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Home , Baking, Barbecue, Boiling, Frying, Pan frying, Poaching (cooking)

FOOD N° 2 6 / 06

CONTENTS

• Moist-heat methods COOKiNG – – – METHODS – stewing/ – cooking – Microwave cooking • dry-heat cooking methods – – sautéing – – • Fry-cooking methods – deep- – Pan-frying – stir-frying/ 2 Cooking Methods

• When practical, save the cooking Steaming: Moist-heat for use in stocks, sauces and Cooking at a of about . 100°C (212° F) in , with the cooking • To add vitamins, sprinkle some and cooking liquid completely sepa- ­methods fresh onto the cooked food. rated. You can use a commercial steamer or a pot with a rack that suspends the food above a small Generally, moist-heat cooking meth- amount of liquid. ods use a liquid for cooking – usually Tips: , or steam. The advan- • Use a flavoured liquid like stock, tage of steam is that it transfers more wine, water infused with herbs, heat at the same temperature. As a lemon, etc. result, the food cooks faster and fewer nutrients are lost. The cooking temperature may vary from 70° – 120° C (158° – 212° F). These methods Poaching: are particularly suitable for prepar- Cooking in liquid at a temperature ing , , pulses and vegeta- under the (75°– 95° C/ bles. The methods referenced below, 167°– 203° F). though not exhaustive, are the more Tips: common techniques. • Not ideal for nutrient retention in and potatoes, because a Stewing / Braising: long cooking time results in addi- is often browned before liquid Boiling: tional nutrient loss through osmosis is added. and vegetables can Cooking in a lot of liquid at a tem- (nutrients boiled out into the liquid). be cooked or steamed in their own perature of about 100° C (212° F). • Use a pot with a large diameter. juice. A particular way of stewing Tips: • If possible, add herbs or to is to glaze: vegetables (, small • Generally use as little water as the poaching liquid rather than salt onions) become covered with the ­possible to minimize the loss of or . stock, which is reduced and ­vitamins and minerals. ­enriched with a little sugar.

GOOD TO KNOW Purpose: • Deactivation of

• Preservation of the colour

• Killing of that may be present GOOD TO REMEMBER Note: loss of about 20 – 30% of vitamin C, but vitamin retention improves Moist-heat cooking methods during subsequent storage (chill- Food Nutrition freeze process). + – Tips: Boiling • food (e.g. vegeta- • no / oil is needed • great loss of nutrients • Drain and refresh in cold or iced bles) for ; (osmosis) e.g. water- ­water immediately to prevent fur- hot pots soluble vitamins ther vitamin loss through cooking. • such as (, vitamin B1, C)

• Do not leave the food in the water rice, potatoes and as this will cause further loss of pasta ­nutrients through osmosis and will Poaching • meat with little • no fat / oil is needed • great loss of nutrients soften the texture of the food. connective tissue

Note: Osmosis: Nutrients in food leak • eggs, , , or diffuse to liquid with lower con- small

centration. Therefore, it is important Steaming • vegetables, fish, • nutrient-friendly to use this liquid for the sauce or as – • potatoes method stock for soups because it is rich in • minimal loss of vitamins and minerals. vitamins

NutriPro Food 6/06 3 Cooking Methods

Tips: Tips: • Use leftover water for the sauce • It is important to keep to the ­exact GOOD TO KNOW or as stock for soups. cooking time, as the food over- Phytochemicals • Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid cooks very quickly. (as wide and flat as possible). • Suitable for producing large batches The term phytochemicals refers to a (portion by portion) of food (vegeta- class of substances (at the moment 60 000 – 100 000 are known), which : bles, potatoes, fish), or for producing exist only in plants. They are classi- Cooking in an airtight pressure a smaller amount of food (e.g. for fied into several groups (e.g. carote- at about 105° – 120° C diet recipes). noids, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, (221° – 248° F). glucosinolates) and rated as health- Note: higher temperature equals supporting substances. They have, shorter cooking time. The steamer is for example, antioxidant, anti-carci- also suitable for blanching, poaching nogenic and anti-inflammatory and reheating. ­effects and may also reduce blood cholesterol. These effects can only be verified when the phytochemi- cals are obtained from whole in and vegetables. Their effect when taken as supplements cannot currently be verified. Their loss dur- ing cooking varies greatly. Some are soluble and sensitive to heat and air; others are better obtained from well-done foods (lycopene in cooked tomatoes). Tip: The best way to serve a variety of phytochemicals is to create a diet that includes every colour of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue/violet).

NutriPro Food 6/06 – NESTLÉ Professional Nutrition Magazine 4 Cooking Methods

GOOD TO KNOW Microwave cooking: Cooking with electromagnetic waves, Dry-heat - How does a microwave either with or without a small amount ing methods work? of added liquid. The food can be In other cooking methods food browned or given a only if com- warms up from the outside in. But bined with a dry-heat method such Heat is transferred through air or fat. with the microwave, the heat comes as grilling. It is ideally suited for The cooking temperature is between from inside the food, from its water ­reheating food. 120° – 150° C (248° – 302°F), and for molecules. The electromagnetic Tips: short periods up to 300°C (572° F). waves of the microwave cause these • The food may cook unevenly and Suitable for foods rich in , water molecules to vibrate and have hot and cold spots. like meat, fish and and the resulting heat cooks the food. Note: where a crust is desired. Deciding factors for determining ––For : stir about halfway the required cooking time of certain through the cooking time to dis- Roasting: products can be water content, tribute heat more evenly. Cooking with browning on the stove ­molecular density, the starting tem- ––For food: let sit for several or in the with or without perature of the food, as well as the minutes after cooking or reheat- ­adding fat, at a temperature of penetration or strength of the rays ing, before serving. 140°– 200°C (284°– 392° F). A special (normally 2 – 4 cm). According to • If the thickness of food (e.g. piece of form of short roasting is sautéing. current findings there is no risk of meat) is more than the penetration Tips: radiation exposure if microwave of the microwaves, there is a risk of • Important: roast at intense heat to ­ are used properly. the core remaining raw. As a result, seal the juices inside the meat, any existing microorganisms (e.g. then cook at low heat until done. salmonellae in poultry) may not be This reduces the loss of vitamins, killed. minerals and moisture. • Frozen products do not conduct • Use oils that are high in heat well, so there is a risk of the polyunsaturated or monounsaturat- outside area overheating while the ed like canola oil and sunflower inside remains raw. oil. Roast meat in its own juice. Note: defrost on low heat and cook • Brush vegetables with a minimum immediately. of oil to decrease fat absorption • Suitable dishes: glass, porcelain, during cooking. and microwave-safe plastic dishes. • For a low-fat : do not serve or eat the crust as it contains the roast’s fat. Remove the dark brown or black crust before , as it could con- tain carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances. GOOD TO REMEMBER • A special method: cooking at a low temperature – cook the meat at a Moist-heat cooking methods temperature between 68°– 80° C Food Nutrition (154,4°– 176°F) in the oven until + – done (up to 24 hours). • vegetables (e.g. • vitamin and • addition of some fat Stewing/ • Roasting in the pan or grilling bet- filled vegetables), retention if cooking if used for cooking or Braising ter preserves the vitamins and fruits liquid is kept for fur- fat released from minerals in meats, fish or chicken ther use meat during cooking • fish, meats (with than roasting in the oven or boiling, which is then ab- more connective • light cooking method due to heat, cooking time and loss sorbed by the sauce tissue) • nutrient-friendly of nutrients. method • heat-sensitive vita- mins are partially • minimal loss ­destroyed of vitamins Pressure • see boiling, • comparable with – cooking steaming, stewing steaming and stewing • reheating • less cooking time Microwave • any kind of food • minimal loss of vita- – cooking but only in small mins and minerals quantities • short cooking time

NutriPro Food 6/06 5 Cooking Methods

Sautéing: • Place food on a rack so fat can GOOD TO KNOW Dry-heat cooking method in which drain.When using a grill plate sim- heat is conducted by a small amount ply brush the plate with a mini- Cook & Chill of fat (the food is kept in motion). mum of oil (polyunsaturated or mo- Tips: nounsaturated ) before Cook & chill is a food preparation system, not a cooking method. • Use for tender cuts of meat and heating. Never grill cured (pickled) The principle: the food is cooked to vegetables. meat, because cancer-causing 90 – 95% (depending on the system of • If meat is marinated, dry before ­substances (nitrosamine) may be regeneration/reheating), and all of cooking to ensure proper ­browning. formed. the cooking methods described here • Cook only single layers, don’t over- • Avoid overly moist marinades or may be used, except grilling. crowd the pan. fat dripping from the grilled food This is followed by shock-chilling onto hot coals or heating elements, to a temperature of 1° – 3° C Grilling: as this may cause toxic compounds (33,8° – 37,4° F), packing the food in Cooking with radiant heat or contact to be released into the resulting single or multiple portion contain- heat, with or without added fat. smoke. ers, and storing. The storage time Grilling techniques: depends on the special cook & chill Over-heat grilling: food is placed on method and lasts between 3 and 21 a rack or grill over a , charcoal or days. The rapid cooling ensures grill. ­minimum vitamin and mineral loss. Under-heat grilling: food is placed The loss of vitamins depends on ­under a gas or electric salamander the choice of cooking method and or heating element. on the storage time. Between-heat grilling: this method Note: the longer the food is stored, uses radiant heat, convection heat the greater the vitamin loss. or a combination of both. Baking: Tips: Cooking with browning in dry heat • Dry meat browns better than moist at a temperature of 120°–250°C meat. The grill must be hot before (248°– 482°F). the food is added. This way the juic- es are quickly sealed into the meat and are better retained, as are vita- mins and minerals. • Don’t salt the food before grilling. Salt draws the juices out of the meat, resulting in a loss of vita- mins, minerals, and moisture.

GOOD TO REMEMBER Dry-heat cooking methods Food + Nutrition – Roasting • meat, fish • sometimes no fat added through • heat-sensitive vitamins are par-

• vegetables, potatoes cooking tially destroyed

• eggs • some loss of water/fat vitamins if

stock is not kept for the sauce

• if fat is used, the fat content of the

food becomes higher

• formation of

Grilling • fish, meat (food with not • fat drains out • heat-sensitive vitamins are much connective tissue) ­partially destroyed

• vegetables, potatoes

•

Baking • products • no loss of vitamins and minerals • heat-sensitive vitamins are

• potatoes into liquid ­partially destroyed • hard digestible dough and crusts • formation of acrylamide become light and easy to digest

NutriPro Food 6/06 – NESTLÉ Professional Nutrition Magazine 6 Cooking Methods

GOOD TO KNOW Pan-frying: Fry-cooking A special form of deep-frying; brown- The forming of ­acrylamide ing raw or prepared foods in shallow methods amounts of fat. Acrylamide is formed from proteins and in potatoes and Tips: products at over Cooking with browning in hot oil • Cook at proper temperature and 100° C (212° F). It is only produced at a temperature of 140° – 190°C make sure the food is well-breaded; through the dry-heat cooking meth- (284°– 374°F). The methods are this minimizes fat absorption and od during the browning stage. ­defined according to the amount of sogginess in the finished products. fat used. Correct frying of potatoes Note: and vegetables preserves vitamins • The amino acid asparagine and and minerals better than boiling or sugar (glucose, fructose) are the steaming, but increases the amount main precursors of acrylamide. of fat and energy. • Acrylamide content increases con- sistently with higher temperatures Deep-frying: and longer cooking times. The food is entirely submerged Acrylamide may cause cancer. in hot fat. At this time there is no maximum Tips: Stir-frying / Wok: for the reception of . • Fry as quickly as possible. Longer A traditional Chinese method for frying time increases fat absorp- ­cooking food in a Tips for reducing the content of tion. (e.g. wok) with a small amount of oil. ­acrylamide: • The smaller the food being fried, • Soak food in a low-fat marinade • Avoid heavy roasting in favour the greater the amount of fat before cooking. This may be all the of light browning. ­absorbed. oil necessary. • • • Boil potatoes before roasting. The higher the fat content of the Use spray oil or a brush to meat, the less oil is absorbed. coat food to avoid higher fat ab- • Bake at a maximum temperature • To reduce the formation of acryl­ sorption or coat the pan with a of 180° C (356° F) in an oven with amide, fry at maximum 170° C minimum of oil. air circulation, 200° C (392° F) (338° F) for a slightly longer time. • Non-leafy vegetables (e.g. , in an oven without air circulation. • Drain the food of oil before ­serving. shredded carrots) absorb about as • Fry at a maximum temperature of • Avoid reusing the frying oil. much oil as leafy vegetables. 170° C (347° F) and in small por- • When oil smokes, throw it away • If food sticks to the pan during tions. Proportion of frying food to immediately. It may become toxic, cooking, add a little stock or water oil should be 100 g to 1 – 1,5 l. producing free radicals. rather than oil. • : thick fries are better than thin ones due to surface area.

GOOD TO REMEMBER Fry-cooking methods Food + Nutrition – Frying • meat, fish, • no loss of water-­ deep-frying:

shellfish soluble vitamins • high absorption of • vegetables, • only a small amount fat (energy rich)

potatoes, of heat-sensitive vi- • formation of acryl- • poultry tamins are destroyed amide • possible increase of vitamin E based on oil used for cooking

NutriPro Food 6/06 7 Cooking Methods

– Canned vegetables: GOOD TO REMEMBER Vitamin loss • Never boil canned vegetables. Tips to prevent • The best way to heat them is the Stability of vitamins vitamin loss: microwave warm up Vitamin Acid Alkali heat Light o2 • Whenever possible, wash vegeta- the liquid first, then add the low pH high pH >70°C bles whole and before peeling ­vegetables. C ­under running water. • Avoid excessive stirring while B6 • thinly or cook with skin on. ­warming. A • Cut into large pieces. • Use the juice to cook the vegeta- D • Raw vegetables and fruit salads: bles in, or add to soups or stocks. E add a little lemon juice or vinegar

to slow down vitamin C loss. – Frozen vegetables: no effect sensitive very sensitive • Use the smallest amount of water • Don’t thaw them before cooking. water-soluble vitamins (C, B vitamins) necessary. • Heat the water first, then add the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) • Cook with the lid on. vegetables. • Cook until just tender, not mushy. • If you use them for cold food GOOD TO KNOW • Serve immediately keeping food items, cook them thoroughly warm causes a vitamin C loss of ­beforehand. Vitamin loss by different 4 – 17% in one hour and • The best way to heat them is in cooking methods 7 – 34% in two hours. the microwave (less vitamin loss). Cooking Vitamin loss

methods in % (C, B1, B2, B6) Boiling 35 – 60 Poaching Less than boiling Steaming 10 – 25 Pressure cooking 5 – 10 Microwave cooking 5 – 25 Roasting 10 – 47 Stewing/Braising 10 – 12 Grilling 10 – 12 Baking 10 – 12 Frying 7 – 10

Quiz

1. Which of the following cooking 4. For which cooking method can you 7. What is important to remember, methods is a moist-heat cooking use a steamer? if you use frozen vegetables? method? I Boiling N Don’t thaw them before cooking A Grilling T Roasting I Add lemon juice to cooking S Poaching A Stewing ­liquid to slow down vitamin C C Baking loss 5. With reference to fat intake, which R Use a lot of fat 2. Which of the following cooking cooking method is ­better? methods is a dry-heat cooking M Deep-frying 8. Which cooking method causes the method? A Stir-frying greatest vitamin loss? U Steaming T Pan-frying R Microwave cooking L Pressure cooking P Baking T Roasting 6. How are vitamins classified? G Boiling I Water-soluble and 3. What is the reason for ­blanching fat-soluble substances vegetable? A Major and trace substances O To increase vitamin loss R To soften the texture of the food

E To minimize vitamin loss during 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 storage STEAMING Answer:

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