Blanch ****Blanching is a cooking term that describes a process of food preparation wherein the food substance is rapidly plunged into boiling water and then removed after a brief, timed interval and then plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water. Blanching rapidly heats and then cools the food. This allows the food, usually fruits and vegetables, to firm up and makes the food's natural flavor more pronounced, and is often a preparative technique for freezing food. A method of cooking in which foods are plunged into boiling water for a few seconds, removed from the water and refreshed under cold water, which stops the cooking process. Used to heighten color and flavor, to firm flesh and to loosen skins. To boil briefly to loosen the skin of a fruit or a vegetable. After 30 seconds in boiling water, the fruit or vegetable should be plunged into ice water to stop the cooking action, and then the skin easily slices off.
Boil – To cook in water or other liquid heated that is bubbling vigorously. Few techniques cause as much confusion as boiling, simmering, and poaching. Boiling is, in fact, often a technique to be avoided. Most foods—meat and seafood, for example—are poached instead (cooked in liquid held just below the boil so it just shimmers slightly on the surface), because boiling turns them dry or stringy, and it can cause the liquid to become murky or greasy.
Some foods, however, are best cooked at a rolling boil. Rice and pasta cook more quickly and evenly in boiling water. Green vegetables are often cooked uncovered in a large amount of boiling salted water. The large quantity of water prevents the vegetables from lowering the temperature of the water, which would slow their cooking and cause them to lose their bright color. The salt also helps the vegetables retain their green color. As soon as the vegetables are done, immediately drain them in a colander and either plunge them into ice water or quickly rinse them under cold tap water until completely cool. This technique of immediately chilling the drained vegetables so they retain their flavor and color is called refreshing, or sometimes, shocking.
To heat liquids to the boiling point (100°C or 212°F); when liquid bubbles form on the surface and steam is created.
Braise ****Braising is cooking with "moist heat", typically in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid. From the French "braiser". Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to successfully break down tough connective tissue and collagens in meat. It is an ideal way to cook tougher cuts. Most braises follow the same basic steps. The meat or poultry is first browned in hot fat. Aromatic vegetables are sometimes then browned as well. A cooking liquid that often includes an acidic element, such as tomatoes or wine, is added to the pot, which is covered. The dish cooks in relatively low heat in or atop the stove until the meat is fork-tender. Often the cooking liquid is finished to create a sauce or gravy. To cook in a small amount of liquid (also called stewing or pot roasting). In contract to poaching, in which the food is completely submerged in simmering liquid, braised dishes use a relatively small amount of liquid. Usually, the purpose of braising is to concentrate the food’s flavors in the surrounding liquid so that it can be made into a sauce, or allowed to reduce so that it coats or is reabsorbed by the foods being braised. A cooking technique that requires browning meat in oil or other fat and then cooking slowly in liquid. The effect of braising is to tenderize the meat. To cook slowly in a small amount of liquid in the oven or in a covered pan on the stovetop over low heat.
Broasted ****"Broasting is a registered process that builds pressure in the pot which seals in the natural juices while sealing out almost 100% of the cooking oil. The Broaster Co. perfected the first Broaster in 1952." according to Beef Villa.
Broil ****Broiling is a process of cooking food with high heat with the heat applied directly to the food, most commonly from above. Heat transfer to the food is primarily via radiant heat. To cook with a direct heat source—usually a gas flame or an electric coil—above the food; to cook food directly under the heat source. Low-fat cooking method; to cook food by placing it directly under radiant heat.
Brown ****To cook in butter, oil or fat over a high heat until it becomes "browned" in color. A quick sautéing, pan/oven broiling, or grilling method done either at the beginning or end of meal preparation, often to enhance flavor, texture, or eye appeal. To cook quickly on the stovetop or under the broiler in the oven to brown the surface while keeping the interior moist.
Fry – To cook in a hot fat. To cook food in hot cooking oil, usually until a crisp brown crust forms.
Pan-broil ****Pan-broil means to cook in an uncovered pan and removing fat as they accumulate from the cooking meat, in contrast to pan-frying.
Panfry – Most cooks use the terms panfry and sauté interchangeably, but strictly speaking, there is a difference. Although both terms refer to cooking in a small amount of hot oil, butter, or other fat, sautéing means to toss foods over high heat, while pan-frying describes cooking pieces of meat, seafood, or large pieces of vegetables in a hot pan, turning with tongs, a spatula, or a fork only once or twice. To cook in a hot pan with small amount of hot oil, butter, or other fat, turning the food over once or twice.
Parboil ****Parboil is an action which refers to partially boiling food in water before finishing cooking it by another method. When something has been parboiled it has been partially cooked; that is, subjected to boiling for a brief period of time. To be parboiled can also mean to be subjected to uncomfortable heat; to cook partially in boiling water. To partly cook in a boiling liquid.
Poach ****Poaching is the process of gently simmering food in liquid, generally water, stock or wine. Poaching is particularly suitable for fragile food, such as eggs, poultry, fish and fruit, which might easily fall apart or dry out. For this reason, it is important to keep the heat low and to keep the poaching time to a bare minimum, which will also preserve the flavor of the food. To cook completely submerged in barely simmering liquid.
Poaching ****Poaching is the process of gently simmering food in liquid, generally water, stock or wine. Poaching is particularly suitable for fragile food, such as eggs, poultry, fish and fruit, which might easily fall apart or dry out. For this reason, it is important to keep the heat low and to keep the poaching time to a bare minimum, which will also preserve the flavor of the food.
Roast ****Roasting is a cooking method that utilizes dry heat, whether an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting usually causes caramelization of the surface of the food, which is considered a flavor enhancement. Meats and most root and bulb vegetables can be roasted. Any piece of meat, especially red meat, that has been cooked in this fashion is called a roast. Vegetables and poultry prepared in this way are referred to as roasted (e.g. roasted chicken or roasted squash); the purpose of roasting is to create a golden brown crust on whatever it is we are roasting and, at the same time, make sure the meat, fish, or vegetable properly cooks in the center. When roasting, no liquid such as broth, wine, or water comes in contact with the food—only hot air, or, if the roast is being basted, hot fat. Roasting is both simple and complex—simple because there’s very little to do except slide the food into the oven; complex because if the temperature isn’t right, the food may never brown or cook properly. To cook uncovered in the oven.
Sauté ****Sautéing is a method of cooking food using a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Sauter means "to jump," in French, and the food being sautéed is kept moving, not unlike the stir fry technique using a wok. To cook over high heat in a small amount of fat in a sauté pan or skillet over direct heat.
Sear ****Searing is a technique used in grilling, roasting, braising, sautéing, etc. that cooks the surface of the food (usually meat, poultry or fish) at high temperature so that a caramelized crust forms. A similar technique, browning, is typically used to sear or brown all sides of a particular piece of meat, fish, poultry, etc. before finishing it in the oven. To brown the surface of pieces of meats and or fish by submitting them to intense initial heat. Sealing in a meat's juices by cooking it quickly under very high heat.
Searing - Searing is a technique used in grilling, roasting, braising, sauteeing, etc. that cooks the surface of the food (usually meat, poultry or fish) at high temperature so that a caramelized crust forms. A similar technique, browning, is typically used to sear or brown all sides of a particular piece of meat, fish, poultry, etc. before finishing it in the oven.
