Cooking Methods

There are cooking methods that we use over and over again when cooking meat and it helps to understand how these cooking basics are different from each other and why you might choose one method over another. All cooking methods fall into two main categories.

Dry Heat Cooking - Tender cuts are best suited for the dry heat method, such as grilling, broiling, roasting, pan-searing, sauteing, stir-frying and barbecuing.

Moist Heat Cooking - Tougher cuts are best suited for the moist heat methods, such as braising also called pot roasting, and stewing. Some of the tougher cuts may be used with dry heat cooking, but a tenderizing marinade must be used.

Cooking Methods

ROASTING

This method uses a dry heat and is often used for roast recipes, using tender cuts. The roast is placed on a rack in a roasting pan and cooked uncovered in a preheated oven.

BRAISING (POT ROASTING)

This method starts by searing the meat and then cooking the roast or steak in liquid using slow, low heat in a covered dutch oven, stockpot or heavy deep skillet. The braising method is used with tough cuts of meat.

GRILLING

This method cooks quickly and directly over high heat, using a gas grill or over charcoal. Grilling temperatures typically reach 400-600 degrees or more, but anything over 300 degrees is considered a grilling temperature. The high heat of grilling sears the surface of the meat, creating a flavorful browned crust. Recipes for steak from the loin and rib section of the cow such as ribeye and t-bone steak benefit from this grilling methods.

BROILING

This method is similar to grilling, the meat is placed in the oven on a broiler pan about 3-4 inches below the top element, under direct high heat.

BARBECUING

This method cooks meat low and slow using indirect heat. The goal is to impart as much smoke flavor as possible, a long cooking time over heat at temperatures between 200-300 degrees. Using wood chips that smoke-cook the food can be done easily on a gas grill or over charcoal. This barbeque cooking method also provides ample time for fatty, tough cuts to become tender.

PAN-SEARING

This method uses a heavy bottom skillet, preheated over high heat. The meat is added to the hot skillet, browned on one side and then turned to brown the other side.

How To Cook A Steak Indoors

SAUTEING

This method is similar to pan-searing, except 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil is heated in the skillet. Sauteing is best suited for thin, tender cuts that cook quickly, or cuts that have been pounded or tenderized.

PAN-FRYING

This method is similar to suateing, except more oil is used. Meat is placed in a hot skillet containing oil, cooked until crisp and browned on one side and then cooked on the other side.

STIR-FRYING

This method is similar to sauteing, except the meat is cut into small pieces and stirred as it cooks. A preheated wok or heavy deep skillet is used with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil.

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