Cooking Methods

Cooking Methods

1. Cooking is the process for preparing foods for eating.

2. There are 2 main methods for cooking: Dry heat and Moist heat.

3. Dry Heat- Can cook food using direct or indirect heat.

   • Some foods may loose moisture and become dry when a dry heating method is used.
     • The food should be naturally tendered or prepared by adding moisture.

4. Several ways to add moisture: Barding, Larding and marinating

   • Barding is wrapping an item with strips of fat.
   • Larding is inserting long strips of fat into a meat with a needle.
   • Marinating is soaking an item in wet and dry ingredients to provide flavors and moisture.

5. Methods without fat: Broiling, Grilling, Roasting and Baking

6. Methods with fat and oil: Sauteing, Pan frying, Stir frying, Deep frying.

7. Moist heat cooking methods result in food that is delicately flavored and moist

   • They provide a healthier alternative to some dry heat methods.

8. Moist heat methods include: Boiling, Simmering, Poaching, Blanching, Steaming.

9. Simmering requires food to be completley submerged in liquid.

10. When a liquid reaches 212 degrees it's boiling. (large bubbles)

11. Poaching temperatures are between 160-18- degrees.

12. Blanching is a variation of boiling.

13. Vegetables steam well and are the most common steam foods.

14. It is important that chefs be aware of the best method for each food to ensure the best results.