Coocking

  Selecting the Right Cooking Oil A must-know culinary term: smoke point . This is when the oil or fat begins to break down and visibly produce smoke. It’s important to know how to select the right oil for different cooking methods. Also, consider the cooking time: you’ll need a high-smoke-point oil like peanut oil for deep-frying, whereas a lower-smoke-point fat like butter can be used to finish a dish.

  Selecting the Right Cooking Oil A must-know culinary term: smoke point . This is when the oil or fat begins to break down and visibly produce smoke. It’s important to know how to select the right oil for different cooking methods. Also, consider the cooking time: you’ll need a high-smoke-point oil like peanut oil for deep-frying, whereas a lower-smoke-point fat like butter can be used to finish a dish.

 2) How to Properly Measure Ingredients In most kitchens, we use cups and spoons to measure volume instead of weight. This works fine with savory recipes, but it’s more of an issue when baking because precise measurements are needed for reproducible results. Density also comes into play with various foods, especially with different types of flour. Finally, some foods aerate easily, while others compact under more pressure. All of these factors can affect the actual ingredient amounts used in a recipe. The first thing to do is to make sure to use the right tool for the job: Dry ingredients like flour, herbs, chopped ingredients, and sugar, as well as thick, viscous foods, should be measured with a measuring cup. For small quantities of 1 tablespoon or less, use measuring spoons for dry or wet ingredients. Use a liquid measuring cup with clear markings for all liquids; pour on a flat surface. For tricky ingredients like flour, sugar, or cocoa, use the dip-and-sweep method. I find it ...

  1) Understanding the Science Behind the Cooking Method When developing a recipe, consider the end taste and texture you want to achieve. Knowing this, you can then figure out which essential cooking methods to use. You’ll see these reflected in my recipe instructions. In general, cooking methods fall into three categories: Dry-heat (use fat to cook, or hot air) Moist-heat (use water or steam) A combination of both When I want a crispy golden crust on pan seared halibut , I’ll use a dry heat pan-searing technique. To quickly cook broccoli and other vegetables without losing too many nutrients, I’ll steam them with moist heat. For fall-off-the-bone short ribs , sear them in a hot pan with fat, then braise them in a flavorful liquid.