A top chef has shared his four handy hacks using the microwave that can make cooking much easier.
Dean Sheremet, a renowned TV chef from the US, uses the microwave to make squeezing lemons, steaming vegetables, peeling garlic and drying herbs easier.
‘Understanding how to microwave works will unlock some pretty incredible things that you didn’t know where possible,’ he said.
He said chefs use microwaves in professional kitchen all the time to make some tedious food prep tasks more efficient.
The culinary pro’s tips and tricks wowed thousands who were keen to try them for themselves.
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Dean said the microwave can be used to dry fresh herbs so they don’t go to waste and last for up to three months.
He zaps them on a paper towel for three minutes on high.
‘I hate going to the store, buying a bunch of beautiful fresh herbs, forgetting I have them and chucking them in the trash at the end of the week,’ the chef said.
‘This is the best way to preserve those precious herbs for up to three months.’
Dean’s second tip was to put a whole lemon in the microwave for 20 seconds to get more juice out of it.
‘After 20 seconds the membrane of the fruit is more relaxed allowing for more juice to be extracted,’ he explained.
The microwave can also be used to ‘perfectly’ steam vegetables by heating them up on high for two minutes with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
‘Contrary to what you might think you actually keep more nutrients in veg by cooking it this way because you aren’t leeching out those precious vitamins into the cooking water,’ Dean said.
Finally, the cook said the microwave can be used to make peeling garlic much easier and faster.
He places a clove in the microwave for just 20 seconds on high and it should slip right out of the peel.
‘I hate peeling garlic and this made it stupidly easy to pop them right out of their skins,’ he said.
Dean shared the pro-tips in an online video impressing thousands.
‘Where have these tips been all my life?’ one viewer asked.
‘Never thought to microwave the herbs to preserve them dried. I’ve been using them fresh from the fridge but drying them will extend the life. Thank you chef!’ another said.
‘I JUMPED RIGHT OUT OF BED to try the frozen vegetables hack and it actually works! So freaking convenient, thank you!’ a third replied.
‘The garlic one just upset me because the amount of garlic I cut I should have thought of this,’ someone added.
