Some popular cooking techniques that every home chef should master in their kitchen include boiling, steaming, grilling and broiling, roasting and baking, pan frying, deep frying, and braising.
A dish can be made in various ways using different cooking methods. Chefs use the same ingredients with different cooking techniques to give a change in flavor each time they prepare a dish.
Mastering a variety of cooking techniques will not only keep you at the edge of the culinary world and make you a great cook at home.
Here’s how to master the kitchen with essential cooking techniques for every home chef.
Use these cooking techniques as an inspiration to take your culinary skills to the next level.
In poaching, you either fully or partially submerge delicate ingredients, like fish and egg, into a liquid medium constantly below boiling point.
Add wine, broth, stock, or extra ingredients like fresh herbs or vegetables to season the poaching liquid. Adding this type of seasoning gives an additional taste to your poached dish.
Blanching is briefly submerging food into boiling water and thrusting it into cold water to halt cooking.
This cooking technique keeps the food fresh with its nutrients intact without changing the appearance and taste of the dish.
Blanching frequently removes the skin from vegetables and membranes from meats.
Boiling is one of the most basic cooking methods for preparing various dishes with different tastes and textures.
It’s one of the most popular cooking methods used to prepare meals and a simple one that almost everyone knows about.
A vital point to remember is to remove paste or vegetables from boiling water and soak them in cold water to halt the cooking process and prevent these foods from being overcooked.
Steam perfectly cooks tender and plump dishes like fish, salmon, vegetables, or even rice.
An essential fact to note is that steaming helps retain the original moisture in the food. It is primarily because the closed cooking pot and hot water vapor provide a balanced, moist environment to cook food.
Steamed foods are best served when they are hot as it retains moisture and taste. Replacing all or some of the water with stock, broth, or fruit juice will add an extra flavor to the steamed dish.
Roasting and baking require the use of an oven. Roasting is the best way to cook large, tender meat, fish, and poultry.
It’s essential to season and sear the meat before roasting so that it will enhance the flavor of the meat. Another option is to stuff the meat with herbs, giving it a great taste.
It’s vital to understand how individual ingredients react to each other to get the best results from roasting and baking foods in the oven.
Braising simmers the food in a covered cooking pot using a bit of stock, broth or any other liquid.
It’s essential to have the correct amount of liquid so that the food stays moist and helps you make a sauce. Add starch, flour, or puréed vegetables to thicken the sauce.
Sautéing involves cooking the food rapidly in little or no oil over high heat. Although sautéing makes the food brown, it retains its texture, moisture, and natural flavor.
This cooking technique is perfect for preparing sauces using the leftovers in the cooking pan after sautéing fish, chicken, or any other type of meat.
Adding dried spices, spice rubs, butter or glaze just before sautéing helps develop more flavor and a variety of sauce textures.
Pan frying is one of the most basic and healthiest forms, using a small amount of oil. This cooking technique lets the hot oil trap natural juices inside the meat, retaining its flavor, moisture, and texture.
Pan-fried foods typically have richly textured crusts and a savory, moist interior. You may use dried spices or herbs to season your food before pan-frying as it adds more flavor to the prepared dish.
Broiling and grilling are fast cooking techniques for naturally tender meat, poultry, and fish.
Grilling involves a direct heat source from below the food, while broiling gives heat from above the food.
Grilling uses electricity, gas, wood, or charcoal for a slightly smoky taste and a bit of charring because of direct contact with the grilling rack. If using wood for grilling, try using different types to give a variety of tastes to the dishes.
Deep-frying shares many attributes similar to pan-frying. However, deep-frying involves immersing food in oil to get a textured crust and savory interior.
You must trim and cut the ingredients uniformly so that your food cooks evenly. If not, it may result in your food being unevenly cooked and raw on one side.
Following a course in cooking will give you adequate knowledge of the various cooking techniques, their benefits, and when you should be using them.
You’ll be able to master the use of these cooking techniques and cook up some delicious meals for your family. Click here to learn more about how you can do this.
A wide variety of cooking techniques lets you prepare an array of dishes in different flavors and textures.
Some popular cooking techniques that every home chef should master in their kitchen include boiling, steaming, grilling and broiling, roasting and baking, pan frying, deep frying, and braising.
Some cook techniques are ideal for retaining moisture and their natural flavor. You may also add seasoning, like spices and herbs, to enhance the flavor of your dishes.
What Are The Fundamental Cooking Methods?
The fundamental cooking methods are steaming, searing, blanching, poaching, roasting, and grilling.
What Are The Healthier Cooking Techniques?
Healthier cooking techniques include baking, grilling, broiling, roasting, poaching, and microwaving.
What Are The Four Rules Of Cooking Related To Food Safety?
The four cooking rules related to food safety include cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling, which helps protect you from food poisoning.
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