Cooking Methods

braise

combo of moist and dry heat cooking method; sear then simmer and food in small amounts of liquid; pork chops, lamb chops; stovetop

stir-fry

cooking with fat and liquid; cooking and stirring small pieces of food quickly at high heat in a wok; healthy way to cook; beef, chicken, fish, vegetables, carrots, snap peas, cauliflower; stovetop

pan-fry

cooking with fat; cooking tender cuts of meat, fish, or eggs in a small amount of fat in a skillet; scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast, taco meat, bacon; stovetop

deep-fat fry

cooking with fat; food is cooked while completely covered in fat; least healthy way to cook; French fries, onion rings; stovetop or specialized equipment

sauté

cooking with fat; thinly sliced vegetables in a small amount of fat over low to medium heat; stovetop

grill

dry-heat cooking method; cooking food directly over heat source; corn, steak, hamburger

broil

dry-heat cooking method; cooking food directly under heat source with an oven; steak, hamburgers, corn, garlic cheese bread

bake

dry-heat cooking method; cooking food in a pan in the oven while allowing air to circulate around the food; cookies, cakes, chicken, potatoes, pizza

roast

dry-heat cooking method; cooking large or whole pieces of meat or poultry in a shallow pan in the oven; turkey, chicken, ham

dry-heat cooking

foods are cooked uncovered without liquid; uses oven

steam

moist-heat cooking method; cooking foods over boiling water as opposed to in it; broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, fish; stovetop

poach

moist-heat cooking method; cooking whole or large pieces of food in small amounts of liquid; fish, chicken, apricots, pears

boil

moist-heat cooking method; heating liquid at high temperature so that bubbles break on its surface and cooking food in it; pasta, rice, eggs; stovetop

simmer

moist-heat cooking method; heating liquid to temperature just below boiling point and cooking foods in it; beans, broccoli, meat, poultry, fish, carrots; stovetop

stew

moist-heat cooking method; simmering food in a liquid for a long slow cooking; chicken, turkey, celery, carrots, potatoes; stovetop

moist-heat cooking

uses added liquids or steam to cook and tenderize foods; uses stove

cooking with fat

uses melted fat or liquid fat to transfer heat to foods; uses stovetop or specialized equipment