Brook Watkins. Cooking Methods

Brook Watkins. Cooking Methods

1. There are 2 main methods for cooking food

   • Dry-Heat. Moist-Heat. You can also combine this methods referred to as combination cooking. Ex: Stewing & Braising
     • Grilling: A simple dry heat method where food is cooked on a grill grate or rack above the heat source (typically and open flame).

2. Barding: Wrapping an item with strips of fat. This is usually done with lean meats. Think bacon wrapped chicken breast.

3. Larding: Inserting long strips of fat into a naturally lean piece of meat with a special needle

   • Marinating: Soaking an item in wet and dry ingredients to provide flavor and moisture
     • Boiling: 212 F
       • Poaching: 160*F and 180*F.
     • Blanching: Blanching is a variation of boiling. Simply put, blanching on partially cooks food referred to as par-cooking.

4. Methods for applying dry heat without fat

   • Broiling Grilling Roasting Baking

5. Methods for applying dry heat with fat and oil:

   • Sauteing Pan- Frying Stir-Frying Deep-Frying
   • Stir fry: Closely related to saute, this quick method uses high heat with a small amount of fat
   • Steaming: Steaming cooks food by surrounding it with steam in a confined area like a steam basket or cabinet. Steam cooks the food through direct contact.

6. Sauteing: This method is best for thinner cut meats, fish, and vegetables.

   • Pan fry:: Like other methods pan-frying uses a small amount of fat (in this case oil), but uses a less intense heat than sauteing or stir-frying.

7. Roasting and Baking: The dry heat surrounds the food, heating the layers, and the natural juices create steam and are then absorbed into the food.

8. Deep Fry: Deep frying requires that food be battered and completely submerged in hot oil until it is done.

9. Simmering: Simmering requires that food be completely submerged in a liquid (water, broth, etc.) that is a constant, moderate temperature.