11 Ways to Cook

Frying

Frying involves cooking in fat or oil, and there are several common variations on how the frying happens. The first is pan-frying, which (as you might expect) involves cooking the food in a frying pan with oil. Another is deep-frying, like you might see at a burger joint, where the food is dipped fully into hot oil. The third is sauteing, where a little oil is used to cook both sides of the food. Finally, you have stir-frying: frying things rapidly in an oiled wok or pan at a high temperature. 

Grilling

Grilling is characterized by rapid, dry cooking at high temperatures using a radiating heat source. These heat elements can include hot coals, burning wood, a gas flame, or an electric heating source. Food is often seasoned and marinated before being grilled.

Broiling

Broiling is a similar method of cooking to grilling (ovens usually have a broil setting), where the heat source is above rather than below. This heating method can work particularly rapidly, so keeping a close eye on it is advised. Meats and fish are big favorites for broiling.

Simmering

Simmering is the cooking food in liquid on a stovetop over low heat. Bubbling of the liquid occurs but stops short of a full boil.

Baking

Baking is the natural choice for dessert, bread, and pastries like scones, brownies, and cookies. Baking involves the generation of dry heat in an oven or other closed apparatus, or even on hot stones. This type of heat results in browning the outside of the food while the inside stays moist.

Steaming

As the name suggests, steaming food means cooking it with steam in a food steamer. A food steamer has holes in it and sits over a pot or pan of heated water to allow the steam through. The food cooks as the water boils and steam is released upward.

Roasting

Roasting is baking at a higher temperature. This results in food that is particularly brown and dry on the outside. It usually involves a higher temperature phase (sometimes over 500 degrees) to brown the outside followed by a lower temperature phase (perhaps 425 degrees) to heat the food completely inside and out, without burning the outside.

Blanching

Blanching involves scalding food in boiling water and then immersing it in ice water, or putting it under cold running water, to stop it from further cooking.
Vegetables are an especially common food to blanch. Blanching often precedes canning, drying, or freezing the food.

Poaching

Poaching is another moist-heat cooking method in which the food is put in a liquid like milk, water, broth, juice, or stock (heated to around 170 degrees). Fish, poultry, eggs, and fruit are commonly poached foods because they are vulnerable to breaking apart or drying out with other, harsher, cooking methods.

Stewing

Stewing involves first searing or sauteing the food then cooking it in liquid. You will typically make use of chopped ingredients or chunks of food like veggies and meats.

Braising

Braising also involves an initial searing or sauteing. After that, you simmer the ingredients in a liquid for a large amount of time. This means that it is a combination wet and dry cooking method. Some cooks also call braising pot roasting, while other cooks make certain distinctions between these two methods.