METHODS OF COOKING FOOD

Cooking is the term applied when heat is used in preparing

foods. There are different methods of cooking which can be group
according to the wet heat is applied. The two methods are
commonly distinguished as using of Moist Heat Cooking and Dry
Heat Cooking. Moist Heat Cooking the heat is transferred by water,
water based liquid or steam; while Dry Heat Cooking the heat is
transferred by air, radiation, fat or metal. Below are the different
classifications of cooking methods.
COOKING
Moist Heat Cooking
 Scalding- (from the Latin word calidus, meaning hot) is a
form of thermal burn resulted from heated fluids such as
boiling water or steam. It is also accomplished in water
heated to around 185 °F (85 °C), usually in a double
boiler, which conducts the heat of the water, contained in
a bigger pan, to a smaller pan containing the food, thus
avoiding contact between food and water. This technique
is commonly used to prepare milk for breads and
custards. At just above the scalding temperature, water
begins to circulate visibly and to shiver; at this point,
foods, notably eggs and fish, may be poached.

 Simmering- Is a food preparation technique in which foods

are cooked in hot liquids kept just below the boiling point
of water, but higher than poaching temperature. To keep
a pot simmering, one brings it to a boil and then reduces
the heat to maintain the temperature.

 Braising- (from the French word braiser) is a combination-

cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats:
typically, the food is first sautéed or seared at a high
temperature, then finished in a covered pot at a lower
temperature while sitting in some (variable) amount of
liquid (which may also add flavor).

 Parboiling- Is the partial boiling of food as the first step in

cooking. The word is from the Old French 'parboillir' but by
mistaken association with 'part' it has acquired its current
meaning. The word is often used when referring to
parboiled rice.
  Steaming- Is a method of cooking using steam. This is
often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made
specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be
steamed in a wok. In the American southwest, steam pits
used for cooking have been found dating back about
5,000 years.

 Poaching- Is a cooking technique that involves cooking by

submerging food in a liquid, such as water, milk, stock or
wine or in a tray. Poaching is differentiated from the other
"moist heat" cooking methods, such as simmering and
boiling, in that it uses a relatively low temperature (about
160–180 °F (71–82 °C)).

 Stewing- A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients

that have been cooked in liquid and served in the
resultant gravy. ... Stewing is suitable for the least tender
cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow
moist heat method. This makes it popular in low-cost
cooking.

 Boiling- Boiling is the method of cooking food in boiling

water or other water-based liquids such as stock or milk.
Simmering is gentle boiling, while in poaching the cooking
liquid moves but scarcely bubbles.

 Blanching- Blanching is a cooking process wherein a food,

usually a vegetable or fruit, is scalded in boiling water or
oil, removed after a brief, timed interval, and finally
plunged into iced water or placed under cold running
water to halt the cooking process. Blanching foods helps
reduce quality loss over time.

Dry Heat Cooking

 Baking- Baking is a method of preparing food that uses
dry heat, normally in an oven, but can also be done in hot
ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is
bread but many other types of foods are baked. Heat is
gradually transferred "from the surface of cakes, cookies,
and breads to their center.

 Broiling- Broiling, cooking by exposing food to direct

radiant heat, either on a grill over live coals or below a gas
burner or electric coil. Broiling differs from roasting and
 baking in that the food is turned during the process so as
to cook one side at a time.

 Frying is the cooking of food in oil or another fat. Similar

to sautéing, pan-fried foods are generally turned over
once or twice during cooking, using tongs or a spatula,
while sautéed foods are cooked by "tossing in the pan". A
large variety of foods may be fried.

 Stir Frying- (Chinese: 炒; pinyin: chǎo) is a Chinese cooking

technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount
of very hot oil while being stirred in a wok. The technique
originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into
other parts of Asia and the West.

 Deep-frying- (also referred to as deep fat frying) is a

cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat,
most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow oil used in
conventional frying done in a frying pan. Normally, a deep
fryer or chip pan is used for this; industrially, a pressure
fryer or vacuum fryer may be used.

 Grilling- Is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied

to the surface of food, commonly from above, below or
from the side.[1] Grilling usually involves a significant
amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for
cooking meat and vegetables quickly. Food to be grilled is
cooked on a grill (an open wire grid such as a gridiron with
a heat source above or below), using a cast iron/frying
pan, or a grill pan (similar to a frying pan, but with raised
ridges to mimic the wires of an open grill).

 Sautéing- Or sautéing is a method of cooking that uses a

relatively small amount of oil or fat in a shallow pan over
relatively high heat. Various sauté methods exist, and
sauté pans are a specific type of pan designed for
sautéing

 Pan broiling- Is a cooking technique used for thin steaks,

thin chops and fish fillets. It is a dry cooking method done
in a frying pan on top of the stove with no added fat or
liquid. It sears the surface of the meat, sort of like proper
broiling would.

USE HEAT COOKING

 Heat is the process of preparing food by cooking and toasting.
Cooking is the term applied when heating affects the entire mass of
food, while toasting concerns the first effect of heat on the surface.
Without heat, foods are unpalatable and not safe to eat. The food
produced changes depend upon the methods of heat transfer, like
time of heating, the temperature reached the surface and within the
mass of food, and the nature of food itself.
METHODS OF HEAT TRANSFER
There are sources of heat transfer to the food by convection,
conduction and microwave emission. These factors affect the
intensity and rate of cooking.

Convection- Is the transfer of heat energy by direct contact.

Convention- Is the movement of heat by actual motion of

matter.
Radiation- Is the transfer of energy with the help of
electromagnetic waves.
Many foods are cooked by conduction when heat flows from one
material to another. Metals are good conductor of heat, thus metal
pots and pans are widely used in food preparation. Foods are also
cooked by convection currents (as in food processing) and by
radiation. With radiation, only the surface is cooked by the waves of
energy, the interior is cooked by conduction. Heat, a form of energy,
increases the molecular motion of a substance. The temperature of
a substance is the measure of the vigor of this motion. Freezing and
boiling points are related to molecular structure. The substance with
the higher molecular weights requires a higher temperature for a
change of state to occur. The heat required to change a substance
from frozen to liquid state is known as the heat of fusion.

Measurement of Heat or Temperature

The usual result of an increase in temperature is an expansion
in size. Hence, a convenient way of measuring temperature is by
noting the expansion of a column of mercury in a thermometer
scale. Mercury expands uniformly at different temperature and has
an extensive range between the freezing point -39°F and its boiling
point 675°F. There are two kinds of scale in a thermometer: the
Fahrenheit and the Centigrade.

Heat is measured by degrees Centigrade or Celsius (°C) or

degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
The degree of hotness or intensity of heat is expressed as the
temperature of the object (food). To express cooking temperatures,
the Metric
System using °C and °F are used.

The Fahrenheit scale is named after a German Physicist. It has

32° for its freezing point and 212° for its boiling point. There are
212 equal divisions between 0° and the boiling point. The
Centigrade Scale gets its name from Centum, Latin for “hundred”
and Grade which means
“step.” In the Centigrade Scale, the freezing point is marked 0° and
the boiling point is marked 100°. The scale between these two
points is marked off into 10 equal divisions or degrees.

PURPOSE OF COOKING
Some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are highly palatable
when eaten raw. However, most foods must be cooked to be
acceptable to the human palate. The main purposes of cooking food
are: • to improve its natural flavor and palatability; • to destroy
pathogenic organisms and injurious substances which may be found
on raw foods; • to improve its digestibility; and• to make its
maximum nutritive value available in a palatable form.
Natural Flavor and Palatability
 Fruits and vegetables are highly palatable because of its natural
texture and nutritive value when they bare remain unsoaked and
uncooked. The flavor of the food is depends on its influence of flavor
and to maintain the natural flavor of the object. Used a short
process of cooking without adding any flavoring materials.
When mixing some food, you can developed an interested
blend. The process of cooking this food are long time to develop the
new flavor. For example, casserole dishes, pudding, and the local
Sinigang and Nilaga are enjoyed for their interesting blend of
different flavors. Overcooking, however, is destructive of flavors and
food may become soggy or stringy.
The effect of cooking on the color and texture of food has a
great influence on flavor. The methods of cooking used must be
those which are conserving of the natural color of food or
developing the new, desired color.
Pathogenic Organisms and Injurious Substances on Food
All foods in their natural state are subject to spoilage or
deterioration because of pathogenic organisms and injurious
substances found in them. Microorganisms, such as molds, yeasts,
and bacteria, grow at certain temperature generally between 0
degree to 75 degrees. However, with heat application or exposure
to temperatures near the boiling point of water, microorganisms are
easily killed.

Illness may be caused by foods that naturally contain

poisonous
Substances and foods that are contaminated with pathogenic
microorganisms and toxins. Cooking, through application of heat,
destroys the injurious substances in raw food and renders the food
in wholesome and safe form.

Most cooking methods produce an interior temperature of 140

Degrees to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Some baked products may
reach a Temperature close to 21 degrees Centigrade. This
temperature range is one in which many harmful organisms do not
grow. All portions of food must reach and maintain a certain
temperature within this range.

Digestibility of Food
All foods undergo softening as a result of cooking, which may
render food more digestible. Some cooking processes are identical
with the processes involved in the breakdown of food during
digestion. For example: the transformation of starch into dextrin’s
and the hydrolyses that takes place during the cooking of meat
break down the protein collagen in connective tissues. Digestibility
to a layman, refers not only to the completeness of digestion and
absorption but also the general feeling and after effect of eating.
When food is hard to digest, it is easily manifested by a feeling of
discomfort. Some fruits and vegetables have to be cooked to be
palatable, soft and easy to digest.

Maximum Nutritive Value

Some foods, like fruits and vegetables group, are highly

palatable when eaten raw because uncooked and unsoaked foods
retain a good portion of their nutritive value. However, in time of
food poisoning outbreak, people are warned not to eat raw or half-
cooked food.

The most important nutritive change, which occurs in natural

food through cooking, is the loss of its water soluble nutrients,
hence, the retention of these nutrients in foods is directly related to
the amount of water used in cooking. Destruction of vitamins may
also be brought about by the action of heat. Studies have shown
that Ascorbic acid and Thiamine are unfavorably affected by heat.
All these, however, are small losses if compared to the significance
of the effects of cooking to assure safety from food-borne diseases.

There are some raw foods that have to be cooked in order that
their nutritive value can be used by the body. For example, root
crops have to be cooked to fully enjoy their carbohydrates content.
The protein content of most fish and meat are fully utilized when
cooked. To develop, enhance, or alter the flavor of foods and to
maximize its nutritive value, control must be exercised by the
method of cooking used and the length of cooking time
COOKING MEDIUM
The methods of cooking are classified according to the cooking
medium, namely, air, water, steam, fat, and a combination of one or
more of these mediums. Air and Heat as Cooking Mediums
Foods are also cooked by convection currents or the transfer of
kinetic energy by heated air or liquid, and by radiation or transfer of
kinetic energy by means of waves.
 Broiling is cooking over or
under a source of direct
heat such as coals, a gas
burner, or a glowing electric
unit. Much of the heat is
derived from radiant energy;
some is conducted from the air and from the broiler rack.
  Roasting is cooking on a spit
before an open fire or by
covering with hot coals.
Nowadays, the term is used
synonymously with baking
in meat cookery.

 Baking is cooking in an
oven, whereby, convection
cur rents aid in heating the
air and equalizing the oven
temperature.

Water as a Cooking Medium

The methods of cooking with water as the medium are: boiling,
simmering, and stewing.
Boiling - is cooking in water at boiling point. This temperature
may be recognized by the presence of many bubbles of steam rises
to the top and breaks. Incomplete cooking by boiling is called
parboiling. It is used when another method is to be employed for the
remainder of the cooking time, or when strongly flavored or other
water soluble constituents are to be removed and fresh water is
added for continued cooking by boiling.
Simmering - is cooking in a bath of water somewhat below the
boiling point, 180 to 210 degrees F (82-99 degrees C). The presence
of bubbles of steam, which disappears before they reach the
surface, is an education of this range.
Stewing is simmering or boiling in water enough to cover the
ingredient.
Poaching – Water is heated to a temperature of 160° to 180°F
(71° to 82°C). Small motionless bubbles appear in the bottom of the
pan. Poaching is used to prepare delicate foods like fish and eggs.
 Simmering – Water is heated just below the boiling point not
less than 180°F (82°C). It is characterized by gently rising bubbles
that barely break the surface. Simmering is used for cooking tough
cuts of meat to make it tender.
Boiling – Water is heated to reach 212°F (100°C), a temperature
at which water bubbles rapidly. The high temperature of boiling
water is used to cook paste and tougher-textured vegetables like
dried beans.
Steam as a Cooking Medium
The methods of cooking with steam as the cooking medium are:
steaming, waterless cooking, and pressure cooking.
Steaming refers to cooking in steam arising from added water.
Waterless cooking is cooking with steam formed from the water
originally present in food.
Pressure cooking is cooking with steam under pressure; since
the heat of vaporization does not escape, the temperature rises
steadily to a high point. This type of cooking requires the use of a
pressure cooker, a special type of cooking utensil. Fat as a Cooking
Medium
Fat is used as the cooking medium in sautéing, deep-fat frying,
and pan broiling.
Sautéing is cooking in a lightly greased pan allowing the
product to be turned over or “flipped” for complete cooking.
Deep-Fat Frying refers to cooking in an amount of fat sufficient
for immersion of the food. The temperature required for frying runs
as high as 385 degrees F or 196 degrees C. Combination of Cooking
Mediums
A combination of more than one method is used in braising,
fricasseeing, and pot roasting.
Braising represents a combination of sautéing and subsequent
cooking in a small amount of liquid in a covered utensil.
Fricasseeing is almost similar to braising. Braising and
fricasseeing are in fact synonymously applied to meat and poultry.
Pot roasting is the term commonly used when a large piece of
meat is cooked by the preceding methods.
Electronic Cooking
Electronic cooking or microwave cooking is done on an
electronic range. Electronic cooking does not involve a cooking
medium. In an electronic oven, a magnetron tube is used to change
electricity to high frequency microwaves; the micro waves are
absorbed by the food, causing agitation of the molecules or friction.
By creating molecular friction, energy is produced in food. This
action results in heating of the food. The food cooks, as in
conventional cooking, by becoming hot first. The interior of the food
mass is cooked by heat conducted to it from the surface. Aluminum,
tin and stainless steel utensils and vessels are not used in
microwave cooking because they cut down its efficiency by
shielding the food. Paper, glass, china, and earth ware are
preferable. Much time is saved in microwave cooking; and food will
not burn.

THE STANDARDIZED RECIPE

A recipe is a set of instructions for making a food dish from
various ingredients. When a recipe is one in which the amounts and
proportions of the ingredients and the methods of procedure will
consistently produce a high quality product, it becomes a
standardized recipe.
A recipe has two important parts:
• A list of ingredients and
• A description of the method for putting them together.
Principles to be followed in Recipe Construction
Good recipes are constructed not only to obtain a good product
but also to be sure of an efficient and orderly procedure that will
minimize the time of preparation. Here are certain principles to
follow:
1. The recipe should be simple, easy to read, and interesting to the
reader.
2. The ingredients should be listed in the order they are to be used.
3. Exact measurements should be indicated; if possible
abbreviations should be avoided.
4. If the process is carried out after measurement, the terms are
placed under the ingredient.
5. Whenever possible, it is desirable to use simple measurements.
6. Specify the particular type of ingredient to be used. Thus, if cake
flour is the preferred ingredient, specify as 2 cups cake flour instead
of 2 cups flour.
7. Use the generic names of the ingredients rather than brand
names.8. Short and clear sentences that give the necessary
information help to make directions understandable.9. Use the
precise term to describe a cooking process or a preparation method.
Do not say mix when you mean fold or beat.10. Specify the size of
the baking pan or utensils needed. State clearly how preparation
should be made. For example: oiling greasing lining with wax
paper11. State information regarding temperature and cooking time
to insure successful results. A statement to describe the stage is
most helpful. For example: Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F, until it is
golden brown.12. Every recipe should indicate its yield in terms of
average servings