Transcript There are four important reasons why we cook food

COOKING
PRINCIPLES
Cooking
Cooking is generally understood to be the transfer of
heat into food items to render these more palatable,
easier digestible and overall speaking, to improve their
bacteriological and tasteful aspects.
There are four important reasons why
we cook food:
To improve the appearance, flavor and taste of food and
also helps to develop, blend or alter flavors
To bring about structural changes in food. Meat fibers are
tenderized and the cellulose in vegetables and fruits is
softened so that they are easier to chew and digest
To stimulate the appetite and the digestive juices. It gives
food an attractive appearance, aroma and taste
To improve the keeping quality of food. It destroys some of
the harmful micro-organisms such as yeasts, and bacteria
that are naturally present.
Heat Transfer
In order for food to be cooked, heat must be transferred from a
heat source (such as a gas flame or an electric element) to
and through the food.
Heat is transferred in three ways:
Conduction - Heat conducted by fire, hot plate, griddle plate,
pot/pan, or grill.
Convection - Heat conducted by hot air, dry and wet steam,
water, and oil, as in a steamer or convection oven.
Radiation - Heat conducted by infrared heat or microwaves, as
in a broiler, salamander, or microwave oven.
COOKING METHODS
The basic methods of cooking include:
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(1) baking, (2) roasting, (3) broiling and
grilling, (4) frying, (5) boiling, (6) simmering,
and (7) steaming.
Salt, pepper, and other seasonings may be
added to improve flavor.
Baking
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Food is baked by cooking it in an oven. In most
cases, the oven temperature ranges from 300
to 450 °F (149 to 232 °C). The word baking
usually refers to the cooking of foods made
from a batter or dough. Such foods include
breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries. However,
casseroles, a few vegetables and fruits, and
some cuts of meats can also be baked.
Roasting
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Is cooking food uncovered in hot air. The term
usually refers to the cooking of meat. For
example, a turkey or a leg of lamb is roasted.
In roasting, the meat is usually placed on a
rack in a shallow pan and cooked uncovered in
an oven. The temperature usually ranges from
300 to 350 °F (149 to 177 °C).
Broiling and Grilling
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Are cooking by the application of direct heat. In broiling,
the food lies directly under a continuous heat source.
Meat can be broiled by placing it on a rack in a shallow
broiler pan. The surface of the meat lies 3 to 5 inches (8
to 13 centimeters) under the flames in a gas range broiler
or below the broiler heating unit in an electric oven.
Leave the door open slightly when broiling in an electric
oven to prevent the air in the oven from becoming too
hot. In grilling, the food lies directly over the heat source.
Cooks sometimes grill sandwiches in a skillet on the
stove.
Barbequing
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In barbecuing, highly seasoned meat is grilled
over hot coals. In pan broiling, the meat cooks
in a skillet over a burner. The fat that melts
from the meat is poured out of the pan as it
accumulates.
Frying
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Frying is the cooking of food in fat, such as butter or vegetable oil.
Frying adds fat and calories to food because the food absorbs some
of the fat in the pan. There are three main methods of frying: (1)
deep-frying, (2) pan frying, and (3) stir-frying. In deep-frying, a
large amount of fat is heated to about 350 °F (177 °C) in a heavy
saucepan or an electric appliance called a deep-fryer.
The hot fat completely covers the food. Deep-frying is a popular
way of cooking chicken, French fried potatoes, and shrimp. In pan
frying, also called sauteing, the food cooks in a small amount of fat,
usually in a skillet. Chicken, eggs, fish, and red meat are often pan
fried.
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In stir-frying, meat or vegetables cook in a
skillet or in a wok, a large, thin metal pan with
a round bottom. The food is cut into small
pieces and cooked in an extremely small
amount of fat. The cook fries the food at a
high temperature for only a few minutes and
stirs it constantly with a tossing motion.
Boiling
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Boiling is cooking food in boiling water, which
has a temperature of about 212 °F (100 °C). In
boiling, air bubbles rise to the surface of the
water and break. Potatoes and other
vegetables are often boiled in a saucepan over
a burner.
Simmering
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Simmering is cooking food in water that is just below
the boiling point. Such foods as eggs and meats should
be simmered rather than boiled. Cooks often use
covered saucepans to simmer foods. Slow cookers are
electric appliances that simmer foods at low
temperatures for 4 to 12 hours. A cook puts the food
and some water in a slow cooker and sets the
temperature. Health experts recommend caution when
using a slow cooker for meat and other foods prone to
bacterial growth at warm temperatures. Use sanitary
methods in preparing the food and keep it refrigerated
until just before cooking.
Steaming
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Steaming is cooking food in steam. It is used
mostly to cook vegetables. To steam
vegetables, place them on a rack or perforated
pan in a saucepan and add water to the
saucepan. The water collects below the rack
or perforated pan, and the vegetables remain
above--and out of--the liquid. Cover the
saucepan and heat it on a burner until the
water boils and forms steam, which surrounds
and cooks the vegetables.
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Steaming takes longer than boiling. However,
steamed vegetables retain better color and
flavor than boiled vegetables do. They also
have more nutrients because certain vitamins,
including vitamin C, dissolve easily in water
and may be removed by boiling.
Other Methods...
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Some foods that require a long time to cook, such as stews
and dried beans, may be prepared more quickly in a
pressure saucepan. This utensil cooks foods at high
temperatures by means of steam under pressure. Pressure
saucepans are also called pressure cookers.
Another fast method of cooking uses microwaves (short
radio waves). Microwave ovens heat small amounts of
foods much faster than gas or electric ovens or cook tops
do. Microwave ovens are especially useful for thawing
frozen foods and heating soups, vegetables, and leftovers.