What every housewife needs to know about the types of heat treatment

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Many foods are eaten by people not raw, but cooked. This process is called heat treatment. During cooking, its taste and external qualities are improved, and various harmful bacteria and organisms are killed. The main types of heat treatment include boiling, frying and baking. Consider them in more detail.

Boiling liquid

Products poured into a special container with water, and then placed on fire or immersed in already boiling broth, are cooked in a certain way in a large amount of liquid. This type of heat treatment is called boiling. In this case, the volume of water can be much larger than the mass of the product and cover it by several centimeters.

Often the heating temperature of the contents and liquid does not exceed 100 °C. But there are products that need a gentle boil, such as pasta, cereals, sauces. To avoid cloudingbroth, deformation of the shape and loss of flavor of this food, it is enough to heat the liquid to 80-85 ° С.

Less water, more benefits

Another type of cooking related to cooking is poaching. During cooking, a small amount of liquid is added to the container. If the product is moisture-containing, then it can be prepared in the juice released when heated. Most often, the contents are partially filled with water, while the upper part is left to steam. With this method, a greater amount of nutrients and nutrients is preserved than with boiling. Therefore, cooked dishes have a richer aroma and taste.

Steaming

One of the types of heat treatment, in which the products are laid out on special through stands placed in containers with a small amount of water at the bottom or no liquid at all. At the same time, the condensate emitted by them creates all the conditions for cooking. This method allows you to maximize the usefulness of food and eliminates its burning.

Frying food

The heat treatment of food without the use of water is called frying. At the same time, fat is poured into the used container and heated to 180-200 ° C. Then the products are placed and kept in it, turning over, until a golden crust is formed. The product remains underdone and retains all internal juices. Subsequently, it can be boiled or stewed. The frying process is carried out within 3-5 minutes.

Deep-frying involves a lot ofused fat, in which the product is placed completely. Thanks to good thermal conductivity, the food inside warms up until it is fully cooked, and the surface is covered with a crisp.

Method of softening food

Another way of frying is sauteing, in which the fat is heated to 120 ° C, and then vegetables or flour are placed in it. This process allows you to bring the food to a softened state and pass the resulting mass through a sieve or a fine nozzle of a meat grinder. Sauteed vegetables are often added to soups or made into sauces.

Before cooking, they are cut into small pieces and placed in a container heated with fat. The products are stirred over low heat until softened. At the same time, the fat is colored and absorbs the essential oils of vegetables, which, in turn, are preserved during subsequent use and improve the taste of cooked food. Fat, which takes on a beautiful reddish hue, enhances the appearance of the finished dish.

In addition, sauteing is a way not only to soften vegetables, but also to lightly fry flour to increase its crumbly properties. In the future, when adding such flour to liquid dishes, it does not coagulate and does not form sticky lumps.

Baking food

An oven is used to bake meat, vegetables, fish at home. It allows you to set the optimal heat treatment mode, thanks to which the dish is baked inside and covered with a crispy appetizing crust on the outside. Depending on the recipe, the products are laid onbaking sheet in the cupboard both raw and pre-prepared (boiled or fried).

Baking can also be open - on the grill or charcoal, located under the cooked products. The main thing is to monitor the state of food and turn the grill or skewer over in time.

Features of heat treatment

Cooking food with one of the heating methods involves the following:

Improve the absorption of useful and nutritious components

During the heat treatment, the product becomes softer, better digested by the digestive system, and therefore absorbed faster. At the same time, proteins resistant to digestive enzymes lose their properties. As a result, the body is saturated with useful substances in sufficient volume. The main thing is not to violate the cooking regimen. This can lead to the destruction of the substances we are trying to preserve.

Decontamination of products from harmful microorganisms

Not all pathogens of various kinds die when heated. Their development and vital activity can stop until the moment of cooling. To avoid getting a large number of harmful microorganisms into food, you need to choose the appropriate processing mode for different products at a temperature of more than 50 ° C, as well as observe the conditions for the preservation of ready meals.

Destroying toxins and allergens

Many vegetables contain poisons that are formed during growth, as well as those thatare inherent in plants. In order for the product to be edible and not harmful to the body, it must be boiled. Toxins and some allergens are destroyed or washed out with boiling water in this way.

Increasing the taste and aroma of the product

During the treatment of food with heat, it acquires a new, brighter and more pronounced taste. It also releases fragrant esters that stimulate the appetite and improve the quality of the dish.

Cook with pleasure, follow the regimen, choose gentle ways of processing various products, and cooked dishes will delight you and your loved ones with their fragrant taste!