Can You Cook A Large DiGiorno Pizza In The Microwave?
Last updated on October 26th, 2022 at 05:20 pm
The DiGiorno frozen pizza is one of the most popular frozen pizza brands. Like other frozen pizza brands, the idea is to leave the customers with the cooking of the food at any time.
In this way, the pizza retains its freshness whenever you cook it. Ideally, it is better to cook your frozen pizza in the oven.
However, you can cook DiGiorno pizza in a microwave. Some factors affect the success of this cooking method. These factors include the size and capacity of the microwave and the size of the pizza. It is also important to abide by the food and safety rules the U.S Department of Agriculture has outlined.
Can You Cook a Large DiGiorno Pizza in the Microwave?
There is no reason why you cannot cook DiGiorno pizza in a microwave, irrespective of the size. There is no room to argue that the oven is the best way to cook your pizza.
But there are some reasons why a microwave will be the next best option.
It could be that your oven needs repair, or your apartment does not come with one. It could simply be that you want to save time.
DiGiorno is one pizza brand that officially recommends the microwave as one cooking method. For example, DiGiorno’s four-cheese personal pizza has instructions for a micro bake option.
The instructions are easy to follow. The last step goes as far as stating the time required to cook the pizza well. The time varies depending on the microwave wattage.
For a microwave with a wattage range of 600 to 800, three and a half minutes is enough to defrost your pizza.
The time decreases by 30 seconds for a microwave with a watt range of 800 to 1100.
For any microwave with watts greater than 1100, the pizza would thoroughly defrost in two and a half minutes.
DiGiorno Microwave Pizza Instructions
Like all meals and cooking methods, microwaving frozen pizza requires two phases.
These phases include the preparation phase, which is also called the setup phase, and the actual cooking phase.
#1. Preparatory Phase
Before you begin, you should know that it is not mandatory to defrost the pizza beforehand. The reason is that the microwave is a defrosting machine and will do all that.
The only difference between defrosted and frozen pizza is that the defrosted pizza takes lesser time to cook.
To begin cooking, take the pizza from the freezer and remove all the packaging seals. Be sure to remove any plastic wrap, and do not use a cardboard tray.
Using a non-microwave-safe plate can cause sparks and destroy your machine. Place the pizza on a plate or pan that is large enough for the pizza and is microwave-safe.
You can use a non-stick pan or a sizzling plate to ensure your pizza crust stays crispy.
DiGiorno has a microwave-safe side on its carton shaped like a disk. It is proper to use this to get even better results.
#2. Cooking Phase
All that is left is to put the DiGiorno in the microwave and let it cook. The time it takes for a pizza to cook well depends on the size. But it ranges from 5 – 11 minutes.
One constant is that it must cook on high settings. The U.S Department of Agriculture advises that frozen pizza must cook at a temperature of at least 165°F.
You should add a cup of water to the microwave. Doing this will help prevent the pizza from becoming soggy while the cheese melts.
Also, pizza cooked in the microwave will not have a brown crust because the microwave does not have a browning function.
You can use a microwave crisper pan if you have a strong bias for the pizza with crispy crusts. This plan guarantees that the pizza crust is just as crispy as when prepared with any oven.
How Long Do You Cook a DiGiorno Frozen Pizza?
The time it takes to cook a frozen DiGiorno pizza depends on the size. A 10-inch pizza takes approximately five to seven minutes to cook.
Mini pizzas require the same amount of time. With 12-inch pizzas, it will take between seven to eleven minutes. Another determinant is the thickness of the pizza crust.
Thin crust pizza takes less cooking time than thick crust pizzas that take about seven minutes to defrost. An example of thick crust pizza is the French Bread.
It s strongly advised that you allow the pizza to cook uninterrupted for the first four minutes.
Subsequently, you can check on it at 30-second intervals to monitor the pizza. Ideally, the frozen parts should have defrosted totally within the first four minutes.
Can You Cook a DiGiorno Pizza in a Toaster Oven?
A Toaster oven is another alternative to cooking a DiGiorno pizza. The only possible drawback will be the size of the pizza.
If the pizza can fit, you are only a few steps away from enjoying your meal. The instructions on the pizza carton might say it takes 22 to 25 minutes to cook in a regular oven.
However, it takes two to five minutes less in a toaster oven, depending on the pizza size.
One important thing is that the pizza has to cook at an even temperature. So, it is advisable to preheat the oven to at least 350°F.
Most toaster ovens have a timer that sends signals when you attain the required temperature. There is a way to work around this if your toaster oven does not have a temperature timer.
Let it heat up for about ten minutes. Some toaster ovens have pizza settings. These ovens heat up to 400°F and set for 20 minutes to thoroughly bake a pizza.
The next step is to strip the pizza of all cartons and plastic wrappings. Then place it on the oven rack.
There is no need to cut the pizza unless it cannot fit in the oven. In this case, cut it to size and let it bake in batches.
If you like to use aluminum foil to hold your pizza, you can fold a small part of the foil over the pizza crust. Doing this will reduce the chances of it burning.
Your oven does not rotate food like the microwave. For this reason, you should manually turn the pizza at ten-minutes intervals.
The reason is to let the pizza cook properly on all sides. You know the pizza is ready to eat when the cheese has melted down.
Another way of knowing well-cooked pizza is when the crust becomes golden brown.
Cooking pizza with a toaster oven requires even more monitoring than cooking with a microwave. This monitoring helps with two things.
First, it makes sure the pizza does not start to burn before it is well-cooked. Secondly, it helps guarantee that the toppings are not overcooked.
Most people prefer to use toaster ovens to microwaves because their heating mechanism heats food more evenly.
Conclusion
There are some tips to remember when using alternative means to cook DiGiorno pizza. First, the pizza does not need to thaw completely before cooking.
Secondly, remember to monitor the pizza when it is cooking to prevent it from burning. It does not matter the mode of cooking you decide to adopt.
