Methods of

Cooking
Moist methods of cooking
What is a Moist method of cooking

Moist method – A relatively low temperatures are used,

which may prolong the cooking time of some foods.
The liquid medium may be water, steam, stock, milk, fruit
juice, wine and beer.
Can you list some moist methods of cooking?
 Boiling

is a common method of cooking, the

liquid(usually water) is heated to boiling
point(100￮C or 212￮F) and the heat is
then lowered until the liquid is bubbling
evenly and rapidly. Examples of foods
suitable for boiling rice, pasta, ground
provisions, etc.
Simmering
Foods are cooked in hot water
but require gentler treatment
than boiling to prevent
toughening (e.g. Fish and
Meat), or to prevent the food
from breaking up(e.g.
Potatoes) should be simmered.
When a liquid is simmering, a
few bubbles rise to the surface,
and the temperature is just
below boiling point.
What is the difference between boiling and
simmering

Type your answer

 Poaching

is the cooking of food in water at just below

the temperature used for simmering. It is
therefore a very gentle method of cooking.
The water should only come halfway up the
food, and the heat should be applied slowly
until the right temperature is reached.
Suitable foods are foods that contain protein
which would become tough or curdled at
higher temperatures, e.g. fish and eggs.
 This is part cooking of foods by
Par-boiling
boiling for short period. The
cooking is completed by another
method of cooking. E.g. Potatoes
and parsnips can be par-boiled
before being baked/ roasted in fat
in the oven. The food should be
placed in boiling water and
simmered for five to ten minutes
or until the outside is soft. It
should be drained and cooked as
desired.
 Blanching

is a cooking process in which a

food, usually a vegetable or fruit,
is scalded in boiling water,
removed after a brief, timed
interval, and finally plunged into
iced water or placed under cold
running water to halt the cooking
process.
What is the difference between blanching
and par-boiling

Type your answer

 Steaming

Food that is steamed does

not come into direct contact
with the water, but is cooked
in the steam rising from the
boiling water.
Types of steamers
Steaming can be carried out in various ways:
 Stewing

This is a slow method of cooking,

which is similar to boiling, but
the food is cooked below boiling
point. It can be carried out in the
stove top in a pan with a lid, or in
the oven in a covered dish
(casserole) on a low heat (300°
-325°F). The liquid in which the
food is cooked is normally served
with the meal.
Pressure Cooking-

A pressure cooker, is tightly sealed, is

used for pressure cooking, where the
food is cooked with steam under
pressure. The increase in pressure
increases the boiling point of water to
250°F (121°C) and increases the heat
cooks the food even faster.
Questions

Please answer questions below

1. Name five foods suitable for boiling?

2. What is the difference between boiling and simmering?
3. What is the principle behind pressure cooking?
Dry methods of cooking
 Baking
Baking is cooking of foods such as flour
mixtures (cakes, pastries, bread, biscuits),
and fruits and vegetables (baked apples,
Potatoes) and casseroles by convection in
the oven, without the addition of fat, except
to prevent mixtures from sticking to cooking
vessels e.g. Baking tins and flan cases.
Roasting
Roasting- Was
traditionally carried out
over an open fire, with the
meat being rotated on a
spit. Nowadays, roasting
is generally described as
cooking of meat or
vegetables in the oven
basting them with hot fat
to prevent it from drying
and to develop colour and
flavour.
 Question
Describe the two methods of roasting meat.

What is the difference between baking and roasting?

Barbecuing
Barbecuing is cooking food- Beef, chicken, sausages, etc. over hot coals. Using low
temperatures for long periods. Direct radiant energy from coals, lava rocks, gas or
electricity cooks the food.
 Grilling

Grilling is a form of cooking that involves

dry heat applied to the surface of food,
commonly from above or below.

Grilling usually involves a significant

amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to
be used for cooking meat quickly.

Food to be grilled is cooked on a grill, a

grill pan, or griddle. Direct heat grilling
can expose food to high temperatures.
 Barbeque vs Grilling
Click on video to find
out the difference
Question

What is the difference between grilling and barbecuing?

Broiling
To broil means to cook with radiant
heat from above, high temperatures and
is a quick method usually used for
tender cuts of meat, poultry,fish and
vegetables

Click on the play

button
Combination method
 Braising

is a combination of stewing and roasting.

Cuts of meat or poultry are placed on a bed
of fried vegetables, herbs, and or bacon with
sufficient liquid to cover the vegetables and
to keep the food moist. A well-fitting lid is
placed on the pan to prevent loss of liquid,
while the food is cooking in the steam rising
from the water and vegetables (stock). When
the food is tender, it is browned in a hot oven
with the lid off. Suitable foods are beef-
brisket, flank, lamb, rabbit, liver and hearts,
vegetables and poultry.
Question

What is braising? Name five foods suitable for this method

Frying
Frying
Frying is a quick, convenient and
popular methods of cooking,
which involves high temperatures,
there are various methods of
frying;

Deep frying

Shallow frying

Dry frying

Stir Frying
 Deep Frying
Involves the immersion of a
food in a pan of hot fat, so that
the food is covered by the fat
while frying. Use a strong,
deep pan, with a frying basket.
Foods suitable for deep frying-
scotch eggs, doughnuts, small
poultry joints, fish portions,
potato chips etc.
Shallow frying
Shallow frying involves the
cooking of food in a layer of hot
fat that comes about halfway
up the food. A strong, flat
frying pan is used. Suitable
foods for shallow frying are
chops, cutlets, liver, kidney, fish
cakes, eggs etc.
 A little oil (about 1
tablespoon) is heated in
Stir Frying the wok/pot and the food
is put in and stirred
continuously to ensure
even and thorough
cooking. Few nutrients
are lost, and the food
remains crisp and well
flavoured. It is quick,
healthy and
energy-saving method of
cooking. Foods suitable
are vegetables, lamb,
chicken, beef, nuts, beans
etc.
 Some foods like bacon
Dry/pan Frying and sausages can be
fried without the
addition of fat, as they
contain sufficient fat to
prevent them from
sticking to the pan.
Questions
1. Why must the frying pan be only half filled with oil or fat, and why it is important not to
overfill it with food?

2. Give five examples of foods that are suitable for deep-fat frying and five suitable for
shallow frying.

3. Why is stir frying a healthy method of cooking?

4. What are the dry methods of cooking?