Home Economics – Health and Food Technology
Cookery Processes: An Introduction
Outcome 1
Identify food which can be cooked by specific
cookery processes.
• Cookery processes to be used – boiling, baking,
steaming, grilling, shallow frying/stir-frying
• Suitable foods are correctly identified for each
process.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Hygiene when working with food
Personal hygiene
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Wash hands before preparing foods.
Wash hands after using the toilet.
Wash hands after handling raw meat.
Wash hands after touching rubbish bins.
Wash hands after touching pets.
Do not touch the mouth, nose or hair while preparing food.
Do not cough or sneeze over food.
Cover sores, cuts, etc. on the hands.
Kitchen hygiene
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Keep
Keep
Keep
Keep
Keep
work surfaces clean.
cloths and tea towels clean.
rubbish bins covered.
all equipment clean.
flies out of the kitchen.
Always
• Prevent contact between cooked and uncooked food.
• Clean surfaces and equipment after using uncooked meat.
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Information sheet 1: How food is cooked.
Transference of heat
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Conduction – heat is transferred from one solid to another or
through one to another.
Good conductors of heat are metals.
Bad conductors of heat are cork, plastic, wood and china (used
for handles).
Convection – heat is transferred through liquid or gas.
cold water sinking
Radiation – direct rays of heat are transferred to the food.
It must be noted that more than one method of heat transference
can take place during one cooking process, e.g. conduction and
convection occur when boiling a pan of water.
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Information sheet 2: Baking – dry
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Cooking by dry heat in an oven at a controlled temperature
Types of food are fish, meat, potatoes, cakes, bread, pastry and
biscuits.
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Reasons for baking food:
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• to make food tender
• to make food more digestible and palatable
• to make food safer to eat
• to produce a particular quality in a food of colour, flavour and
texture.
Methods of baking food:
1.
Fruit, vegetables – the food is cooked in the oven until
tender using the water content of the food combined with the
dry heat of the oven.
2.
Water bath – placing the item in a dish of water so that low
temperatures can be maintained during the cooking process.
3.
Flour products – the dry heat of the oven is combined with
the steam produced from the baking mixture.
Heat transfer
Heat is transferred at the start by conduction, but conduction of
heat can also take place between the cooking container and the
food by radiation from the heat source in the oven.
Equipment
Baking trays/sheets, cake tins and ovenproof dishes such as
casseroles as well as tin foil can be used in the oven.
Cooking medium
Normally no cooking medium is required.
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Foods suitable for baking:
Roasts
Meat
Chicken
Trout
Fish
Casseroles
Eggs and milk puddings
Haddock
Salmon
Batters – Yorkshire pudding
Tomatoes
Vegetables
Onion
Apples
Fruit
Peppers
Pears
Peaches
Points to remember when baking:
• Many items for baking require long cooking times and this
should be considered when meal planning.
• Always check the oven temperature is reached before putting
food in the oven.
• It is important to weigh ingredients accurately to ensure a good
result when baking.
Safety
Always use an oven glove to lift dishes into the oven and out of
the oven.
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Information sheet 3: Grilling – dry
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The food is cooked mainly with radiated heat in the form of infra red waves, using gas or electricity.
Types of food that can be grilled are meats, fish, bread and this
method is also used to lightly brown food.
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Reasons for grilling food:
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• to make food tender
• to make food more digestible and palatable
• to make food safer to eat
• to produce a particular quality in a food of colour, flavour and
texture.
Methods of grilling food:
1.
Grilling food over a heat source – which may be charcoal,
gas or electricity.
2.
Grilling food under a heat source – which may be gas or
electricity.
3.
Grilling food between electrically-heated grill bars.
Heat transfer
Heat is transferred by radiation.
Equipment
Food to be grilled is usually cooked on either a grill (gas or
electric), barbecue, contact grill, infra-red grill or toaster.
Cooking medium
Usually no cooking medium is used in grilling.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Foods suitable for grilling:
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Chops
Beef
Meat
Chicken
Trout
Fish
Gammon
Prawns
Salmon
Burgers, sausages
Tomatoes
Vegetables
Mushrooms
Peppers
Points to remember when grilling:
• Grilled food can be served in a variety of ways, e.g. rare,
medium rare or well done, depending on one’s taste.
• Always check that food which can cause food poisoning is
thoroughly cooked (e.g. chicken).
• Use very little salt on grilled food.
• When possible use lean cuts of meat and trim off any excess
fat before cooking.
• Monitor the cooking of the food regularly to check the correct
cooking speed is maintained.
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Information sheet 4: Frying – Shallow/Stir-fry – dry
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This method of cooking uses a small amount of fat or oil at a high
temperature. Shallow frying and stir-frying are fast methods of
cooking.
Types of food are fish, eggs, meats, vegetables and bread.
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Reasons for shallow/stir-frying food:
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• to make food tender
• to make food more digestible and palatable
• to make food safer to eat
• to produce a particular quality in a food of colour, flavour and
texture.
Methods of shallow/stir-frying food:
1.
Sweating. This involves the slow frying of vegetables in fat
or oil using a lid and without colouring the food.
2.
Sauté. This is the gentle cooking of tender meats, poultry,
and vegetables.
3.
Stir-frying. This is the process of cooking food using the
minimum amount of fat.
Heat transfer
Heat is transferred by the conduction of heat from the cooking
source to the cooking container.
Equipment
Food to be shallow/stir-fried is usually cooked in a frying pan,
wok, omelette pan or griddle. Sweating is usually done in a
boiling pan prior to making soup.
Cooking medium
Butter, margarine, olive oil, vegetable oil and sunflower oil are
some of the mediums used in shallow and stir-frying.
Dry frying
This is a healthier option to shallow frying. It relies on drawing out the
natural fat in food. No fat is added when dry frying.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Foods suitable for shallow/stir-frying:
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Chops
Liver
Meat
Trout
Chicken
Fish
Haddock
Bacon
Salmon
Burgers, sausages
Eggs – omelette, scrambled
Batters and dough, e.g. pancakes
Tomatoes
Vegetables
Mushrooms
Apples
Fruit
Peppers
Bananas
Peaches
Points to remember when shallow/stir-frying.
• Always preheat the pan to reduce fat absorption and the risk of
food sticking to the surface of the pan.
• Place the food with the longest cooking time into the pan first.
• Keep the amount of fat used to a minimum – if possible use a
non-stick pan.
• Use lean cuts of meat and trim off excess fat where possible.
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Information sheet 5: Boiling – wet
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Food is cooked by being immersed in liquid, milk, stock or water,
which is bubbling rapidly (when cooking green leafy vegetables
such as cabbage); or slowly, with a gentle surface movement
known as simmering, until such time as the food is ready.
Types of food are vegetables, soup, eggs, rice, pasta, meat and
shellfish.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Reasons for boiling food:
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• to make food tender
• to make food more digestible and palatable
• to make food safer to eat
• to produce a particular quality in a food of colour, flavour and
texture.
Method of boiling food:
1.
Food is placed into cold liquid, brought to a boil and cooked.
This is done for safety reasons as well as to prevent a ‘scum’
forming when cooking stocks.
2.
Food is placed into boiling liquid and cooked. This method:
• reduces the cooking time
• retains the nutritional value
• reduces the risk of burning cereal such as rice.
Heat transfer
Heat is transferred at the start by the conduction of heat
through the pan.
Convection also takes place as the hot water and cold liquid in
the pan circulates around the food being cooked.
Equipment
Saucepans, boiling pans or stock pans with a lid are normally
used in this cookery process. When using a microwave oven an
appropriate dish is required e.g. a pyrex dish.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Advantages of boiling food:
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• It is labour saving and needs little attention when cooking.
• As the liquid is in direct contact with the food being cooked, it
is a cheap method of heat transfer.
• As the cooking liquid always covers the food being cooked
there is little shrinkage or drying out of the food.
• It is nutritional: in the case of soups and stews, all the food is
served.
Foods suitable for boiling:
Beef
Meat
Chicken
Lobster
Fish
Gammon
Monkfish
Pasta
Cereals
Rice
Peas
Vegetables
Lentils
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Mussels
Turnip
Cabbage
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Points to remember when boiling:
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• Many boiled dishes need long cooking times.
• Always use as little liquid as possible to retain nutritional
content.
• Do not soak or store vegetables in water.
• Start the cooking of vegetables in boiling water whenever
possible.
• Avoid cooking and reheating vegetables if possible.
• Be careful when draining foods with boiling liquids – stand
back from the pan.
• Monitor the cooking of the food regularly to check the correct
cooking speed is maintained.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Information sheet 6: Steaming – wet
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This method cooks food using the steam from the hot water to
completely surround it. The food itself is not in contact with the
hot water. A variety of different pans can be used for this method,
a double steamer or a pan with a trivet or simply using two plates
on top of an ordinary pan.
Types of food are fish, vegetables, puddings and suet pastry.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Reasons for steaming food:
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• to make food tender
• to make food more digestible and palatable
• to make food safer to eat
• to produce a particular quality in a food of colour, flavour and
texture
• to keep the loss of soluble nutrients to a minimum.
Methods of steaming food:
1.
A small amount of water is placed in a pan and the food is
placed in a basket, trivet or plate above the water. A tight
fitting lid is put on.
2.
Using an electric steamer specially designed for the purpose
and following the same procedure as above.
Heat transfer
Heat is transferred at the start by convection, but conduction of
heat can also take place – especially when using the pan and
plate method.
Equipment
Pan and plate or trivet. Electric steamer.
Cooking medium
The food is cooked by steam.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Foods suitable for steaming:
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Trout
Meat – tougher cut
Fish
(whole)
Haddock
Salmon
Eggs
Sweet and savoury puddings
Turnip
Vegetables
Potato
Cauliflower
Advantages of steaming:
• There is little loss of nutrients or flavour.
• No fat is added so food is healthier.
• It is suited to tough cuts of meat which require long moist
cooking.
• It is suited to cooking vegetables which have a strong smell,
such as turnip and cauliflower.
Points to remember when steaming:
• It can be a long method of cooking (meal planning).
• Steam is very hot – special care should be taken.
• Avoid overcooking food as this will destroy the nutritive value
of the food.
• Cook vegetables as near as possible to the cooking time
suggested.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Classification of cookery processes
Wet
Dry
Boiling
Baking
Steaming
Frying – shallow/stir-fry
Grilling
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 1: Types of foods
Fruit
Meat
Fish
Eggs
Vegetables
Dry goods
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 2: What cookery processes are shown
here?
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 3: Baking
1.
Why is baking said to be a dry method of cooking?
2.
Complete the table below using the information in your
recipe book.
Recipe
Temperature
Length of time to cook
Potato wedges
Vegetable cobbler
Oatmeal scones
Cheese meatballs
Baked apple
3.
How would you bake egg custard and sponge cake in the
oven?
Egg custard
Sponge cake
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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4.
Draw a labelled diagram to explain the methods of heat
transfer when baking a sponge cake.
5.
What safety equipment should you use when using this
cookery process?
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 4: Grilling
1.
What method of heat transfer is used when grilling food?
2.
List and explain 3 different methods of grilling food.
List
3.
Explain
Give 3 reasons why we should grill food.
1
2
3
4.
Why should care be taken when grilling chicken?
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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5.
Draw a labelled diagram to explain the methods of heat
transfer when grilling food.
6.
Which recipes in your recipe book use this cookery
process?
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 5: Shallow/Stir-Frying
1.
Why is shallow/stir-frying a fast method of cooking?
2.
List the steps that could be followed to make shallow/ stirfrying a ‘healthier’ method of cooking.
3.
Explain the following terms:
Sweating
Sauté
Stir-frying
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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4.
List 5 different types of food that can be successfully
shallow/stir-fried.
1
2
3
4
5
5.
What care must be taken when shallow/stir-frying?
6.
Which recipes in your recipe book use this cookery
process?
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 6: Boiling
1.
What is the difference between
boiling
and
simmering?
2.
List 5 types of food that can be boiled.
3.
Draw a labelled diagram to explain the methods of heat
transfer when boiling food.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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4.
Make a list of 4 safety rules to be followed when boiling
food.
5.
Which recipes in your recipe book use this cookery
process?
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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Worksheet 7: Steaming
1.
Describe the 2 main methods of steaming foods.
2.
Draw a labelled diagram to explain the methods of heat
transfer when steaming fish.
3.
List 5 types of food that can be cooked by steaming.
COOKERY PROCESSES: AN INTRODUCTION, OUTCOME 1 (ACC 3)
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4.
Make a list of 4 safety rules to be followed when steaming
food.
5.
Which recipes in your recipe book use this cookery
process?
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