Culinary Essentials Chapter 15: Cooking Techniques

Explain all the dry-heat cooking techniques.

*Dry-heat cooking involves cooking food at high temperatures (300 F and over) 1. Browning-using heat to darken the appearance Ex: Toast bread, 2. Sautéing -Cooking food in a hot pan (medium heat). Have to use a small amount of fat (butter or oil) before you start the cooking process. *Don't overcrowd the pan *To make sure food cooks evenly, flip or toss food in the sauté pan 3. Pan frying- Similar to sautéing. Requires more fat and at a lower temp. This method is more so for meats rather than vegetables. Meats are then finished off in the oven 4. Roasting and baking- involves food to be exposed to high heat in an oven. Food must be uncovered so it can cook evenly (all around) 5. Broiling and Grilling- a dry cooking technique that requires the food product to be near open flames (high heat). Surface of the food will cook quickly. Food is usually turned once cooking and able to achieve grill marks on a grid or metal rack. *Mainly food can be marinated *Broiling->involves heat from above *Grilling-> involves heat from below 6. Deep frying- fully submerge food in high heated oil (325 F to 400 F). Once done the food should not be too oily or greasy and to keep temperature from oil to lower, deep fry foods in small batches.

How does cooking affect a food's nutrient loss?

1. Food being exposed to heat 2. Due to boiling because of water diluting the nutrients

Name two reasons why you might want to simmer instead of boil a food product.

1. Less shrinkage of food 2. Less breakup of fragile food

What are the three uses of blanching?

1. Soften herbs 2. Help preserve food's nutrients 3. Lock in colors of food (make sure its color stays vibrant) (youtube)

Why does the texture of food change after being exposed to heat?

Any food exposed to heat for a long period of time, loses MOISTURE.

Your server brings you a tough, grayish brown piece of meat and limp, colorless vegetables. Explain what went wrong with cooking and why?

Both the meat and the vegetables were cooked for too long. Being exposed to heat and water, the texture of the meat changed while the nutrients was loss in the vegetables.

What is carryover cooking? Give an example.

Carry over cooking is when you remove the food product from its heat source and it still continues to cook. Ex: Removing a roast from the oven a few minutes before it's done cooking

Difference between dry, moist, and combination cooking technique?

Dry cooking technique-> Uses metal and radiation of hot air, oil, or fat to transfer heat Moist cooking technique-> Uses liquid instead of oil to create the heat energy Combination cooking technique-> implements both dry and moist cooking techniques

How is heat transferred in dry cooking techniques?

Heat is transferred by the use of metal and radiation of hot air, oil, or fat in a dry cooking technique. (youtube)

The pork loin roast you're planning to serve is extra lean. You're worried that it will be dry and tasteless. How will you prepare it? Why?

If the pork loin roast is lean, I would pan fry or grill the meat. Then would probably use a braising technique as the juices from the meat would give off more flavor. Then would complete it by baking in the oven for a short amount of time to make sure its tender.

Pan frying vs Deep frying?

Pan frying: involves one half to three quarters of fat covers the food product. Medium heat. Deep frying: involves food to be fully submerged into the oil or fat. High heat.

Tell the difference of braising and stewing.

Stewing-> has a shorter amount of time than braising In stewing, the food product can be diced into small pieces

Explain how the flavor of meat is extracted during braising.

The flavor of meat is extracted by using juices of the meat and mixing it with stock or water. Then the liquid becomes highly concentrated as it cooks in the pan Later the stock or sauce is added on the meat once returned to the pan (youtube)

What is the steaming process?

The steaming process is cooking vegetables or other foods in a closed environment (with steam). Steam is created when water hits a boiling point For instance in a pot or hotel pan. (youtube)

How can you minimize nutrient loss?

You can minimize nutrient loss by not exposing food products to any type of heat for a long amount of time.