Transcript Heat and Food - Chef Nick Boland

Heat and Food
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Chapter 4
Components of food
Proteins
 Carbohydrates
 Fruit and vegetable fiber
 Fats
 Minerals, Vitamins, Pigments, flavor
components
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Proteins
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Found in meats, poultry, fish, eggs,
milk
Coagulation- become firm, shrink,
loose moisture
Connective tissue- found in different
degrees in meat, cooking procedure
varies depending on amount of tissue
Acids- speed coagulation, dissolve
tissue
Carbohydrates
Starches and Sugars
 Caramelization- browning of sugars
 Gelatinization- absorb water and
swell
*note- acids inhibit gelatinization
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Fruit and vegetable fiber
Fiber- gives structure and strength to
plants
 Cooking fruits and vegetables is breaking
down the fibers
 Sugar- makes fiber firmer
 Alkalis- “baking soda” softens fiber
*note- softening fibers cause fruits and
vegs to become mushy and loose
vitamins
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Fats
Present in food products and also
used as a cooking medium
 Liquid -vs- solid
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Liquids are known as oils
Smoking point- consideration for
which fat to use
Minerals Vitamins Pigments
and Flavoring components
Important to the nutritional quality
of food
 May be destroyed by heat or
cooking
 Choose cooking method to preserve
these elements
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Heat Transfer
Conduction
 Convection
 Radiation
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Conduction
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When heat moves from one item to
another by touching it
• Pot of soup
• Roast
Convection
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When heat is spread by the
movement of air
• Natural- frier
• Mechanical- convection oven
Radiation
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When heat is spread by waves from
the source to the food
• Infrared- broiler, hot element
• Microwave- waves “excite” water molecules
causing temperature to rise
Cooking times
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Factors that effect cook times
Cooking temperature
 Speed of heat transfer
 Characteristics of the food
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Cooking Methods
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Moist heat
Dry heat
Moist heat methods
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Poach, simmer, boil
Cooking food in water or a seasoned
liquid
 Boil- above 212 degrees
 Simmer- 185-205 degrees
 Poach- 160-180 degrees
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Moist heat methods
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Steaming
• Exposing foods directly to steam
• Extremely rapid method with little agitation
and minimizes the loss of nutrients
Moist heat methods
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Braise- to cook in a small amount of
liquid
Usually after browning
 Considered a “combination cooking
process”
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Dry heat cooking methods
Roast and bake
 Roast- usually applies to meat and
poultry
 Bake- applies to breads, fish,
vegetables
 Usually on a rack, and uncovered
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Dry heat cooking methods
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Broil- to cook with radiant heat from
above
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Used for tender meat, poultry, fish and
vegetables
Dry heat cooking methods
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Grilling
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Cooking using dry heat from below
• Grilling- open heat source over grid
• Griddling- solid heat surface
• Pan-broiling- saute pan
Dry heat cooking methods
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Saute- to cook quickly using a small
amount of fat
Sauter- to jump
 Start with hot pan
 Sometimes coat with flour
 Deglaze pan after with liquid
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Dry heat cooking methods
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Pan-Fry- to cook in a moderate
amount of fat
Dry heat cooking methods
Deep Fry
 Quality is characterized by the
following…
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• Minimum fat absorption
• Minimum moisture loss
• Attractive golden color
• Crisp surface
• No off flavors from fat
Dry heat cooking methods
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Microwave
Used for reheating, defrosting and
cooking
 Measured by watts (500-2000)
 Radiation “excites” water molecules
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*note- never use metal in a microwave