Methods Of Cooking- Roasting Definition Roasting is the cooking in dry heat with the aid of fat or oil in an oven or on a spit. Radiant heat is the means.

Kitchen & Larder Intermediate Lesson plan

Lesson 8

Aim

This lesson aims to cover the material related to this lesson.

Objectives

This lesson is intended to help you to :

• Learn the definitions of Roasting , Baking , Grilling.• Learn the purposes of Methods of cooking mentioned above.• Learn the advantages of these Methods.• Learn Safety requirements in relation to these methods.

Roasting , Baking , Grilling

Methods Of Cooking- Roasting

Definition

Roasting is the cooking in dry heat with the aid of fat or oil in an oven or on a spit.

Radiant heat is the means of cooking when using a spit; oven roasting is a combination of convection and radiation.


Purpose

The purpose of roasting is to cook food so that it is tender , easy to digest , safe to eat and palatable.

It also gives variety to the menu and the diet.


Methods•Placing prepared foods (meat, poultry) on a rotating spit over or in front of fierce radiated heat.

•Placing prepared foods in an oven with either:

Applied dry heat

Forced air-convected heat

Convected heat combined with microwave energy.


Effects of Roasting

The surface protein of the food is sealed by the initial heat of the oven , thus preventing the escape of too many natural juices.

When the food is lightly browned , the oven temperature is reduced to cook the inside of the food without hardening the surface.


Advantages of Roasting

•Good quality meat and poultry is tender and succelent when roasted.

•Meat juices issuing from the joint are used for gravy and enhance flavour.

•Both energy and oven temperature can be controlled.


Advantages of Roasting

•Ovens with transparent doors enable cooking to be observed.

•Access , adjustment and removal of items is straightforward.

•Minimal fire risk.


Spit Roasting

•Skills and techniques can be displayed to the customer.

•Continual basting with the meat juice over carcass or joint on the revolting spit gives a distinctive flavour , depending on the fuel used ( Wood , Charcoal ).


Time and temperature control

•Ovens must be preheated.

•Oven temperature and shelf settings in recipes must be followed.

•Shape , size , type , bone proportion and quality of food will affect the cooking time.



•Meat thermometers or probes can be inserted to determine the exact temperature in the centre of the joint.

The following table gives approximate cooking times.

Type Approximate cooking times Degree of cooking

Beef 15 minutes per ½ kg and 15 minutes over

Underdone

Lamb 20 minutes per ½ kg and 20 minutes over

Cooked through

Lamb 15 minutes per ½ kg and 15 minutes over

Cooked pink

Mutton 20 minutes per ½ kg and 20 minutes over

Cooked through

Veal 20 minutes per ½ kg and 25 minutes over

Cooked through

Pork 25 minutes per ½ kg and 25 minutes over

Thoroughly cooked


Using a temperature Probe

When using a temperature probe , insert it into the thickest part of the joint before placing the food in the oven.

The internal temperature reached should be:

Rare meat 55-60°C (130-140°F)



When using a temperature probe , insert it into the thickest part of the joint before placing the food in the oven. The internal temperature reached should be:

Medium done 66-71°C ( 150-160°F )



When using a temperature probe , insert it into the thickest part of the joint before placing the food in the oven.

The internal temperature reached should be:

Just done 78-80°C ( 172-176°F )


Without using a temperature Probe

Remove the joint from the oven and place onto a plate or dish.

Firmly press the surface of the meat so that some juices issues.

Check the colour of the juice;


Red indicates the meat is underdone.

Pink indicates the meat is medium done.

Clear indicates the meat is cooked through.


Safety

Roasting trays should be of a suitable size: if too small , basting becomes difficult and dangerous ; if too large , fat in the tray will burn , spoiling the flavour of the meat and gravy.

Handle hot roasting trays carefully at all times , using a thick , dry cloth.


Safety

Ensure food is securely held before removing from roasting tray.

Methods Of Cooking- Baking

Definition

Baking is the cooking of food by dry heat in an oven in which the action of dry convection heat is modified by steam.


Purpose

The purpose of baking is:

To make food digestible , palatable and safe to eat.

To create an eye appealing through colour and texture and produce an enjoyable eating quality.

To lend variety to the menu.


Methods

Note : ovens must be preheated prior to baking

Dry baking

When baking ,steam arises from the water content of the food ; this steam combines with the dry heat of the oven to cook the food

( cakes , pastry , baked jacket potatoes)


Baking with increased humidity

When baking certain foods , such as bread , the oven humidity is increased by placing a bowl of water or injecting steam into the oven , thus increasing the water content of the food and so improving eating quality.


Baking with heat modification

Placing food in a container of water ( bain-marie), such as baked egg custard , modifies the heat so that the food cooks more slowly , does not overheat and lessons the possibility of the egg mixture overcooking ( Curdling ).


Effects of Baking

Chemical action caused by the effect of heat on certain ingredients , such as yeast and baking powder , changes the raw structure of many foods to an edible texture ( pastry , cakes ).

However , different ingredients , methods of mixing and types of product required will cause many variations.


Advantages of Baking

A wide variety of sweet and savoury foods can be produced.

Bakery products yield appetising goods with eye appeal and mouth watering aromas.

Bulk cooking can be achieved with uniformity of colour and degree of cooking


Advantages of Baking

Baking ovens have effective manual or automatic temperature controls.

There is a straightforward access for loading and removal of items.



Ovens must always be heated to the required temperature before food is added.

In general – purpose ovens shelves must be placed according to the food being cooked , because the hotter part of the oven is at the top.

With convection ovens the heat is evenly distributed.



Accurate timing and temperature control are essential to baking.

The required oven temperature must be reached before each additional batch of goods is placed in the oven.

This is known as Recovery Time.


General Rules

Always preheat ovens so that the required cooking temperature is immediately applied to the product , otherwise the product will be spoiled.

Accuracy is essential in weighing , measuring and controlling temperature.

Trays and moulds must be correctly prepared.


General Rules

Minimise the opening of oven doors as draughts may affect the quality of the product , and the oven temperature is reduced.

Utilise oven space effeciently

Avoid jarring of products ( fruit cake , sponges , souffles) before and during baking as the quality may be affected.


Safety

Use thick , dry , sound oven cloths for handling hot trays , etc.

Jacket sleeves should be rolled down to prevent burns from hot trays and ovens.

Trays and ovens should not be overloaded.


Safety

Extra care is needed to balance and handle loaded trays in and out of the oven.

Methods Of Cooking- Grilling

Definition

This is a fast method of cooking by radiant heat sometimes known as broiling.


Purpose

The purpose of grilling is:

To make foods digestible , palatable and safe to eat.

To utilise the speed of the cooking process to produce a distinctive flavour , colour , texture and eating quality.


Purpose

To bring variety to the menu and to introduce into the diet simple , uncomplicated dishes.


Methods of Grilling

Grilled foods can be cooked:

Over heat ( charcoal , barbecues , gas or electric heated grills / griddles)


Methods of Grilling


Under heat ( gas or electric salamanders)


Methods of Grilling


Between heat (electrically heated grills bars or plates )


Over heat

Grill bars must be preheated and brushed with oil prior to use, otherwise food will stick.

The bars should char the food on both sides to give distinctive appearance and flavour of grilling.


Over heat

Most foods are started on the hottest part of the grill and moved to a cooler part to complete the cooking.

The thickness of the food and the heat of the grill determine the cooking time , which is learned by experience.

Hottest


Under heat ( salamander)

The salamander should be preheated and the bars greased.

Steaks , chops and items that are likely to slip between grill bars may be cooked under the salamander.



Food items that are difficult to handle because they may easily break up may be placed in between a well-greased , centre-hinged , double wire grid with a handle , making it easy and swift to cook food such as whole sole, whole plaice.



Tomatoes , mushrooms , bacon , sausages and kidneys may be grilled under a salamander on a flat tray.

A rim is required on the tray to prevent spillage of fat and articles of food sliding from the tray.



The salamander can also be used for browning gratinating and glazing certain dishes such as duchess potato border , macaroni au gratin , fillets of sole bonne femme , and for toasting bread such as melba toast.


Between heat

This is grilling between electrically heated grill bars or plates and is applied to small cuts of meat.


Barbecuing

This is grilling on preheated , greased bars over a fierce heat ( gas , charcoal ,wood ). When using solid fuel , the flames and smoke must be allowed to die down before placing food on the bars , otherwise the food will be tainted and spoiled.


Barbecuing

Certain foods such as brochettes or chicken , may be marinated before cooking.

Other foods like pork spare ribs are brushed liberally with a barbecue sauce on both sides during cooking.

Degrees Of Cooking Grilled Meats.

Rare Au blue

Cooked over fierce heat for a few seconds on each side.

Under Done Sagniant

The cooked meat has a reddish tinge

Just doneA point

The cooked meat is slightly pink

Well doneBein Cuit

Thoroughly cooked with no sign of pinkness

Degrees Of Cooking Grilled Meats.

Rare Au blue

When pressed the juice should be red and bloody

Under Done Sagniant

When pressed the juice should be reddish pink

Just doneA point

When pressed the juice should be pink

Well doneBein Cuit

When pressed the juice should be clear


Using a temperature probe

Rare 45-50°C ( 115-125°F)

Medium 55-60°C ( 130-140°F )

Well Done 75-77°C ( 167-172°F )


Without a temperature probe.

Test with finger pressure , and the springiness or resilience of the meat together with the amount of blood issuing from the meat indicates the degree to which the steak is cooked.

This calls for experience , but if the meat is placed on a plate and tested , then the more underdone the steak the greater the springiness and the more blood will be shown on the plate.


Effects of grilling

Because of the speed of cooking there is maximum retention of nutrients and flavour.

Grilling is only suitable for certain cuts of best quality meats.

Inferior meat would be tough and inedible .


Effects of grilling

The effect of fierce heat on the surface of the meat rapidly coagulates and seals the surface protein , thus helping to retain the meat juices.

Grilled meats lose less of their juices than meat cooked by other method provided they are not pierced with a fork while cooking.


Advantages of grilling

Speed of grilling enables food to be quickly cooked to order.

Charring food gives a distinctive appearance and improves flavour.

Control of cooking is aided because food is visible whilst being grilled.


Advantages of grilling

Variety is given to the menu and diet.

Grills may be situated in view of the customer.


General rules for efficient grilling

Smaller , thinner items require cooking quickly.

Seal and colour food on the hot part of the grill then move to a cooler part to complete cooking.

Slow cooking results in the food drying out.

Basting of food and oiling of bars prevents prevents dryness.


General rules for efficient grilling

Tongs are used for turning and lifting cutlets and steaks .

Palette knives and slices are used for turning and lifting tomatoes , mushrooms , whole or cuts fish , from trays.


Safety

Take extra care when moving hot salamander and grill bars.

Trays used for grilling must have raised edges and not be overloaded.

Take care when removing foods from grills and salamanders.

Methods Of Cooking- Roasting Definition Roasting is the cooking in dry heat with the aid of fat or oil in an oven or on a spit. Radiant heat is the means.

Documents

methods of cooking

roasting methods

cooking of food

roasting definition

baking methods

oven temperature

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roasting purpose