Methods Of Cooking

Overview

Every dish that leaves a kitchen has been changed by heat, and the way that heat is applied decides almost everything about the result: whether the yam is soft or still hard in the middle, whether the chicken is pale or golden, whether the vegetable keeps its colour and vitamins or surrenders them to the pot. Choosing the right method of cooking is the single most practical skill a caterer owns.

In this lesson you will learn how the many methods of cooking sort neatly into three families, moist heat, dry heat and cooking in fat, and then study the four the syllabus names most closely: boiling, roasting, grilling and baking. For each you will meet the process, the temperature and medium, the foods it suits, its effect on colour, texture, nutrients and digestibility, and its advantages and drawbacks, all through Nigerian kitchen examples.

Objectives

  1. Classify methods of cooking as moist heat, dry heat and frying
  2. Describe the processes of boiling, roasting, grilling and baking
  3. Explain the effect of each cooking method on food
  4. State the advantages and disadvantages of each method
  5. Select an appropriate cooking method for a given food

Lesson Note

Two cooks are handed the same tray of fresh ugu, the same tuber of yam and the same portion of goat meat. One boils everything hard in a flood of water; the other boils the yam gently, stir-fries the ugu for a minute and slow-cooks the tough goat meat until it falls off the bone. The ingredients were identical. The meals are not. The difference is nothing but method of cooking, and it decides taste, colour, tenderness, how much of the vitamins survive and even whether the food is safe to eat. A caterer who understands why each method behaves as it does can cook anything well; one who only follows recipes is lost the moment the recipe runs out.

Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Methods Of Cooking. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.

You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

  1. Which of the following is a moist-heat method of cooking? A. Roasting B. Grilling C. Boiling D. Baking Answer: C
  2. The brown, savoury surface on roast chicken and grilled fish is caused by: A. Boiling of the surface fat B. The Maillard reaction between sugars and proteins C. Steam from inside the food D. Added food colouring Answer: B
  3. Vitamin C is most easily lost during boiling because it is: A. Destroyed by fat B. Water-soluble and leaches into the cooking water C. Only found on the surface of food D. Turned brown by heat Answer: B
  4. Which method of cooking is MOST suitable for a birthday cake? A. Boiling B. Grilling C. Baking D. Poaching Answer: C
  5. Grilling is best described as cooking food by: A. Hot water B. Steam C. Direct radiant heat D. Hot oil Answer: C

Recommended Books

The Theory of Hospitality and Catering
The Theory of Hospitality and Catering
Subtitle: Fourteenth edition
Publisher: Hodder Education
Year: 2021
ISBN: 978-1-3983-3295-9
Description: The standard theory text for catering students, covering the industry, food commodities, cooking, kitchen operations, hygiene and safety, menu planning and food and beverage service.
Food and Beverage Service
Food and Beverage Service
Subtitle: Tenth edition
Publisher: Hodder Education
Year: 2020
ISBN: 978-1-3983-0015-6
Description: The established reference on restaurant and banquet service, service staff and their duties, styles of service, table laying, and the service of food, wines and other beverages.
Practical Cookery
Practical Cookery
Subtitle: Eleventh edition
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: 2004
ISBN: 978-0-340-81147-4
Description: A long-established practical text taking students through methods of cooking, the preparation of food commodities and the production of dishes across the full range of the kitchen.

Past Questions

Wondering what past questions for this topic looks like? Here are a number of questions about Methods Of Cooking from previous years

WAEC SSCE - Catering Craft Practice - 2021

Question 1 Report

(a) Identify the type of menu illustrated in the diagram
(b) State three characteristics of the type of menu
(c) Highlight two methods of cooking used in the menu
(d) Itemise two food nutrients that can be sourced from the menu

View Answer