Method Of Cooking

This energy alters the foods molecular structure, changing its texture, flavor, aroma and appearance. The cooking methods used to transfer heat: broiling, grilling, roasting and baking, sauteing, pan-frying, deep-frying, poaching, simmering, boiling, steaming, braising and stewing.

Each method is used for many types of foods, so you will be applying one or more of them every time you cook.  Here is a description of each cooking method.

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods: 

Cooking by dry heat is the process of applying heat either directly, by subjecting the food to the heat of the flame, or indirectly, by surrounding the food with heated air or heated fat.

1. Broiling

      Broiling-Uses radiant heat from an overhead source to cook foods. The food to be broiled is placed on a preheated metal grate. Radiant heat from overhead cooks the food, while the hot grate marks it with attractive crosshatch marks.
Procedure:
•    Heat the broiler.
•    Cut, trim or otherwise prepare the food to be broiled. Marinate, rub, or season it as desired. Brush food lightly with oil to keep it from sticking to grate.
•    Place food on the broiler presentation side down.
•    Cook food the desired doneness while developing the proper surface color. Doneness is determined by touch, internal temperature or specific visual cues (for example, clear juices running from poultry).
•    Flip onto serving plate, presentation side up, to expose the crosshatch marks.

2. Grilling

      Grilling-Although similar to broiling, grilling uses heat source located beneath the cooking surface. Grilled foods are often identified by crosshatch markings.
Procedure:
•    Heat the grill.
•    Cut, trim or otherwise prepare the food to be broiled. Marinate, rub, or season it as desired. Brush food lightly with oil to keep it from sticking to grate.
•    Place food on the grill, presentation side down. Rotate the food 90 degrees to produce the attractive crosshatch marks.
•    Cook food the desired doneness while developing the proper surface color. Doneness is determined by touch, internal temperature or specific visual cues (for example, clear juices running from poultry).
•    Flip onto serving plate, presentation side up, to expose the crosshatch marks.

3. Roasting 

Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air envelops the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least 150 °C (~300 °F) from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance flavor through caramelization  and Maillard browning on the surface of the food. Roasting uses indirect, diffused heat (as in an oven), and is suitable for slower cooking of meat in a larger, whole piece. Meats and most root and bulb vegetables can be roasted. Any piece of meat, especially red meat, that has been cooked in this fashion is called a roast. Meats and vegetables prepared in this way are described as “roasted”, e.g., roasted chicken or roasted squash.

4. Baking

Baking is a method of cooking food that uses prolonged dry heat, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods are baked. Heat is gradually transferred “from the surface of cakes, cookies, and breads to their centre. As heat travels through it transforms batters and doughs into baked goods with a firm dry crust and a softer centre”. Baking can be combined with grilling to produce a hybrid barbecue variant by using both methods simultaneously, or one after the other. Baking is related to barbecuing because the concept of the masonry oven is similar to that of a smoke pit.

5. Sauteing

      Sauteing-Uses conduction to transfer heat from a hot sauté pan to food with the aid of a small amount of hot fat. To saute food properly, begin by heating sauté pan on the stove top, then add a small amount of fat. The fat should just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the fat to the point where it just begins to smoke. The food to be cooked should be as dry as possible when added to the pan to promote browning and to prevent excessive spattering. The heat should be adjusted so that the food cooks thoroughly; it should not be so hot that the outside of the food burns before the inside is cooked.
Procedure:
•    Cut, pound or otherwise prepare the food to be sautéed. Season and dredge it flour.
•    Heat the sauté pan and then add enough fat (typically, oil or clarified butter) to just cover the pan’s bottom.
•    Add the food to the saute pan in a single layer, presentation side down. Do not crowd the pan.
•    Adjust the temperature so that the food’s exterior browns properly without burning and the interior cooks.
•    Turn or toss the food as needed.
•    Cook until done. Doneness is usually determined by timing or touch.

6. Pan-Frying

Pan-frying-Pan-frying shares similarities with both sautéing and deep-frying. It is a cooking method in which heat is transferred by conduction from pan to the food, using a moderate amount of fat. Foods are usually coated in breading. This forms a seal that keeps food moist and prevents the hot fat from penetrating the food and causing it to become greasy.

First heat the fat in the saute pan. Use enough fat so that when the food to be cooked is added, the fat comes one-third to halfway up the item being cooked. The fat should be at a temperature somewhat lower than that used for sautéing; it should not smoke but should be hot enough so that when the food is added it crackles and spatters from the rapid vaporization of moisture.
Procedure:
•    Cut, pound or otherwise prepare the food to be pan-fried; then bread, batter or flour is as desired.
•    Heat a moderate amount of fat or oil in a heavy pan-usaully enough to cover the item one-third to halfway up its sides.
•    Add the food to the pan.
•    Fry the food on one side until brown. Using tongs, turn and brown the other side.
•    Remove the food from the pan and drain it on absorbent paper before serving.

7. Deep-Frying

Deep-frying-Is a cooking method that uses convection to transfer heat to a food submerged in hot fat; foods to be deep fried are usually first coated in batter or breading. This preserves moisture and prevents the food from absorbing excessive quantities of fat. Foods deep-fried should be uniform size and shape.
Procedure:
•    Cut, trim or otherwise prepare the food to be deep-fried. Bread or batter it, as desired.
•    Heat the oil or fat to the desired temperature (between 325*F-375*F).
•    Carefully place the food in the hot fat.
•    Deep-fry the food until done. Doneness is usually determined by timing, surface color or sampling.
•    Remove food from the deep fryer, allow the excess fat to drain off.
•    Transfer the food to a pan lined with absorbent paper.

Moist-Heat Cooking Methods: 

Cooking with moist heat is a processes of applying heat to food by submerging it directly into a hot liquid or by exposing it to steam.

1. Poaching

Poaching-It is often associated with delicately flavored foods that do not require lengthy cooking times to tenderize them, such as eggs, fruit, or fish. When poaching the food is placed in a liquid held at temperatures between 160*F-!80*F. The surface of the liquid should show only a slight movement, but no bubbles. Do not allow the liquid to boil, this will cause the food to get stringy and will destroy the delicate foods.

There are two methods of poaching, submersion and shallow poaching. For submerged poaching the liquid covers the food completely. With shallow poaching, the food is placed in just enough liquid to come approximately half-way up the sides. Shallow poaching combines aspects of poaching and steaming.
Procedure:
•    Cut, trim or otherwise prepare the food to be poached.
•    Bring adequate amount of cooking liquid to the desired starting temperature.
•    For submerge poaching, the liquid should completely cover the food.
•    For shallow poaching, the liquid should come up approximately half-way up the side of the food and the pan is covered with a piece of parchment paper or a lid.
•    Maintain proper temperature.

2. Simmering

Simmering-Is often associated with foods that need to be tenderized through a long, slow, moist cooking, such as less tender cuts of meat. The food is submerged in a liquid held at temperatures between 185*f-205*F. As with poaching the liquid used for the simmering has a great effect on the food’s flavor.
Procedure:
•    Cut, trim or otherwise prepare the food to be simmered.
•    Bring adequate amount of cooking liquid to the appropriate temperature. The liquid should cover the food.
•    Add the food to the simmering liquid.
•    Maintaining the proper cooking temperature throughout the process simmer the food to the desired doneness.
•    Remove the food from the simmering liquid.

3. Boiling

Boiling-Is a moist-heat cooking method that uses convection to transfer heat from a hot (approximately 212*F) liquid to the food submerged in it; the turbulent waters and higher temperatures cook foods more quickly than do poaching or simmering. Most boiled meats are actually simmered. Even hard-boiled eggs are really only simmered. Starches such as pasta and potatoes are among the only types of foods that are truly boiled.
Procedure:
•    Bring appropriate amount of liquid to a boil over high heat.
•    Add the food to be boiled to the rapidly boiling water. Bring the liquid back to a boil and adjust the temperature to maintain a boil.
•    Cook until done.
•    Serve the boiled food immediately.

4. Steaming

 Steaming-A moist-heat cooking method in which heat is transferred from steam to the food being cooked by direct contact; the food to be steamed is placed in a basket or rack above a boiling liquid in a covered pan. It is often associated with tender, delicately flavored foods, such as fish and vegetables which do not require long cooking times. Steaming tends to enhance the food’s natural flavor and helps retain its nutrients.
Procedure:
•    Cut, trim or otherwise prepare the food to be steamed.
•    Prepare a steaming liquid and bring to a boil in a covered pan or double boiler.
•    Place the food in a steam rack, in a basket or on a perforated pan in a single layer. Do not crowd the items. Place the rack, basket, or pan over the boiling liquid.
•    Cover the cooking assemblage and cook to the desired doneness.

Combination Cooking Methods:

Some cooking methods employ both dry-heat and moist-heat cooking techniques. The two principle combination methods are braising and stewing. These method are used for less tender but flavorful cuts of meat as well as for poultry and some vegetables

1. Braising

Braising-Braising is associated with large pieces of meat. Enough liquid is added to come one-third to half-way up the item being cooked.
Procedure, Braising:
•    Cut, trim, and otherwise prepare the food to be braised or stewed.
•    Dredge in flour.
•    Heat a small amount of fat in a heavy pan. Sear the food on all sides. Once seared remove the meat from the pan.
•    Add any other ingredients and sauté.
•    Add flour or roux, if used.
•    Add the cooking liquid, it should partially cover the food being braised.
•    Add aromatics and seasonings.
•    If principle item was removed, return it to the pan.
•    Cover the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly either on stove top or in the oven at 250*F-300*F. Baste and turn the food as needed.
•    When the principle item is cooked, remove it from the pan and hold it in a warm place.
•    Prepare a sauce from the braising liquid. This may be done by reducing the liquid on the stove top, or thickened with a roux. Strain the sauce and pour over a serving of the food item.

2. Stewing

Stewing-Is associated with small pieces of meat. Stewed foods have enough liquid added to cover them completely and are simmered at a constant temperature until tender. Cooking time is generally shorter for stewing than for braising because the main items are smaller.
Procedure, Stewing:
•    Cut, trim, and otherwise prepare the food to be stewed.
•    Dredge in flour.
•    Heat a small amount of fat in a heavy pan. Sear the food on all sides.
•    Add any other ingredients and sauté.
•    Add flour or roux.
•    Gradually add the cooking liquid, stirring to prevent lumps. The liquid should completely cover the food being stewed.
•    Cover the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly either on stove top or in the oven at 250*F-300*F until principle items or tender.
•    Thicken the sauce as desired.

Sumber :

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