1. Basic Cooking Techniques

2. Cooking with Moist Heat
Use a pan with a tight-fitting lid
Use a small amount of liquid
Liquid simmer and creates steam and the combination of the two cooks the food.
Tenderizes less-tender cuts of meat and poultry.
Gives you the opportunity to add seasonings and sauces

3. Steaming Use tight cover to retain the steam.
Food is placed in a steamer basket - out of the water, but allows steam to enter and cook the food.
Small amounts of water to create steam. Water level should be below steamer.
Water boils vigorously to create steam.
Be sure pan does not boil dry. Add water if needed.
Helps retain nutrients – Best way to cook veggies
Use for veggies, fish, poultry, and some puddings and breads.

4. Boiling Bubbles break the surface Steam escapes
Flavour becomes concentrated
Amount of liquid is reduced
Temperature – 100C
Breaks up food, Toughens protein - eggs
Easy to overcook food, losing nutrients, colour, texture and flavour.
Good Foods – Corn on the cob and pasta

5. Simmering Bubbles do not break the surface Gentler than boiling
Temperature – 86C to 99C
Cooks most foods in a reasonable length of time
Maintains quality of the food
Less loss of nutrients

6. Stewing Food is cut into small pieces Food is covered with water
Food simmers until done
Use for less-tender cuts of meat and poultry, fish, fruit.

7. Poaching small amount of liquid is used food simmers
food is left whole or cut in large pieces and retains shape
use for tender foods, such as eggs, fish and fruit

8. Cooking in a Plastic Cooking Bag
Use only special plastic cooking bags
Follow directions on package carefully. If you do not, bag may burst, splatter hot food and grease in the oven and catch FIRE.
Use large enough pan to hold food and juices
Use for less-tender cuts of meat and poultry, veggies and fruit

9. Pressure Cooking Cooks food in steam under pressure
Food cooks 3 to 10 times faster
Less tender cuts of meats, poultry, dry beans, soups, one-dish meals, veggies
All the advantages of steaming plus faster cooking

10. Roasting/Baking Do not cover. If you do, the food will steam
Do not add liquid – it will create steam
Use for tender cuts of meat, fish, and poultry
Roasting gives meats flavourful, crispy brown crust
Baking refers to breads, cookies, casseroles

11. Broiling Heat flows down on food
Pan has two parts: top grid and bottom pan. Top grid is perforated so fat and drippings flow down into the pan.
Do not line top grid with foil. The food will fry, not broil. Accumulated fat may catch on FIRE
Use for tender cuts of meats, poultry, fish, fruits and tender or precooked veggies.
Do not salt food before cooking
Turn thick pieces over halfway through cooking
Control cooking by varying cooking time or varying the distance of the pan from the heat.

12. Pan Broiling Stove top method of dry heat cooking
Food cooks quickly - retains a minimum about of fat
Cook food in a heavy skillet over medium heat
DON’T add fat or oil
Remove fat as it accumulates during cooking
Turn food over halfway through cooking time
Use for thin tender cuts of meat - cooks quickly such as bacon and hamburgers

13. Outdoor Grilling Heat flows up from below food
Food rests on open wire grill
Fat and drippings flow down
Use for tender cuts of meat and poultry and fish

14. Sauteing
To brown or cook food in a skillet with a small amount of fat.
Use for chopped veggies, such as peppers and onions, small pieces of meat and fish

15. Pan frying Similar to sautéing but with large pieces of meat.
Turn food several times when cooking

16. Deep Fat Frying Called “French Frying” Fill pan half full of oil
Use deep-fat frying thermometer to check temperature of fat
Add food when fat is hot
Be sure food is at correct temperature
Dry food before adding to the oil – moisture makes fat splatter
Cook small quantities of food at a time
Drain food on paper towel when done
NOTE: Food absorbs fat as it fries. Every tablespoon of fat absorbed add 125 calories to the food

17. Braising Browning food first
Food is left in large pieces, such as pot roast, pork chops and whole veggies
Use just enough liquid to cover bottom of the pan
Simmer liquid and use tight cover to retain steam
Can cook on top of stove or in the oven
Add liquid as needed
Used for less-tender cuts of meat and poultry and some whole veggies

18. Stir Fry A wok is generally used Use small amount of oil
Quick method of cooking
Each food must be cut in uniform pieces so it cooks evenly
Foods are sliced thin