Methods of Cooking Meat reactions on the surface of the

Choosing the Right Cooking Technique food, thus encouraging the

development of complex
Using the appropriate cooking method for the type of flavors and aromas.
Grilling cooks hot and fast
food being prepared is a major part of the culinary
because air is a poor conductor
arts. Tough cuts of meat like beef brisket or lamb
of heat. Broiling and grilling
shank need to be cooked slowly, at low heat, for a require the food to be quite
long time, and with plenty of moisture. Prepared close to the heat source, which
properly, these cuts can be incredibly tender and in this case, is likely to be an
delicious. On the other hand, dry-heat methods open flame.
typically involve very high temperatures and short 3. Sautéing and Pan-Frying
cooking times. A piece of brisket cooked in this way — Sautéing is a form of
on a grill, let’s say would be tough, chewy and largely dry heat cooking that uses a very hot pan and a small
inedible. A beef tenderloin steak cooked using a slow, amount of fat to cook the food
moist-heat method such as braising would also turn very quickly. Like other dry heat cooking methods, sautéing
browns the food’s surface as it cooks and develops
out tough, chewy and inedible.
complex flavors and aromas.
A. Dry Heat Cooking
Sautéing requires a very hot
Dry heat cooking refers to any cooking technique pan. When sautéing, it’s
where the heat is transferred to the food item important to heat the pan for a
without using any moisture. Dry heat cooking minute, then add a small
typically involves high heat, with temperatures of amount of fat and let it gets
300°F or hotter. Baking or roasting in an oven is a hot as well, before adding the
dry heat method because it uses hot air to food to the pan. This hot fat helps brown the surface of the
conduct the heat. Pan-searing a steak is food. Another key is to avoid overloading or overcrowding
considered dry-heat cooking because the heat the pan.
transfer takes place through the hot metal of the 4. Deep-Frying
Since deep-frying involves submerging food in hot,
pan.
liquid fat, it might take some time to get used to the idea
Note: The browning of food (including the process by
that it’s actually a form of dry-heat cooking. But if you’ve
which meat is browned, called the Maillard reaction)
ever seen the violent reaction of hot oil to even a tiny drop
can only be achieved through dry-heat cooking. of water, you know that oil and water are a couple of
Examples of dry-heat methods include opposites that has nothing to do with each other.

1.Roasting and Baking B. MOIST HEAT COOKING

Roasting and baking C.
are forms of dry heat cooking Moist heat cooking methods include any
that use hot, dry air to cook technique that involves cooking with moisture
food. Like other dry heat whether it’s steam, water, stock, wine or some other
cooking methods, roasting, liquid. Cooking temperatures are much lower,
and baking brown the surface anywhere from 140°F to a maximum of 212°F,
of the food, which in turn develops complex flavors and because water doesn’t get any hotter than that.
aromas. Both words describe a method of cooking an item Examples of moist-heat cooking methods include:
by enveloping it in hot, dry air, generally inside an oven 1. Simmering
and at temperatures of at least 300°F and often much With simmering, the cooking liquid is a bit hotter
hotter. A convection oven, which circulates hot air than poaching from 180°F to 205°F. Here we will see
throughout the oven, can enhance the browning reaction. bubbles forming and gently rising to the surface of the
2. Grilling and Broiling water, but the water still isn’t at a full rolling boil. Because
Grilling and broiling are dry heat cooking methods it surrounds the food in water that maintains a more or
that rely on heat being conducted through the air from an less constant temperature, simmering cook’s food very
open flame. This type of cooking produces browning evenly. It’s an excellent choice for culinary preparations
including stocks or soups, starchy items such as potatoes
or pastas, and many others.

2. Boiling
The hottest of these three stages is boiling, where
the water reaches its highest possible temperature of Factors Affecting Choice of Cooking Methods in Meat
212°F. It’s actually the least likely of the three to be used
for cooking. That’s because the violent agitation caused by 1.Cuts of meat
the rolling boil can be too rough on food and will often • Tender cuts like ribs and loin cuts are used for
damage it. roasting, broiling and grilling.
Water at a full boil would be a bad choice for cooking • Less tender cuts from leg or round are used for
an egg outside its shell, as we do when preparing poached braising.
eggs, because the agitation would cause the egg to fall • Tougher cuts from chuck or shoulder are usually
apart. The same holds true for delicate fish as well as some braced.
pastas. • Least tender cuts from shanks, breast, brisket, and
3. Steaming flank are cooked by moist heat.
Steaming is a moist- • Ground meat and cubed usually made from
heat cooking technique that trimmings can be cooked by dry heat or moist heat.
employs hot steam to
conduct the heat to the
food item. Steaming can be
done on a stovetop, with a
pot containing a small
amount of liquid that is brought to a simmer. The item to
be cooked is then placed in a basket suspended above the
liquid and the pot covered.
4. Braising and Stewing 2.Fat content
Braising is a form of moist-heat cooking in which • Meats high in fat are cooked without added fat,
the item to be cooked is partially covered with liquid and such as roasting or broiling
then simmered slowly at a low temperature. Though it can • Meats low in fat are often cooked with added fat
be done on the stovetop, braising is best done in the oven, to prevent dryness, like sautéing, pan frying or
because the heat fully surrounds the pot and causes the braising.
food to cook more evenly than if it were only heated from
below.
Begin by Searing
Because moist heat does not permit the various
browning reactions that dry heat produces, giving cooked
meats the brown, outer crust that also helps to develop
complex flavors and aromas, it’s customary to sear meat in 3. Desired quality
a pan with a small amount of hot fat before braising it. This • Tenderness is not the only goal of cooking. Flavor and
step helps to develop flavors as well as making the meat appearance are also one of the objectives to get the
more appealing visually. desired quality.

How Braising Works

Braising is a good choice of cooking method for
cuts of meat that are tougher or from older animals. The
connective tissues that are more prevalent in cuts like this,
and which can make meats tough and chewy when
improperly cooked, are slowly dissolved through long, slow
application of moist heat. So, you end up with a tender
piece of meat.
FILL ME IN.

Directions: In numbers 1-5, determine the suggested temperature required in cooking various meat. Write your answers on
Meat °C °F your
answer
Beef, rare 52 (#1) sheets.

Beef, medium (#2) 135

Beef, medium well (#3) 155

Beef, well done 71 (#4)

Ground Beef (#5) 165

Pork 71 160

WORD SEARCH

Directions: Spot the cooking methods listed below. Words appear horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Then, give a short
description or meaning of each word. Write your answers on your answer sheet.

Answer the questions briefly.

1. Why is it important to select the correct cookery methods for particular cuts of meat?
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