sticks.
 

jennontheisland

the world is at my command
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,270
Reaction score
2,125
Location
down by the bay
You'd be better off doing them stovetop. Very hot pan (medium high), partly covered to mimic an oven.
 

AZ_Dawn

AW Addict
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,298
Reaction score
229
Location
Southern Arizona
Thanks, guys!

So there's one vote for estimate, one for pan-frying, and two votes for "No, Dawn, don't do it!" My fishstick cravings may go unfulfilled, but this knowledge is valuable.

Osulagh said:
Eh... I wouldn't microwave them. Soggy, chewy... and if they're cheap fishsticks... ew. Doable, though.
robjvargas said:
Almost every manufactured fish entree I've ever seen has recommended against microwaving them. I don't know the science, but I've tried it, and wound up with battered flubber.
I've actually had higher end fishsticks. They had microwave instructions and came out pretty good. Sadly, what we have right now are the cheap ones. :(
 

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
20,322
Reaction score
3,513
Location
Transcending Canines
Try it different ways in a microwave oven, and as suggested, expect some failure. Full power may cause the ends to be flubberized while the center is still cold (because it's not true, microwaves do NOT go all the way through food, just part way into it - it's close enough for a baked potato, but not fish).

Try it on a LOW power setting for several (five or ten) minutes. Do this for longer or several times if you have a lot of fishsticks or they're frozen solid (but try it with a FEW first so you don't ruin them all on your first try).

I've successfully done frozen rectangles of fish in a microwave, but it takes technique to insure even cooking - use lower power, and once it's unfrozen, cut it into four pieces and rotate each piece halfway around (180 degrees) in place, so the "inside" parts become the outside and get cooked as much as the original outside.

Space fishsticks out on a plate as much as you can, so they're not touching - maybe make them radial (like spokes on a wheel), and when you're halfway through flip each stick around so the inside part is now pointing out.

This is me being a bachelor - I don't know this much about "conventional" cooking.
 

frimble3

Heckuva good sport
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
11,574
Reaction score
6,396
Location
west coast, canada
I like the microwave for cooking fresh 'actual' fish, because it's quick, there's almost no time for the fish to dry out.
That said, with frozen breaded fish sticks, I'd go with pan-frying. Or, maybe, microwave to thaw, and frying to finish. I've never had any success with breaded coatings in the microwave, they don't crisp up, and just end up a soggy mess. And, if you're intending to 'test micro-wave', it's hard to see how the fish is cooking without sacrificing sticks.
 

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
20,322
Reaction score
3,513
Location
Transcending Canines
I like the microwave for cooking fresh 'actual' fish, because it's quick, there's almost no time for the fish to dry out.
That said, with frozen breaded fish sticks, I'd go with pan-frying. Or, maybe, microwave to thaw, and frying to finish.
Okay, I admit it, when it comes to fishsticks, I thaw in the microwave then bake in the toaster-oven.