Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Science of Cooking
Science of Cooking
Fat Facts
Present in:
Meats, poultry, fish
Eggs, milk products
Nuts and whole grains
Fruits and vegetables
Break down when heated
Smoke when they become hot enough
Higher smoke point fats are good for deep frying
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Conduction
Heat transfer through direct contact. When cooking on the
stovetop, the heat from the flame or electric grill is
applied directly to the frying pan. This means that only the
flat surface of the pan is sufficiently hot enough to cook
anything and we must flip and toss around the food to
cook it properly.
It is important to note that most pans are made of metals,
like copper, that conduct heat very efficiently and do not
melt on the stovetop.
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Convection
Heat transfer through a fluid. The fluid can be liquid or
gas and in the case of a convection oven, the fluid we
care about is air.
An oven is a confined area that gets hot by flames or
electric coils. The air inside is warmed to a desired
temperature and, as a result, cooks the food from all
directions. This method of heat transfer is responsible
for pizzas, cakes, and other baked treats!
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Radiation
The transfer of heat using electromagnetic
radiation. A microwave oven uses very strong
radio waves (a form of electromagnetic radiation),
which are very weak and not hot
Microwave ovens work by spinning water, fats,
sugars and oils inside the food. This causes
friction, which then heats the food and cooks it
from the inside.
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Cooking Methods
Moist Heat:
Poach, simmer, boil
Cooking in water or seasoned, flavored liquid
Steam
Expose foods directly to steam
Braise
Cooked covered in a small amount of liquid
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Dry Heat
Roast/Bake
To cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry
air
Cook uncovered
Meats cooked on a rack
Change position of product occasionally
Smoke roasting
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Broil
To cook with radiant heat from above
Used for tender items
Salamander
is a low-heat broiler
Grill
To cook with heat from below on an open grid
Griddling is done on a solid surface
BASIC COOKING PRINCIPLES
Pan-Fry
To cook in a moderate amount of fat in a pan over
moderate heat
Similar to sauté, but more fat is used
Usually done over lower heat
Amount of fat depends on food being cooked
Food is normally turned at least once
Deep-Fry
To cook submerged in hot fat