Cooking Methods

Baking

cooking food in dry heat without being exposed to a direct heat source, normally using an oven

Basting

keeping food moist during the cooking process by regularly pouring fat (or liquids) over it with a spoon

Browning

the process of making a food product slightly darker in colour, typically by applying intense, direct heat to it

Deep Frying

submerging and frying food in very hot oil; normally within a deep fat fryer appliance

Dry Frying

cooking food in a pot or pan without any oil - plant, animal or synthetic fat - as a base

Grilling

cooking food using a grill. Food items are cooked using a grill, with heat coming from above or below

Melting

a process heat is applied to food to change it from a solid state to a liquid state

Roasting

a cooking process that uses dry heat to cook food, most commonly in an oven. Some foods, which are not naturally oily, require fat or oil to lock in moisture

Sautéing

the cooking of food quickly to preserve texture and flavour - achieved by tossing food in light oil over a medium to high heat

Searing

cooking food on the outside at a high temperature to form a crust or caramelized exterior

Shallow Frying

frying food in shallow oil in a flat bottomed pan and flipping the food item from time to time to cook both sides

Sweating

the heating of food at low temperatures in a small amount of oil in order to remove moisture from it

Blanching

submerging food (usually fruit or vegetables) in boiling water for a brief moment, and after removing them from the heat, to run icy water over to halt the cooking process

Boiling

heating a liquid medium, usually water, to a state where steam vapour and bubbles appear. Food is submerged in the liquid and cooked until soft

Parboiling

using the same process as boiling, but only cooking the food items partially (+-50%)

Poaching

simmering food in a small amount of water

Pressure Cooking

cooking food in a pressurised container which prevents the loss of vapour and means that lower temperatures are needed

Simmering

heating a liquid medium, usually water, but keeping it below boiling point and creating gentle bubbles

Steaming

the process of cooking food by means of boiling water and allowing the steam it produces to circulate around a sealed container. Steaming equipment is traditionally made out of bamboo but electrical appliances are more frequently used nowadays

Stewing

the process of cooking food for a prolonged period of time at a medium heat (below boiling) with little to no addition of moisture once the process has been started. Commonly, it is a mixture of meat and vegetables but fruit can also be stewed

Thickening

allowing a liquid mixture to thicken, normally with the addition of a thickening agent like corn starch and applied heat

Pot Roasting

to cook large pieces of meat or vegetables in a covered pot in an oven, by simmering and steaming it in its own juices

Casserole cooking

to cook food in a casserole dish in an oven, by simmering it in its own juices

Braising

to fry food briefly before putting it in a sealed container in an oven to roast

Bacteria

a microorganism causing disease

Thermostat

A control or component of a cooking appliance that sets and regulates the temperature