Moist Heat Cooking Methods
Cooking with moist heat involves heating food by directly immersing it in a hot water-based liquid or by exposing it to steam. The liquid can be plain water, but stock, or a seasoned liquid, is often chosen to add flavor to what is being cooked. When heating liquids for moist heat cooking methods, cover the pot to prevent heat loss and evaporation. During cooking, keep the lid on or remove it as directed in the recipe. Each of the following moist heat cooking methods can be applied to different foods.
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Boiling
Boiling is another moist-heat cooking method that uses the process of convection to transfer heat from a water-based liquid to the food. Boiling relies on a large volume of rapidly bubbling liquid to cook the food. The turbulent water and relatively high temperature cook the food more quickly than poaching or boiling. However, few foods are cooked by true boiling. Most “boiled” meats are steamed. Even “hard-boiled” eggs are simply boiled. Blanching and parboiling, also known as Mise en Place, rely on boiling water to help prepare the food to…
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Steaming
Steaming is a moist heat cooking method that uses the process of convection to transfer heat to the food being steamed. It is often associated with tender, delicately flavored foods, such as fish and vegetables, that do not require long cooking times. Steaming food can enhance the natural flavor of food and help retain its nutrients. Properly steamed foods should be moist and tender. Additional flavor can be introduced by adding stock, aromatics, spices, or herbs to the liquid used as the steaming medium. The steaming liquid can also make…
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Simmering
Boiling is another moist heat cooking method that uses convection to transfer heat from a water-based liquid to the food. It is often associated with foods that need to be tenderized through long, slow, moist cooking, such as less tender cuts of meat. Properly cooked foods should be moist and very tender. To boil, food is immersed in a liquid between 185°F and 205°F (85°C and 96°C). Since the boiling temperature is slightly higher than that used for poaching, there should be more action at the surface of the liquid,…
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Poaching
Poaching is a moist heat cooking method that uses convection to transfer heat from a water-based liquid to the food. It is often associated with delicately flavored foods that do not require a long cooking time to soften, such as eggs, fruit, or fish. For poaching, the food is placed in a liquid held at a temperature between 160°F and 180°F (71°C and 82°C). The surface should show only slight movement, but no bubbles. It is important to maintain the desired temperature throughout the cooking process. Do not let the…