Cooking Methods Dry & Moist Heat

Dry Heat Methods Dry heat cooking methods are those that to not rely on any added liquid to complete the cooking process. While there are different temperatures and techniques there are generalizations that we can follow.

Baking refers to the cooking method that requires cooking in an enclosed space with dry heat. In conventional ovens, stagnant dry heat surrounds the baked-good cooking it evenly (hopefully) from all sides. In convection ovens, dry heat is circulated around the baked good with a fan; the baked-good is again cooked evenly from all sides but here it is cooked quicker and often far more precisely than a conventional oven can. Can range from 200F to 500F

Roasting While roasting today is identical to baking in it’s use of a closed oven and method of dry heat, the term is typical used to refer to cooking meats or vegetables uncovered in the oven. Like baking, roasting can caramelize and brown the crust or outside of an ingredient. This cooking method lends it’s name to red meats cooked in this fashion: the roast. Can be between 250F upwards of 450F

Broiling / Grilling Like baking and roasting, broiling and grilling are two more methods that are very similar to each other Unlike baking or roasting, broiling and grilling use direct heat, often an open flame to cook something hot and fast. While grilling is typically considered to contain a flame on the bottom and broil an element on the top, either can refer to the use of a flame or using a heat source on the top or bottom – usually ranging depending on region.

Frying Frying refers to any form of cooking utilizing fat. And while it may seem strange that frying – Deep frying – is a dry cooking method, because it doesn’t rely on water or steam, There are two general categories of Frying: pan frying and deep frying. Pan frying can be narrowed down even further into four specific techniques: pan frying, sautéing, sweating and cooking on a griddle or saute pan

Deep Frying Deep Frying is a cooking technique involving the complete submersing of food into hot fat, typically oil. If the temperature of the fat/oil is too low, the food will absorb oil, resulting in a greasy product. If the temperature of the oil is too high, the product will brown or burn before cooking through.

Pan Frying Pan Frying, unlike deep frying, only uses a small amount of fat for lubricating the pan (or no fat for certain products like bacon which creates its own fat). Pan frying allows for darker browning but also allows more moister to escape the food, as compared to deep frying.

Sauteing In addition to the varying size in goods cooking with sautéing versus pan frying, sautéing also typically uses a higher temperature to aid in browning and keeping vegetables crisp by locking moisture in. Often medium-high to high heat for short periods of time

Sweating Sweating is similar to pan frying and sautéing in that a small amount of fat is Instead of a high heat or quick cooking process, sweating uses much lower heat and thus requires more time. Like the name suggests, sweating pulls moisture from the vegetables being cooked. Sweating is also used when you want to avoid browning an ingredient.

Double Boiler The double boiler is the most delicate of the dry heat cooking methods and is used to prepare custards, certain sauces, temper chocolate and cooking delicate ingredients. While this method does use water (simmering water in a pot below a bowl) the water and its steam never comes in contact with the food

Moist Cooking Methods

Blanch This is the only method here which uses two steps (and another moist-heat cooking method. Blanch requires boiling an item then quickly plunging that item in ice water to stop the cooking. This method is used to partially cook an ingredient or to retain the shape and keep vegetables and fruit crisp.

Boiling Boiling is the most intense – and often most destructive – of the moist-heat cooking methods. Boiling creates very large, vigorous bubbles – which indicates a temperature of 100C/212°F. Because of the intense cooking process boiling creates, this is usually used only for hardy ingredients.

Braise Braising is one of the moist-heat cooking methods which stipulates both the temperature and amount of liquid used. Braising is typically used for slow cooking meats, by using a small amount of liquid, but the method can be used for vegetables and other foods. Braising can be done on the stove or in the oven. Low-medium temp. Small amount of liquid for long periods of time. Usually covered and in a deep vessel

Poach Poaching is one of the most gentle cooking methods and is particularly useful for infusing fruits, vegetables and meats (particularly fish) with flavors.

Scald Scalding is another very gentle cooking processes, even more gentle than poaching. Liquid brought to the scalded point is heated to 150°F. This will not produce any moving bubbles but small bubbles may appear to cling to the sides of the pot. For opaque liquids like milk, you may notice a little steam beginning to appear and the liquid may appear to move.

Simmer Simmering is one of the most common moist-heat methods as it is ideal for making stocks, soups, cooking many ingredients and reducing certain sauces. Simmering is ideal in dishes that will be cooked for a long period of time as it produces small, gentle bubbles.

Steaming Steaming is probably the most delicate cooking method and is often used to cook delicate ingredients or in applications where the shape of the food needs to be retained.