Basic Cooking Principles Chapter 4 Basic Cooking Principles

Chapter Objectives 1. Name the most important components of foods and describe what happens to them when they are cooked. 2. Name and describe the three ways in which heat is transferred to food in order to cook it. 3. List three factors that affect cooking times. 4. Explain the differences between moist-heat cooking methods, dry-heat cooking methods, and dry-heat methods using fat. 5. Describe each basic cooking method used in the commercial kitchen. 6. Identify five properties that determine the quality of a deep-fried product. 7. Explain the difference between a seasoning and a flavoring ingredient and give examples of each. 8. Identify appropriate times for adding seasoning ingredients to the cooking process in order to achieve optimal results. 9. Identify appropriate times for adding flavoring ingredients to the cooking process in order to achieve optimal results. 10. List eleven guidelines for using herbs and spices in cooking.

No written recipe is 100% accurate No written recipe is 100% accurate. The judgment of the cook is still the most important factor in insuring the product is successful.

Effects of Heat on Foods Carbohydrates Fruit and vegetable fiber Proteins Fats Minerals, vitamins, pigment, and flavor components Water

Effects of Heat on Foods (cont.) Proteins coagulate Starches gelatinize Sugars caramelize Water evaporates Fats melt Fiber is softened Vitamins and pigments can be destroyed

Heat Transfer Conduction Convection Radiation Natural Mechanical Infrared cooking Microwave cooking

Cooking Times Consider: The cooking temperature The different speeds of heat transfer The size, temperature, and individual characteristics of the food

Cooking Methods - Overall Broiling Grilling Roasting Baking Sautéing Pan-frying Deep-frying Poaching Simmering Boiling Steaming Braising Stewing

Cooking Methods Dry-heat cooking methods Moist-heat cooking methods Combination cooking methods

Moist-Heat Cooking Methods Poaching Simmering Boiling Steaming Braising Stewing Blanching

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods Broiling Grilling Roasting Baking Griddle Pan-Broiling

Dry-Heat Methods Using Fat Sauté Pan-fry Deep-fry Pressure fry

Procedures for deep-frying Fry at proper temperatures Don’t overload basket Use good-quality fat Replace 15–20% of fat with each use Discard spent fat Avoid mixing food flavors Fry as close to service as possible Protect fat from its enemies Heat, oxygen, water, salt, food particles, and detergent

The Art of Seasoning and Flavoring There is a difference between seasoning and flavoring Seasoning: enhancing the natural flavor of the food without significantly changing its flavor. Salt is the primary seasoning used. Generally added at the end of the cooking process Flavoring: adding a new flavor to the food, thus modifying the original flavor Can be added at any time based on the entire cooking process

Herbs and Spices Herbs and Spices are kitchen staples used as flavoring and seasoning Herbs are the leaves of certain plants that usually grow in temperate climates Spices are the buds, fruits, flowers, bark, seeds, and roots of plants and trees, many of which grow in tropical climates.

Commonly Used Herbs and Spices Aleppo Pepper Allspice Anise Annatto Seeds Basil Bay Capers Caraway Cardamom Cayenne Chervil Chile Powder Chiles Chives Cilantro Cinnamon Cloves Coriander Crushed Chiles Cumin Dill Fennel Fenugreek File Powder Galangal Ginger Grains of Paradise Horseradish

Commonly Used Herbs and Spices (cont’d) Juniper Lavender Lemon grass Marjoram Mint and Peppermint Mustard seeds Nutmeg Oregano Paprika Parsley Peppercorns, black, white, green and pink Poppy Seeds Rosemary Saffron Sage Sesame Seeds Szechwan Pepper Tamarind Tarragon Thyme Turmeric Wasabi

Herb and Spice blends Chinese five-spice powder Fine Herbs Herbs de Provence Italian Seasoning Blend Masala Pickling Spices Quatre épices Ras el Hanout Seasoned Salts Remember to store fresh herbs at 34° F-40° F

Seasoning and Flavoring Considerations Flavoring should not hide the taste or aroma of the primary ingredient Flavorings should be combined in balance Flavoring should not be used to disguise poor quality foods Salt is the most basic seasoning

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