Bangbang
Executive Chef
Sometimes I will be melting butter in the microwave and it starts sparking and flashin...Whats up with that?
Microwave Fireworks?
- Thread starter Bangbang
- Start date
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OP
OP
Bangbang
Executive Chef
Psiguyy said:
There is no metal in butter? It is wrapped in paper and I remove that before putting it in the microwave.
Barbara L
Traveling Welcome Wagon
I've heard my butter start to crackle as it melts, but I've never had it arc. I looked around and couldn't find anything specifically related to that, but at SharpUSA.com it said that food residue can cause arcing. Possibly your butter splattered and caused this, or there was some other residue that caused it when you melted your butter?
Barbara
BarbaraArcing in microwave ovens is caused by metal. If there is no metal, there is nothing to arc.
If you see arcing in a food item, there has to be metal in that item.
Could the container that you're melting the butter in contain some metal? Gold or silver foil? Metallic paint? Could the arcing you're seeing actually be coming from something other than the butter?
Sputtering is another matter. Can be caused by pockets of superheated oil, water, etc.
If you see arcing in a food item, there has to be metal in that item.
Could the container that you're melting the butter in contain some metal? Gold or silver foil? Metallic paint? Could the arcing you're seeing actually be coming from something other than the butter?
Sputtering is another matter. Can be caused by pockets of superheated oil, water, etc.
marmalady
Executive Chef
Try melting it at a lower temp setting - like real low! Takes longer, but your microwave stays clean!
scott123
Senior Cook
Microwaves don't like very small amounts of food. If you're going to melt a small amount of butter, fill a bowl with water and run it with it. It won't sputter or arc.
Btw, 'low' on a microwave oven doesn't mean less heat/energy. Microwaves are only an on/off thing. Low just means that the microwave cycles on for a few seconds and then off for a few seconds. For those few seconds it is on, the butter can spurt just like on the high setting.
Btw, 'low' on a microwave oven doesn't mean less heat/energy. Microwaves are only an on/off thing. Low just means that the microwave cycles on for a few seconds and then off for a few seconds. For those few seconds it is on, the butter can spurt just like on the high setting.
Bang, you might have had a teeny piece of the foil left in the butter. I have done that. Scared the beejeebees out of me.
