The 14 basic cooking methods

My whole class (...and I) fucked up the last semester in the kitchen, so I'm gonna have to re-study like... a LOT of things to pass this last year of school. Maybe i'll make more blogs like this in the future.

Beforehand, I apologize if some explanations are confusing or incomplete. English isn't my first language.

IF YOU'RE A CHEF, A COOKER OR YOU JUST KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THESE COOKING METHODS PLS CORRECT ME OR ADD MORE INFORMATION IN THE COMMENTS.

First of all

For cooking to occur, heat is required in combination with one of the following elements:

-Water at temperatures between 60° and 100°C (or 149° and 212°F)

-Vapor at temperatures between 100° and 120°C (212° and 248°F)

-Air at temperatures of up to 280°C (536°F)

-Frying fat at temperatures between 130° and 180°C (266° and 356°F)

-Fat (or grease idk whats the correct term, my english is too poor....) in very small quantities for temperatures up to 180°C (356°F)

Basic Cooking Methods

Traditionally, these 14 cooking methods are used:

1. Blanching

2. Poaching

3. Boiling

4. Steaming

5. Frying

6. Sautéing

7. Grilling

8. Gratinating

9. Baking

10. Roasting

11. Braising

12. Glazing

13. Poêler (Couldn't find the correct term in english so this will be in french)

14. Stewing

Moist Heat Cooking

Blanching

In this cooking method the food is brieftly boiled and then immediately plunged into cold water to stop the cooking process. This is used to remove the harsh taste from vegetables, remove impurities from bones and reduce cooking time.

You can blanch with salted water or oil at a temperature of 130°C (266°F)

Poaching

A delicate form of cooking between the 65° and 80°C (149° and 176°F). Only with tender foods. example: eggs, fish, even some fruits.

You can poach with in a small amount of liquid (wine or broth) and a large amount of liquid (broth or water), you can also poach in a bain-marie.

Boiling

Cooking food below or at the boiling point. There isn't much to explain here...

Steaming

This method of cooking can be done with a colander and a pot, a pressure cooker, or a food steamer. Technical progress has significantly influenced on this method.

Dry Heat Cooking

Frying

For frying, you must use oils and fats suitable for high temperatures. The food must be dry and in small amounts before being fried. If the food is breaded, remove excess flour or breadcrumbs. Always drain fried foods and never cover them. 

The food can be fried at a constant or rising temperature (160-180°C or 320-356°F), directly if the food is in small pieces, in large pieces the food must be blanched first.

Sautéing

This is for foods with less fiber and tender structures. All the ingredients are cooked at once (except is some foods have more fiber than others; in that case, the ones with more fiber always cooked first) and moved around in the pan, either by the use of a utensil or repeating jerking the pan itself.

You can sauté foods in a frying pan, sautoir or on a griddle with a little hot fat.

Grilling

It's important to pay attention what level of heat adapts to the type of food you're cooking. The larger the piece to be grilled, the faster it should be seared. Once the pores have been closed by the searing, the heat must be reduced to cook the interior.

Marinated foods can be grilled in a charcoal or wood-fired grills, electric grills, gas grills or on the griddle.

Gratinating

Gratinating it's with high temperatures, up to 280°C (536°F). Some vegetables, meat or fish cut into small pieces can be gratinated raw, but generally most foods are gratined when they're already cooked. To obtain a beautiful color and a intense flavor, the next ingredients should be used: cheeses, breadcrumbs, cream, butter, egg yolks, hollanndaise sauce, liaison and egg mixtures. Also use sugar for sweet dishes.

You can gratinate dishes with a salamander or an oven with top heat.

Baking

To bake you don't need fat or liquid (except for greasing the tray to prevent food from sticking). Baking is only with dry heat.

You can bake in an oven with trays or racks and slab, glass or metal molds.

Roasting

To roast, always start with very high temperatures to quickly obtain a golden-brown layer. Then continue roasting over low heat, basting continuosly with the stock.

Don't add liquids during cooking. All roasted meat should rest in a warm before being sliced, so that juices destributes and are not lost during cutting.

You can roast on a spit or oven, basting frequently.

Combination Cooking

Braising

This cooking method is ideal for red meats, fish, vegetables and poultry, and it's one of the most difficult cooking methods. Low-fat meats are larded with bacon before cooking to make them juicer. Poultry and white meats should be glazed. All braised foods are submerged in broth up to between 1/3 and 1/4 of their height, then cooked in an oven.

Red Meat: The meat must be seared, add vegetables and tomatos, and deglaze with red wine. Cover the meat with broth up 1/4 of it's heigh, cook in the oven and baste it regularly.

Fish: The fish are braised in a fish kettle in which a matignon is first sautéed. The fish is placed on a perforated, buttered tray so that the fish can be easily removed. Add white wine and fish stock to cover up 1/3 the heigh of the food. Cook the food in the oven and baste it regularly.

Vegetables: The vegetables (fennel, belgian endive, etc...) are sautéed with a matignon or onion, eventually with bacon or pancetta. Add the chopped vegetables (blanched, if possible) and veal stock up to 1/3 the height of the vegetables. Cook the food in the oven, covered. White vegetables should be covered with parchment paper or buttered paper to prevent them from discoloring.

Glazing

Vegetatables, poultry and white meat can be glazed.

Poultry/White Meat: Sear well, browning the poultry/meat along with a mirepoix, deglaze with white wine and the appropiate the stock up to 1/6 the height of the food. Cook the food in the oven, basting frequently. Uncover the food 30 minutes before cooking is finished and baste with concentrated broth. This will give the meat a glossy finish.

Vegetables: The vegetables should bes steamed or stewed; then, using the resulting or adding broth and reducing it at the end of the cooking, they are glazed by stirring.

Poêler

It's the combination of roasting and braising, this method is used only on tender meats. The cooking process begins at 150°C (302°F) with the lid on; the temperature is increased at the end, allowing the meat to take on a golden color.

How to Poêle? with a little bit of fat, without adding any liquid and covered in the oven at 150°C, basting frequently. At the end of the cooking, uncover and increase the temperature at 180°C (356°F) so the foods turns golden brown.

Stewing

Vegetables, meat, mushrooms and fruits can be stewed.

The foods to be stewed should be sautéed in oil or fat. If it's necessary add onions and other vegetables. Add the appropriate liquids (broth or wine) and the food is cooked slowly, covered.

Thanks if you reached here ^^, hope you can share your contributions in the comments or at least I hope that you learned something new today.

Writing this blog was more complicated than I'd like to admit asgdhgfj