I had cleaned the fry daddy and was re filling it with vegetable oil.
The oil was thick and hard to scoop. I decided to put it in the
microwave for about 10 seconds to melt the outside layer so I could
scoop out the oil better. The container was plastic and the bottom
was plastic, but I knew I should not leave it in the microwave for
long. I had already removed the plastic lid.

About 10 seconds after I put it in the microwave it sounded like
Frankenstein's lab. Buzzzzzztttttt What I had not noticed was that
the seal was made of aluminum. I had cut the seal off at an earlier
date and only a small amount of aluminium was around the lid.

I guess there was no harm, no foul, but what they say about not
putting aluminum in the microwave is true.

"Terry" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>I had cleaned the fry daddy and was re filling it with vegetable oil.
> The oil was thick and hard to scoop. I decided to put it in the
> microwave for about 10 seconds to melt the outside layer so I could
> scoop out the oil better. The container was plastic and the bottom
> was plastic, but I knew I should not leave it in the microwave for
> long. I had already removed the plastic lid.
>
> About 10 seconds after I put it in the microwave it sounded like
> Frankenstein's lab. Buzzzzzztttttt What I had not noticed was that
> the seal was made of aluminum. I had cut the seal off at an earlier
> date and only a small amount of aluminium was around the lid.
>
> I guess there was no harm, no foul, but what they say about not
> putting aluminum in the microwave is true.
>


What kind of oil were you using, and where was it stored before you tried to
use it?

Terry wrote:
> I had cleaned the fry daddy and was re filling it with vegetable oil.
> The oil was thick and hard to scoop. I decided to put it in the
> microwave for about 10 seconds ....snip

I think I might have just plugged-in the fryer and let it soften the oil.

--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

On Feb 12, 4:11 pm, "Dave Bugg" > wrote:
> Terry wrote:
> > I had cleaned the fry daddy and was re filling it with vegetable oil.
> > The oil was thick and hard to scoop. I decided to put it in the
> > microwave for about 10 seconds ....snip
>
> I think I might have just plugged-in the fryer and let it soften the oil.
>

The fryer was empty. I was refilling it with canned Crisco. Our
store brand is Laura Lynn.

I put the Crisco can in the microwave.

"Terry" > wrote

> I put the Crisco can in the microwave.

Yeah. That would be a Bad Idea.

nancy

One time on Usenet, "Nancy Young" > said:
>
> "Terry" > wrote
>
> > I put the Crisco can in the microwave.
>
> Yeah. That would be a Bad Idea.

My thought as well -- I don't even like putting a fork or spoon
in the micro, although I've been told that it's acceptable...

--
Jani in WA

"Little Malice" > wrote in message
...
> One time on Usenet, "Nancy Young" > said:
>>
>> "Terry" > wrote
>>
>> > I put the Crisco can in the microwave.
>>
>> Yeah. That would be a Bad Idea.
>
> My thought as well -- I don't even like putting a fork or spoon
> in the micro, although I've been told that it's acceptable...
>
> --
> Jani in WA

Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in the microwave?

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>
> Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in the microwave?

Because it is perfectly safe and often saves the mess of finding a place
to rest it between uses stirring something in the microwave that needs
frequent stirring. I use stainless bowls in the microwave as well with
no issues what so ever. Any recent microwave cookbook or recent
microwave oven users manual will tell you how to safely use metal in a
microwave. The bit about not using metal in a microwave went out a
couple decades ago.

Pete C.

Hello, Pete!
You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:27:36 GMT:

PC> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
??>>
??>> Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in
??>> the microwave?

PC> Because it is perfectly safe and often saves the mess of
PC> finding a place to rest it between uses stirring something
PC> in the microwave that needs frequent stirring. I use
PC> stainless bowls in the microwave as well with no issues
PC> what so ever. Any recent microwave cookbook or recent
PC> microwave oven users manual will tell you how to safely use
PC> metal in a microwave. The bit about not using metal in a
PC> microwave went out a couple decades ago.

Then what is the crackling or possibly sparking noise?

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

"James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote in message
...
> Hello, Pete!
> You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:27:36 GMT:
>
> PC> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> ??>>
> ??>> Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in
> ??>> the microwave?
>
> PC> Because it is perfectly safe and often saves the mess of
> PC> finding a place to rest it between uses stirring something
> PC> in the microwave that needs frequent stirring. I use
> PC> stainless bowls in the microwave as well with no issues
> PC> what so ever. Any recent microwave cookbook or recent
> PC> microwave oven users manual will tell you how to safely use
> PC> metal in a microwave. The bit about not using metal in a
> PC> microwave went out a couple decades ago.
>
> Then what is the crackling or possibly sparking noise?
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland


.....and the burn marks on the walls of my microwave, where the aluminum foil
touched and sparked, during uninformed use by someone in this house?

One time on Usenet, "Pete C." > said:
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> >
> > Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in the microwave?
>
> Because it is perfectly safe and often saves the mess of finding a place
> to rest it between uses stirring something in the microwave that needs
> frequent stirring. I use stainless bowls in the microwave as well with
> no issues what so ever. Any recent microwave cookbook or recent
> microwave oven users manual will tell you how to safely use metal in a
> microwave. The bit about not using metal in a microwave went out a
> couple decades ago.

My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
I'm so hesitant...

--
Jani in WA

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:49:17 GMT, unge (Little
Malice) wrote:

>My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
>I'm so hesitant...

Mine's about 3 years old and I wouldn't do it.

Lou

"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:49:17 GMT, unge (Little
> Malice) wrote:
>
>>My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
>>I'm so hesitant...
>
> Mine's about 3 years old and I wouldn't do it.
>
> Lou


Not even just to prove you could do it, even though you knew it was stupid?
:-)

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>
> "James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote in message
> ...
> > Hello, Pete!
> > You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:27:36 GMT:
> >
> > PC> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> > ??>>
> > ??>> Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in
> > ??>> the microwave?
> >
> > PC> Because it is perfectly safe and often saves the mess of
> > PC> finding a place to rest it between uses stirring something
> > PC> in the microwave that needs frequent stirring. I use
> > PC> stainless bowls in the microwave as well with no issues
> > PC> what so ever. Any recent microwave cookbook or recent
> > PC> microwave oven users manual will tell you how to safely use
> > PC> metal in a microwave. The bit about not using metal in a
> > PC> microwave went out a couple decades ago.
> >
> > Then what is the crackling or possibly sparking noise?
> >
> > James Silverton
> > Potomac, Maryland
>
> ....and the burn marks on the walls of my microwave, where the aluminum foil
> touched and sparked, during uninformed use by someone in this house?

Those are the result of violating the few rules to using metal in a
microwave - No sharp edges and not too close to the walls and use
relatively large pieces of metal since small pieces such as leftover
seal foil or metal trim on a plate concentrate the energy too much and
heat too hot.

A stainless bowl with rolled edges that clears the sides of the
microwave by an inch or two is fine. A metal spoon left in a container
in the center of the microwave is fine. Aluminum foil wrapped around
thin areas of an item being defrosted with no sharp edges showing and
not too close to the microwave wall is fine (and recommended procedure
in the microwave manuals). Many microwaves come with wire rack shelf for
use in the oven. Many microwaves come with a metal temperature probe for
use in the oven.

Pete C.

Lou Decruss wrote:
>
> On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:49:17 GMT, unge (Little
> Malice) wrote:
>
> >My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
> >I'm so hesitant...
>
> Mine's about 3 years old and I wouldn't do it.
>
> Lou

Have you actually read the manual for your microwave? 99.99% probability
it has specific instructions for the use of metal in the microwave. In
particular the recommendation to use aluminum foil to shield thin areas
of food items from overcooking or cooking when defrosting. Read and be
educated.

Pete C.

Little Malice wrote:
>
> One time on Usenet, "Pete C." > said:
> > JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> > >
> > > Why would anyone even consider putting a fork or spoon in the microwave?
> >
> > Because it is perfectly safe and often saves the mess of finding a place
> > to rest it between uses stirring something in the microwave that needs
> > frequent stirring. I use stainless bowls in the microwave as well with
> > no issues what so ever. Any recent microwave cookbook or recent
> > microwave oven users manual will tell you how to safely use metal in a
> > microwave. The bit about not using metal in a microwave went out a
> > couple decades ago.
>
> My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
> I'm so hesitant...
>
> --
> Jani in WA

Microwave ovens haven't changed much at all in those years, just better
timers and controls mostly. At it's most basic level, except for the
latest inverter models, a microwave oven is a magnetron tube and a high
voltage power supply.

The earliest of microwave manuals warned against using metal because the
entire technology was new, not well understood and the public was
considered too stupid to use metal in a microwave properly.

My mother has a Sanyo microwave that is at least 20 years old and it
both came with a metal rack for use in the microwave and an instruction
manual with instructions for the use of metal in the microwave. This
microwave is still working perfectly BTW.

So the myth of not being able to use metal in a microwave went out at
least two decades ago per the manufacturers of the microwaves.

Pete C.

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:54:37 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> wrote:

>"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:49:17 GMT, unge (Little
>> Malice) wrote:
>>
>>>My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
>>>I'm so hesitant...
>>
>> Mine's about 3 years old and I wouldn't do it.
>>
>> Lou
>
>
>Not even just to prove you could do it, even though you knew it was stupid?
>:-)
>

LOL. No. And I also don't buy cook ware with plastic handles and
post a query wondering if I can put it in the oven.

Lou

On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:17:36 GMT, "Pete C." >
wrote:

>Lou Decruss wrote:
>>
>> On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:49:17 GMT, unge (Little
>> Malice) wrote:
>>
>> >My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
>> >I'm so hesitant...
>>
>> Mine's about 3 years old and I wouldn't do it.
>>
>> Lou
>
>Have you actually read the manual for your microwave?

I've read it.

>99.99% probability
>it has specific instructions for the use of metal in the microwave. In
>particular the recommendation to use aluminum foil to shield thin areas
>of food items from overcooking or cooking when defrosting.

The metal rack and temperature probe went to the garage and probably
got thrown out. I've seen examples of what happens when the rules you
mentioned in another post aren't followed. It's not pretty. I once
put a travel mug of coffee in a nuker. There were screws holding the
handle between the cup and the liner. They exploded and caught on
fire. The inside of the nuker was covered in black soot. I know
better but was just absent minded.

>Read and be educated.

LOL. ok. back at ya.

Lou

"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:54:37 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> > wrote:
>
>>"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:49:17 GMT, unge (Little
>>> Malice) wrote:
>>>
>>>>My microwave *is* a couple of decades old, which is probably why
>>>>I'm so hesitant...
>>>
>>> Mine's about 3 years old and I wouldn't do it.
>>>
>>> Lou
>>
>>
>>Not even just to prove you could do it, even though you knew it was
>>stupid?
>>:-)
>>
>
> LOL. No. And I also don't buy cook ware with plastic handles and
> post a query wondering if I can put it in the oven.
>
> Lou

I can put my Farberware stuff in the oven. But, there's a simple rule
printed on the box. I've mentioned it to a couple of "helpers" here and
gotten blank stares, so for them, the rule is different: Just don't.

On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 21:31:29 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> wrote:

>> LOL. No. And I also don't buy cook ware with plastic handles and
>> post a query wondering if I can put it in the oven.
>>
>> Lou
>
>I can put my Farberware stuff in the oven. But, there's a simple rule
>printed on the box. I've mentioned it to a couple of "helpers" here and
>gotten blank stares, so for them, the rule is different: Just don't.

The only pans around here that have plastic handles are some old
non-stick crap that Louise had before we hooked up. She had nice
stainless, but no cast. Now that she's used a good 50 year old cast
pan she always grabs them and never uses the stuff she had. But I
can't talk her into getting rid of them. LOL.

Lou