Moist methods of cooking: boiling, poaching, steaming, stewing

moist methods of cooking

1. Boiling (Water reaches 100 degrees)

   • Method of Heat Transfer
     • Conduction thru pan and convection thru water
   • Suitable Foods
     • eggs, pasta, rice, potatoes, veg, meat(gammon)
   • Advantages
     • Quick method - used for many foods
     • economical use of fuel
   • Disadvantages
     • Water soluble nutrients lost
     • Flavour lost from meat
     • overcooking causes some food to disintergrate.

2. Poaching (water kept at 63 degrees)

   • Suitable foods
     • fish, chicken, eggs, fruit
   • method of heat transfer
     • conduction thru pan and convection thru water
   • Advantages
     • Gentle method of cooking
     • Does not cause food to break up
   • Disadvantages
     • some loss of water soluble nutrients
     • Food may be bland and require flavouring ingredients added to the water

3. Steaming

   • Method of heat transfer
     • convection and conduction
   • suitable foods
     • veg, puddings, fish
   • Advantages
     • food does not come into direct contact with water, so less loss of water soluble vitamins
   • Disadvantage
     • some foods take a long time to cook in a steamer
     • can cause a lot of condensation in Kitchen

4. Stewing

   • Method of heat transfer
     • conduction thru dish and convection thru liquid.
   • Suitable foods
     • Meat, veg, fruit
   • advantages
     • tenderises cuts of meat, as it is a long slow method of cooking.
     • Nutrient loss is very little as the liquid is served with the food.
   • Disadvantages
     • takes a long time to cook, so meal has to be planned well in advance
     • uneconomical to heat oven for long periods to cook one dish.

5. Pressure Cooking

   • Method of heat transfer
     • conduction thru pan, convection thru water
   • Suitable foods
     • meat & veg
   • advantages
     • fast method of cooking
     • economical use of fuel
   • disadvantages
     • food tends to lose texture and can taste bland