Chapter 4 Cooking Methods

stewing

The same as braising, except the term stewing is used for smaller items. Stewing also means to simmer in a small amount of liquid, without preliminary browning

grilling

done on a grill

grilling

done on an open grid over a heat source, which may be charcoal, an electric element, or a gas-heated element. cooking temperature is regulated by moving the items to hotter or cooler places on the grill. grilled meats should be turned to achieve desired grill marks, just as in broiling

Standard breading procedure

dredging in flour, moisten in egg wash (beaten egg plus a tablespoon or two of water or milk), then coating in crispy breadcrumbs like Panko

sous vide (soo veed) cooking

french for "under vacuum"...cooking foods that have been vacuum-sealed in plastic bags

pan broiling

like griddling, except it is done in a saute pan or skillet instead of a griddle surface. fat must be poured off as it accumulates, or the process becomes pan frying. no liquid is added, and the pan is not covered, or else the item would steam

moist heat cooking methods

methods in which heat is conducted to foods by water or other liquid (except fat) or by steam

dry heat cooking methods

methods in which heat is conducted to foods without the use of moisture

griddling

on a griddle - a solid cooking surface called a griddle, with or without small amounts of fat to prevent sticking. temperature is adjustable and much lower (around 350 degrees fahrenheit) than on a grill. Meats, eggs, and pancakes are cooked on a griddle

deep fry

to cook a food submerged in hot fat. usually in a deep fryer, which is equipped with a thermostat to control the temperature of the fat, and with baskets to lower food into the fat and to remove and drain them when fried. many foods are given a coating of breading or batter before being deep fried

blanch

to cook an item partially and very briefly in boiling water or in hot fat. usually a pre-preparation technique as to loosen peels of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, to partially cook French fries or other foods before service, to prepare for freezing, or to remove undesirable flavors

bake

to cook food by surrounding them with hot, dry air, usually in an oven. this term usually applies to breads, pastries, vegetables, and fish

steam

to cook foods by exposing them directly to steam. in quantity cooking, this is usually done is special steam cookers. steaming can also be done on a rack above boiling water

roast

to cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry air, usually in an oven. cooking on a spit in an open fire is also roasting. Roasting usually applies to meat and poultry. cooking uncovered is essential to roasting

simmer

to cook in a liquid that is bubbling gently at a temperature of about 185 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit

boil

to cook in a liquid that is bubbling rapidly and greatly agitated. water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit

poach

to cook in a liquid, usually a small amount, that is hot but not actually bubbling. Temperature is 160 0 185 degrees Fahrenheit

pan-fry

to cook in a moderate amount of fat in a pan ower moderate heat. pan frying is similar to sauteeing, except more fat is used, the heat is lower, and the cooking time is longer. The method is used for larger pieces of food, such as chops and chicken pieces, and the items are not tossed by flipping the pan, as they often are in sauteeing.

saute

to cook quickly in a small amount of fat. high heat is required, and the procedure is most often done in a broad, flat pan called a saute pan (or sauteuse)

braise

to cook uncovered in a small amount of liquid, usually after preliminary browning. In almost all cases, the liquid is served with the product as a sauce

barbecue

to cook with dry heat created by the burning of hardwood or by the hot coals of this wood. barbecuing is a roasting technique requiring a wood fire or wood smoke

broil

to cook with radiant heat from above

deglaze

to swirl a liquid in a saute pan, roast pan, or other pan to dissolve cooked particles of food remaining in the bottom