The Cooking Process: Part 4

Fats and oils Most fat can reach much higher temperatures than water can. The fat in the fry kettle often cooks at 375°F (190°C), whereas water does not go above its boiling point of 212°F (100°C).

In meats and poultry, fats contribute much of the flavor. The flavor of fat used in cooking is often added to the food cooked. The flavor of broken down fat can spoil the palatability of a food that has been cooked in it.

Minerals and vitamins

Minerals and vitamins are minute components in foods that are important to nutrition. Vitamins found in vegetables are easily lost in cooking. Some are water-soluble and may be thrown out with the cooking liquid. Others are sensitive to high or prolonged heat. Cooking with minimum nutrient loss is among the most challenging of cooking problems.

Heat also brings about chemical changes that affect both color and flavor in foods. This becomes a problem particularly in cooking vegetables. Good cooking techniques can help to retain the natural colors and flavors in foods, as we shall see later.

Water

Water or moisture, as we often refer to it is the major ingredient in most foods. Fresh raw meats, fruits, and vegetables are at least 70 percent water; some fruits are as much as 96 to 98 percent. The water in a food contains much of its flavor and many of its nutrients.

The effect of heat on the water in foods is very important in cooking them and in the finished product. The water in a food does a good deal of the cooking by conveying heat throughout the product. Moisture also helps to soften certain tough connective tissues in meat, as noted earlier.

On the other hand, the heat of cooking causes the product to lose moisture and with it can go flavor, nutrients, and the moist, tender texture that makes food palatable.

We will examine all these effects of heat on foods as we discuss the preparation of various food items in later chapters.

Applying heat in cook

How does the cook apply heat to a food to raise its temperature and bring about change? Heat can be transferred to food in three ways: by conduction, by convection, and by radiation.

Conduction is the transfer of heat from something hot to something touching it that is cooler. For example, heat from the fire passes to a pot; the pot conducts heat to liquid contained in it; the heated liquid conducts heat to any food submerged in it; a vegetable, an egg, a lobster.

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