Interesting, I had not considered the sugar content as a factor when using the microwave.
Oh yea, I had to find that one out the hard way by burning or drying out meals simply in the process of reheating them in the microwave oven. I found myself reflecting on my high school physics and chemistry to remember that sugar is a carbohydrate and like any starchy food they can heat up evenly within seconds when excited by heat, while meats need at least a few minutes because it's primarily protein and fat. As for the sauces, I make my own and I've found that simply fully reheating a sauce can vastly extend the shelf life.
Like reheating the entire thing every time extends its life? I would have thought that would shorten it.
That actually depends on the ingredients in the sauce. Most barbecue, sweet and sour, and similar sauces are comprised of a varying mixture of salt, vinegar, sugar, and water with occasionally vegetables, like salsa, or alcohol. All in all, those are mostly preservatives.
Also, I specifically say reheat, not recook. You simply bring the pot of water to a steam, or right as it boils, and cut the heat. Then I add the jar of sauce to warm up and use a knife, stirring rods, stainless steel straws if you're in california, to stir it as cooling in the fridge can congeal some sauces between uses. I've found sauce recipes that might be quoted as lasting three weeks with refrigeration, lasts several times longer with this method.
I've experienced no problems doing this with one exception, dairy and meat based sauces. Those I will freeze to preserve them, but I thaw them out before putting them into glass cookware then employ my reheating method. So, it goes without being said, I've got a good variety of oven/stove safe cookware in my kitchen.
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