Wax paper is widely used for cooking, baking or to cover the food and prevent splatter. Many people use wax paper in the microwave to help retain heat more efficiently, the wax paper heats the food faster without creating a steaming effect on it.
Can you microwave wax paper? Wax paper that is labeled as microwave safe is safe and reliable to use in a microwave oven. Furthermore, the USDA says that paper products are safer than plastic or polystyrene when heating in the microwave.
You can find a lot of people using wax paper to cover meats such as roasts, chickens, and hamburgers, but is it a safe practice? Let us explore to find a perfect answer to this question.
Is it safe to microwave wax paper?
Available in multiple sizes and styles, wax paper meets the varying cooking requirements. When it comes to using paper in a microwave oven, you must only use microwave safe paper lined with food-grade wax.
This type of wax does not cause you any harm when the food comes into contact with the wax and even when you ingest it. However, the taste of the wax can be described as a bit funny and odd.
The taste may change slightly when the wax melts and runs into the food. To avoid this problem, you should make sure that the wax does not come into contact with the food for long durations of time.
Can you microwave wax paper safely?
As mentioned above, wax paper is used to cover the food safely in a microwave or to prevent food from sticking to the cooking surface. You can prevent splatter and other messes when you use this paper.
With enhanced heat retention ability, it heats the food instantly without streaming. So, you can use microwave wax paper without worrying too much about affecting the quality of the food.
If you have decided to use wax paper, you need to know how to use it safely. It is always advisable to buy high-quality microwave safe products from reputable brands to ensure proper safety and deliver excellent results.
If you are making use of a convection microwave, you need to be careful about an important aspect. The convection fan may blow the wax paper away while the food is being heated.
You can prevent this issue by cutting the wax papers to bigger sizes and folding the edges underneath the container, plate or food.
Microwavable wax paper can also be used as a disposable non stick covering to prevent food from sticking to a cooking surface. This makes for mess free cooking that is easy to clean up.
Another vital aspect to consider ensuring the effective safety is to check for any metal flecks on the paper you are using. People oftentimes use the same wax paper more than once.
If you are using a sheet of wax paper more than once, then you need to be extra careful and check for residual metal flecks that may have come from the inside of an oven or baking sheet. The presence of metal flecks inside a microwave could cause fire and disastrous consequences in the electromagnetic appliance.
Occasionally, packaged or store-bought food comes with some wax paper. When you heat that food, there is no need to transfer items to an extra sheet of wax paper, just use the piece that is provided.
Stick to using a high quantity microwave safe wax paper when heating in a microwave oven and you should have nothing to be concerned about.
How long can you microwave wax paper?
Fats and oils heat up easily and reach higher temperatures much faster than water based foods. This intense heating leads to the melting of the wax coating.
The lower specific heat capacity of fats and sugars is the major reason that helps them reach higher temperatures than other substances. Therefore, you don’t have to microwave foods containing a lot of fats and sugars for very long when using a wax paper.
Under normal circumstances should the wax paper reach the point of combustion very easily. So, you can heat this paper in the microwave for for 2 to 3 minutes at a time, that is to say the wax paper doesn’t completely melt onto the food when heated adequately.
This unique property or quality makes wax paper a much better option than plastic wraps.
How do you microwave wax paper?
Wax paper offers higher safety when utilized as a lid to eliminate microwave-related issues or sticky messes that can be prevented with nonstick cookware.
It doesn’t come into contact with the food directly when you use it to cover food in a microwave. Thus, you don’t have to worry about melting or burning unnecessarily.
As clearly stated above, it is advisable to buy microwave safe wax paper that uses quality materials.
You can also use wax paper to wrap foods before cooking in a microwave. However, time, temperature and technique can vary the results.
Water-based foods such as vegetable, fruits, and meats can be microwaved by covering them in a wax paper. At normal average microwaving conditions, water based food items won’t heat up wax paper to an extent where the wax coating melts off.
However, fats and sugars can heat to temperatures higher than the boiling point of water. The results of overheating fats and sugars can cause the wax to melt off of the paper.
Several people also wrap foods containing average quantities of oils and sugars in a wax paper to microwave. However, you shouldn’t microwave wax paper to cook foods containing very high amounts of salt, oils, and fats.
Reduced specific heat capacity of these ingredients leads to faster heat generation and melts the wax coating on the paper. The melted coating gets into your food to make a negative impact on the taste.
If you want to heat these types of foods, you can use a parchment paper.
You can put the wax paper on top of a microwave-safe container to prevent splatter, cross contamination and for quick disposable cleanup. Many people utilize wax paper as a pouch to cook foods such as banana bread, scrambled eggs, vegetables, garlic, corn, potato, and salmon.
This type of paper can also be used as a plate liner when you cook greasy foods like bacon in a microwave, however the high fat content can increase the cooking temperature resulting in the wax melting into the food.
Another application of wax paper is to use it as a lid on a container while cooking in a microwave.
Tips to Microwave Wax Paper
Wax paper can be used to reheat leftovers, steam foods or as a disposable nonstick surface for easy clean up. Here are a few tips to consider when microwaving wax paper
- Make use of wax paper as a pan liner. whether you want to grill or make a mug cake in a microwave, you can utilize wax paper as a pan liner for a mess free cleanup.
- Use a wax paper as a cover to heat defrosted food. Do you want to defrost food in a microwave oven? You can use a sheet of wax paper to cover that food to promote even heating. Wax paper won’t stick to the frosted food and the paper will help to trap the heat for more efficient results.
- Make sure that the wax paper covers the food properly before cooking. If you are not interested in using a microwave cover while microwaving food, you need to make sure that the sheet covers the food completely. Lids help to prevent food splatter and also trap steam and heat inside the dish for better overall heating.
Microwaving Wax Paper: Final Thoughts
Microwave safe wax paper is a safe bet to heat foods in a microwave. The specialty paper product is coated with wax for a nonstick surface that makes clean up and cooking a breeze.
Wax paper is commonly used as a pouch to steam foods, lid to cover a dish or as a nonstick surface for easy cooking cleanup.
It is recommended for use wax paper with water based foods because fat and sugar heats up to higher temperatures than boiling water. Therefore, the temperatures of the food can intensify beyond the heating capacity of the paper and the wax coating could melt.
As always, you need to buy the best products from reputable suppliers to enjoy a hassle-free and smooth microwave heating and cooking experience.