Friday, June 16, 2017

Combination Cooking Methods: Learning New Way to Cook

Hello, readers! First, I would like to know if you have checked out our previous blog about the Dutch oven (perhaps those Dutch ovens would come in handy with these cooking methods). If you are reading this blog right now, I can tell that you are someone who likes to spend time in the kitchen just like I do! Today, I am going to share what is combination cooking methods.

What are Combination Cooking Methods?

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Combination cooking methods involve both moist-heat and dry-heat cooking.

Moist-heat cooking methods

The moist-heat methods including poaching, simmering, boiling, braising, stewing, pot roasting, steaming, and en papillote. These methods are using water, liquid or steam to transfer heat to cook the foods.

The foods that typically required a longer period to prepare and this approach are to ensure that the foods do not dry out.

To understand better on how to cook using the moist-heat method, watch this video:

Dry-heat cooking methods

The dry-heat methods utilize air or fat. These including broiling, roasting, grilling, baking, sautéing, pan-frying and deep-fat frying. Foods that are cooked with these methods are usually left with rich flavor because of the browning and caramelizing of the foods.

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Applying These Cooking Methods

If you are a beginner cook, you might wonder which cooking method to use when comes to different types of foods/ part of sliced meats. Don’t worry, the more you cook, practice and experiment, the more natural you would adapt to these cooking methods in no time!

​There is no need to buy an expensive piece of meat to cook a tender, flavorful dish if you have no full understanding of how to apply the cooking methods. But even if you have full knowledge of those methods, you do not need an expensive piece of meat too; a real chef can make the cheapest cut of meat taste delicious!

​Although it would be a great benefit if you can fully understand those cooking methods that are required on those different cuts from the animals. Read on; I will share some information on this!

Moist-Heat Cooking Methods

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Poaching

Poaching method requires very low temperature for cooking- defined at between 70 to 82°C. The boiled water should be just having slight movement and without bubbles. The method of poaching gives an environment that is calm enough to cook delicate foods such as eggs.

Simmering

The method of simmering is the most balanced cooking process with a common range of temperature which is defined at 85 to 96°C. It is very normal if you noticed tiny bubbles breaking through the liquid surface during simmering. The method provides significant flavoring-release in stews, meats, and soups.

Boiling

Boiling method requires the highest temperature for submersion which defined at 100°C. As you all know the boiling process would have a noticeable rapid water movement with a bubble when it reaches the peak boiling temperature. However, not many cooking required boiling method as the only one that requires it is to cook pasta.

Steaming

Similar to the boiling method as it requires the highest temperature at 100°C. Only the steam that is produced from the boiling liquid is in contact with the foods. Steaming is a standard method because it provides fast cooking time with high heat and moist-heat cooking nature.

En Papillote

If you have read the previous blog about the Onion Piqué, I have mentioned a few French cooking terms in that blog. Here is another one - En Papillote. This is one of the French cooking technique which is used to cook food that is wrapped in the parchment paper. Watch the video tutorial to know how!

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Dry-Heat Cooking Methods

Sautéing

The sauté method requires little oil with high heat, the reason why little oil is needed because the high temperature prevents moisture from escaping, also avoid the oil from splattering and potentially causing a fire.

Pan-Frying

The pan-frying methods are to cook ingredients over medium-high heat, and the process needs more oil than other cooking methods as it is to prevent losing the moisture releasing from the ingredients.

Roasting & Baking

The roasting and baking methods are done by the oven which uses air or convection that transfer heat to the ingredient.

Many people often think a convection and conventional oven are the same, but they are not. A convection oven uses fan mode to evenly spread the heat around, cook the ingredients evenly and faster.

​Click on the link to check out our quick guide for the best countertop convection oven in the market right now.

Grilling

Grilling is using the dry-heat method that cooks the food ingredients on a griller. It is ideal that the ingredients are cut into smaller pieces. Constant monitoring is highly required in this cooking method as you do not want to burn your foods!

Broiling

The broiling method is similar and almost reverse to grilling cooking process. Broiling uses radiant heat from an over heat source, and the foods that to broil would be placed on a pre-heated metal grate, and the heat above would cook the food while the grill below marks it.

Deep-fat/ Deep Frying

This is another favorite method of cooking. I often think that deep-frying was a moist-heat method, but I was wrong! It is rather a dry-heat method. Deep-frying requires extremely high temperature which can be as high as 200°C. The heat allow the food to be cooked and browned faster.

Combination of Moist and Dry-Heat Methods

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A favorite combination cooking method is known as Braising. The fundamental method of braising is by using the dry-heat cooking method first, such as lamb shank which you would either pan frying or sauté to ensure that proper beautiful caramelized of the meat.

​Once the lamb shank is properly seared and nicely caramelized, the meats are then placed into stock and continue cooking until it is simmered or braised (this is usually taking a longer time to cook), your lamb shank will then be soft and tender. Braising method is ideal for applying on tougher part of the meats.

Sous Vide

What cooking method is sous vibe?

​The sous vide method is relatively new which developed in the 70s. What the cooking method of sous vide is that the foods are vacuum sealed in plastic and is simmered the whole thing in water and brings it to boil thoroughly. This is to remove the food products from the external environment where it cooked in a way that retains its natural flavor.

​Sous vide cooking method creates cooking evenly at an exact temperature, but this approach would need patience and effort to know how to do it properly. Check out the video link below.

Take-Home-Note

I hope this blog help you understand more on the combination cooking methods and a little on learning how to cook. You can always look up to more videos for a better understanding on how to prepare step-by-step on each of those cooking methods.Good luck and happy cooking!

The post Combination Cooking Methods: Learning New Way to Cook appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen.

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