CULINARY: DRY-HEAT COOKING I

SAUTÉING Definition: Cooking in a small amount of fat at a high temperature  Food must be naturally tender

SAUTÉING: FOOD SELECTION Items to be sautéed should be:  Tender  Portion-sized or small pieces  Cooked to order

TYPES OF FOOD SUITABLE FOR SAUTÉING  Beef, veal, pork, poultry, and game  Seafood  High-moisture vegetables  Precooked vegetables and potatoes

APPROPRIATE OILS AND FATS FOR SAUTÉING  Stable fats suitable for high temperature  Small amounts of fat are used  Examples include:  Clarified butter  Neutral-flavored oil  Rendered fats

LIQUIDS FOR DEGLAZING  Wine  Stock  Cognac or liqueur  Fortified wine  Water

SAUTÉING SAUCE Liquid base for the sauce  Jus lié of the appropriate flavor  Meat glaze  Vegetable coulis or purée

SAUTÉING OPTIONAL COMPONENTS  Aromatics to flavor the sauce  Finishing ingredients  Garnishing ingredients

SAUTÉING EQUIPMENT  Pan selection  Sautéuse  Sautoir  Select the proper pan size

SAUTÉING PROCEDURES  Prepare food items for sautéing  Sear items  Finish larger items on stove top  Remove items from the pan and reserve  Degrease the pan  Deglaze with liquid  Form sauce  Plate or pan and serve sauce over the main item

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION FOR SAUTÉING FOOD  Use a well-seasoned or nonstick pan; no fat needed  Use herbs and spices to reduce the amount of salt  Serve with light, flavorful sauces  Use low-fat/low-calorie liquids to deglaze  Use arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken sauce

PAN-FRYING  Items are usually coated with breading or batter  Amount of fat used should cover the bottom 1 / 4 to 1 / 3 of the product  Pan-fried items can be completely cooked during the frying process or finished in an oven Definition: Cooking method where food items are partially submerged in fat or oil

PAN-FRYING FOOD SELECTION Items to be cooked by pan-frying are:  Tender  Portion size or smaller

SUITABLE FOOD ITEMS FOR PAN-FRYING  Veal  Chicken  Pork  Seafood  Vegetables/starches  Pre-prepared items

PAN-FRYING INGREDIENTS  Standard breading mise en place  Product  Flour  Egg wash  Breading agent  Pan for finished product

PAN-FRYING: OILS AND FATS  Cooking medium  Fat or oil should be able to reach a high temperature without breaking down or smoking  Appropriate fat and oil  Clarified butter  Neutral-flavored oil  Canola oil  Rendered fat

PAN-FRYING OPTIONAL COMPONENTS  Filling  Stuffing

PAN-FRYING EQUIPMENT  Tong, kitchen fork, skimmer, and spider  Holding or finishing pans  Station for blotting or draining items after frying  Heated plates  Sautoir

PAN-FRYING EQUIPMENT —CONTINUED  Select a sautoir of an appropriate size  Cooking medium should come 1 / 4 to 1 / 3 up the sides of the food  Pan and cooking medium have reached the proper temperature when a faint haze is noticeable

PAN-FRYING PROCEDURES  Heat oil to appropriate temperature  Add main item to pan in a single layer  Fry food on the first side until golden brown  Turn item and cook to desired doneness  Remove item and finish in an oven, if necessary  Drain item on absorbent paper  Season and serve with appropriate sauce/garnish

ADDITIONAL PAN-FRYING INFORMATION  Fat should be correct amount and proper temperature  Items should be cooked as close to serving time as possible  Separate sauces typically are used  Fat laden with burned food particles should be discarded

PAN-FRYING: THINGS NOT TO DO  Don’t cook items ahead and hold  Don’t deglaze the pan to make a sauce

DEEP-FRYING  Food item is almost always given a protective coating  Items should be completely cooked when removed from fryer Definition: Cooking method where food items are completely submerged in hot fat or oil

DEEP-FRYING METHODS  Two major methods of deep-frying  Basket method  Swimming method  Method used is dependent on size of product and type of coating

DEEP-FRYING FOOD SELECTION Items to be deep-fried should be:  Tender  In small pieces that can be completely cooked by the time the coating achieves the proper browning

FOOD ITEMS SUITABLE FOR DEEP- FRYING  Vegetables  White meat or poultry  Seafood  Potatoes  Cheeses

DEEP-FRYING: TYPES OF COATING  Standard breading  Tempura  Française: Flour  Anglaise: Flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs  Batters: Plain or beer

DEEP-FRYING: BREADING  Product to be breaded  Flour  Egg wash  Breading  Finished product

DEEP-FRYING: BATTER  Product to be battered  Flour  Batter  Deep-fat fryer  Finished product

DEEP-FRYING: OIL AND FAT  Should be able to reach a high temperature without breaking down  Neutral-flavored oil  Rendered fat such as lard

ENEMIES OF DEEP-FRYING FAT  High temperature and prolonged heating  Free fatty acids  Moisture  Exposure to air  Certain metals  Salt  Food particles

INDICATORS THAT FRYING FAT NEEDS CHANGING  Low smoking point  Foaming  Color of product is off, darkens quickly  Product absorbs excess fat  Product cooks too slowly  Resin forms on top  Flavor of product changes  Unpleasant odor

DEEP-FRYING OPTIONAL COMPONENTS  Stuffing  Sauce

DEEP-FRYING EQUIPMENT  Thermostat-controlled deep-fat fryer  Skimmer  Draining rack and absorbent paper

DEEP-FRYING PROCEDURES  Heat fat to the proper temperature  Coat products with desired coating  Add main item to the hot fat  Turn items during frying, if necessary  Remove main item and finish in oven, if necessary  Blot food with absorbent paper towel  Season and serve with appropriate sauce and garnish

DEEP-FRYING PROCEDURES —CONTINUED  Fat must be hot or food will absorb excess grease  Fat should be skimmed frequently  Fat should be strained daily  Type of fat used will influence flavor of food  Turn down heat when fryer is not in heavy use  Cover fryer when not in use and keep clean

DEEP-FRYING: THINGS NOT TO DO  Don’t salt food over fryer  Don’t overload baskets with food items  Don’t fry uncoated meat such as bacon or sausage  Don’t use fat that has broken down or is excessively dark