Browning reheated food with only a microwave

Question

I recently was given a Corningware Microwave Browner as a gift, which looks very cool and promising, but I have not tried it yet. It seems to me a special apparatus such as this would be necessary for browning in a microwave, because the default conditions inside one are quite far from what is needed for the Maillard reaction.

It got me to thinking: Are there any sure-fire ways to brown meats in a microwave? I don't necessarily need to know how to cook the meat from raw; I'm thinking more about the dry-rubbed steak I grilled last night becoming soggy when I try to reheat it at work. Techniques for raw, of course, are also encouraged if they exist.

We only have access to a microwave, and although I could probably bring in a Foreman grill or something, I have a feeling it would be frowned upon in this particular organization.

I was thinking along the lines of those special sheets of gray "paper" (for lack of knowing the correct term) that come with, say, a Lean Cuisine Panini. Any ideas?

Or, does anyone have any experience with the Corningware Browner (or a similar item) that can offer some tips?

Answer 1

The CorningWare browner works on a simple principle. It is lined with a material that can absorb microwave radiation (just like water does) and therefore become hot. Then when you add your food, the hot surface of the pan browns it. Seems like an effective solution in the situation you describe, where you really want to cook with a hot surface but can't use normal means in the enviroment you are in.