Cooking Methods Flashcards

What is the difference between moist-heat and dry-heat cooking methods?

Answer: Moist-heat uses water or steam as the cooking medium; dry-heat uses air, fat, or radiation without added moisture

Moist-heat methods (poaching, simmering, boiling, steaming, braising) use water, stock, or steam to transfer heat. Dry-heat methods (roasting, grilling, sautéing, frying, broiling) use hot air, fat, or radiation without significant added moisture.

What is the correct temperature range for poaching?

Answer: 71°C to 82°C (160°F to 180°F)

Poaching is a gentle moist-heat cooking method performed at 71°C to 82°C (160°F to 180°F). The liquid should show slight movement with small bubbles on the bottom of the pot but no rolling action. This gentle heat is ideal for delicate items like eggs, fish, and fruit.

What is the difference between sautéing and pan-frying?

Answer: Sautéing uses high heat with small amounts of fat and keeps food moving; pan-frying uses moderate heat with more fat and food is turned less frequently

Sautéing uses high heat with a small amount of fat, and the food is kept in motion (tossing or stirring). Pan-frying uses moderate heat with more fat (partially submerging the food) and the food is cooked more slowly, typically turned only once.

What is braising and what types of cuts is it best suited for?

Answer: Slow cooking partially submerged in liquid in a covered vessel; best for tougher cuts with more connective tissue

Braising is a combination cooking method where food is first seared (dry heat) then slowly cooked partially submerged in liquid in a covered pot (moist heat). It is ideal for tougher cuts like beef chuck, short ribs, and shanks because the long, slow cooking breaks down collagen into gelatin.

What is the smoke point and why is it important when selecting a cooking fat?

Answer: The temperature at which a fat begins to break down and produce visible smoke; important because it affects flavour, safety, and the success of high-heat cooking

The smoke point is the temperature at which a fat begins to decompose, producing visible smoke and harmful compounds. Fats used for high-heat cooking (deep frying, sautéing) must have high smoke points. Refined oils like canola (204°C) are preferred over butter (150°C) for high-heat methods.

What is blanching and what are its primary purposes?

Answer: Briefly immersing food in boiling water then immediately cooling in ice water to partially cook, preserve colour, or loosen skins

Blanching involves briefly immersing food in boiling water (30 seconds to a few minutes) then immediately transferring it to an ice bath to stop cooking. It preserves colour and texture of vegetables, loosens skins for peeling (tomatoes, peaches), and reduces volume for freezing.