COOKING METHODS
DRY-HEAT COOKING, MOIST HEAT
COOKING, AND COMBINATION COOKING
EACH METHOD OF COOKING CAN BE
USED TO BRING OUT THE FLAVOR &
TENDERNESS OF SPECIFIC DISHES.
Method can reflect regional & cultural
preferences.
Heat Transfer – when 2 items of different
temps have contact, energy in the form of
heat transfers from the warmer item to the
cooler until they both reach the same temp.

Conduction – the transfer of heat from one item to another when the items
come into direct contact with each other. Can be conducted through the air
from surface to surface. (Deck oven)

Convection – transfer of heat cause by the movement of molecules (in the air,
water, or fat) from a warmer area to a cooler one.(stove top,convection oven)

Radiation – does not require physical contact between the heat source and
the food being cooked. Instead, heat moves by way of microwave & infrared
waves.
DRY HEAT COOKING
Food is cooked either by direct heat, like on a grill, or by indirect heat in
a closed environment, like an oven. Any food cooked using dry heat must
be naturally tender or prepared by adding moisture.
Adding Moisture

Barding – wrapping an item with strips of fat before
cooking to baste the meat, making it more moist.

Larding – Inserting long, thin strips of fat into a large,
naturally lean piece of meat with a special needle before
cooking to baste the meat from the inside.

Marinating – Soaking an item in a combination of wet and
dry ingredients to provide flavor and moisture.
Dry Heat Cooking
Without Fat

Broiling – rapid cooking method that uses high heat from a source located
above the food. Browns the top of food. Cheesy items, young tender cuts of
meat & poultry, fish, and some fruits & veggies.

Grilling – excellent for cooking small pieces of food. Food is cooked on a grill
rack above the heat source. As the fat drips, the smoke helps provide the
charred flavor. Marinated is a method to keep the food moist.

Roasting & baking – techniques that cook food by surrounding the items with
hot, dry air in the oven. As the outer layers of the food become heated, the
food’s natural juices turn to steam & are absorbed into the food. These juices
create a natural sauce. Usually requires longer cooking times & used with
large cuts of meat, whole birds, or fish, potatoes, items needing a browned
appearance.
DRY HEAT COOKING
WITH FAT

STIR FRY – Closely related to saute. It is a quick-cooking, dry heat method.
Cooked over very high heat, generally in a wok with a little fat and stirred
quickly. Sauce is often created in pan after product has been sautéed.

PAN-FRYING – cooked in oil over less intense heat than that used for sautéing
or stir-frying. Many times you coat the food with batter, season w flour, or
breading first. The hot oil seals the food’s coated surface & locks the natural
juices inside, instead of releasing them. The oil should be deep enough to
come halfway up the side of the food being cooked. Crisp outside w juicy
interior.

DEEP-FRY – bread or batter coat it, immerse complety in hot fat and fry until it’s
done. Batter – combines dry & wet ingredients. Breading: Read standard breading
procedures on pg 329.

The “float” of the item is the point when the item rises to the surface of the oil
and appears golden brown to indicate doneness. Check doneness of item.
3 methods for deep frying food:
1) Swimming Method – gently drop a breaded or batter-coated food in hot oil
where it falls to the bottom of the fryer and then swims to the surface. Once it
reaches surface, turn it over to brown other side.
2) Basket Method – bread food, place in basket, lower basket in oil, and lift
out w/ the basket when food is done.
3) Double-Method Basket – Put food in basket & place another basket on top
to keep the items from floating to the surface.
Recovery time – the amount of time it takes oil to reheat to correct cooking
temperature once food is added.
Smoking Point – the temp in which fats and oils begin to smoke, which means the fat
has begun to break down. Need oil w a neutral flavor and high smoking point, around
425.
MOIST HEAT COOKING
METHOD
PRODUCE FOOD THAT IS DELICATELY FLAVORED & MOIST, SOMETIMES W A
RICH BROTH, WHICH CAN BE SERVED AS A SEPARATE COURSE OR USED AS A
SAUCE BASE. ENTIRE DINNERS CAN BE COOKED IN ONE POT.
MOIST HEAT COOKING METHODS
Simmering
Poaching
and shallow Poaching
Blanching
Steaming

SIMMERING – Completely submerge food in a liquid that is at a
constant, moderate temperature. Use well-flavored liquid & cuts of
meat that are less tender than those recommended for dry-heat
cooking methods. Simmering less tender items cooks them at a
slightly higher temperature than other moist-heat methods, 185-205
degrees. Simmering is different from boiling. Bubbles barely break the
surface.

POACHING – Cook food between 160 degrees and 180 degrees. Surface
of the poaching liquid should show some motion, but no air bubbles
should break the surface. Use well-flavored liquid, and make sure the
food is naturally tender. Chicken & seafood

Shallow Poaching – combination of steam & liquid bath. A lastminute cooking method best suited to food that’s cut into portionsized or smaller pieces. Food is partially covered by a liquid,
usually containing an acid, herbs, & spices in a covered pan.
Paupiettes – commonly used to shallow poach. (VIDEO!!!!!)
More Moist Heat Methods
BLANCHING

Partially cook food and then finish
it later.

Often used to pre-prepare veggies.

Brings out the bright green color in
veggies.

Bring water to boil. Boil food for a
shot times. Shock it in ice water.

Drain the item and hold until its
time for finishing.
STEAMING

Cooking food by surrounding it in
steam in a confined space such as
a steamer basket, steamer
cabinet, or combi-oven. Direct
contact with the steam cooks the
food.

Can steam with or without
pressure. Can place food in a
basket over boiling water.

With steam, no browning can
occur, so food appears pale.

Creates mild, delicate flavors.

Cooking time is longer with
steaming than w boiling or
simmering.
COMBINATIONCOOKING METHODS
A combination of dry-heat and moist-heat cooking methods.
Combination-cooking can transform less tender & less expensive
main ingredients into delicious & tender finished products.
BRAISING

PRIMARILY USED FOR LARGER CUTS OF MEAT

BRAISING – FIRST SEAR THE FOOD ITEMI NHOT OIL, AND THEN PARTIALLY COVER
IT IN ENOUGH LIQUID TO COME HALFWAY UP THE FOOD ITEM. Then cover the
pot or pan tightly, and finish the food slowly in the oven or on the stovetop
until it is tender.

A bed of seasoning adds moisture and flavor.

Can add vegetables to braised meat or chicken near end of cooking time. As
meat cooks, its flavor is released into the cooking liquid which becomes the
sauce.

Long and slow is the key to braising. Meat should fall apart.
About Braising

Braising causes the connective tissue of lean meat to become fork tender and
well done. More tender food requires less cooking fluid and can be heated at
lower temps for a shorter time.

Very few nutrients are lost with braising.

Braised food that is finished in the oven is less likely to be scorched than food
that is finished on the stovetop.

Braised food should be extremely tender.
Braising Techniques

Daube: Usually made with red meat, often beef, vegetables, red wine, and
seasoning. The main item is often marinated before braising.

Estouffade – Refers to both the braising method and the dish itself (a beef
stew made with red wine).

Pot Roasting – A common American term for braising as well as the name of
the traditional dish.
STEWING

Similar to braising but the pre-preparation is a little different.

Cut the main food item into bite-sized pieces, and either blanch or sear
them.

As with braising, cook the food in oil first, and then add liquid.

Stewing requires more liquid than braising. Cover the food completely while it
is simmering.
OTHER COOKING METHODS

SOUS VIDE – food is cooked for a long time; sometimes cooked well over 24
hours. French word for “under vacuum”.

Instead of using a slow cooker, food is put in airtight bags in water that is hot
but well below boiling point.It cooks food using precisely controlled heating,
at the temperature it should be served.

Temperatures are measured in tenths of a degree.

Locks in all of the flavor molecules in the vacuum seal. The flavor intensifies
and is improved.
Other Cooking Methods

Microwave Cooking – Cooks food with waves of energy or radiation rather than
heat.

Foods can become tough or rubbery. Alters or denatures protein cuasing it to
toughen.

Can’t brown something in microwave. (like steaming or poaching)

Never use brown grocery bags, newspaper, metal, or foil in the microwave!
Determining Doneness

Has the food reached its desired texture?

Has it reached the minimum internal temperature it needs to be safe?
Stews seen in classical European cooking

Bouillabaisse – Mediterranean fish stew combining a variety of fish & shellfish.

Fricassee – white stew, often made from veal, poultry, or small game.

Goulash – originated in Hungary and is made from beef, veal, or poultry,
seasoned with paprika, and generally served with potatoes or dumplings.

Ragout – This French term for stew that means “restores the appetite.
Read purple box on
page 336
About Braising
Classwork:

READ PAGE 341

Answer the review questions of page 343.

Group work: Page 344, Number 1
MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY

SPHERIFICATION

FOAMS

FLASH-FREEZING

MEAT GLUE

Ell-Bulli in Spain

WD 50 in New York