Traditional cooking methods are cooking methods that have been passed down over time and have now become the generally used way of cooking given foods. Rice, for instance, is traditionally cooked by boiling. Frying it will be an unconventional way to cook it. Each unique cooking technique contributes to any food’s taste, texture, and palatability. Some typical traditional cooking methods are:
Grilling
Grilling is a method of cooking in which food is heated directly over charcoal or an open fire. This method is best for achieving crunchy outside and soft inside (COSI) textures in food. It is employed in making barbecue. Burgers, steaks, and zucchini are also cooked by grilling.
If you use a grill pan or an outdoor grill, the grill marks it gives your food can add to your meal’s aesthetic and appeal.
Braising
Braising is the ideal cooking method for getting the most out of tough cuts of meat like sirloin. It involves cooking the food in liquid over low heat to tenderize it. As the meat gradually softens, it absorbs the savory flavors in the broth, making it more scrumptious.
One useful hack to making the most delicious chicken drumsticks is to braise the chicken in red wine.
Steaming
A school of thought believes steaming is the most appropriate way to cook vegetables, and I couldn’t agree more. When vegetables are boiled, especially green, leafy vegetables, they tend to lose some nutrients to the water. In recipes that require the water to be strained, many nutrients are lost.
But with steaming, the gentle heating and minimal moisture content allow both nutrients and flavors to be preserved.
Roasting
Roasting differs slightly from grilling. Unlike grilling, which uses a direct heat source, this one uses a dry heat source from ovens. This cooking method is useful for a good number of foods, such as roasted corn, roasted plantains, and roasted groundnuts. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars present in food to enhance its flavors and give it a crusty texture.
Searing
The easiest way to make the juiciest chicken is to sear it. This high-heat, quick cooking method cooks the surface of the chicken and locks in the juices. The inner part of the chicken is tender and fluffy while the outer part is crispy and flavorful.
Chicken is not the only food you can cook this way. You can also sear fish, pork chops, steak, and scallops. Employing this method in meal prep could improve the overall taste of the meal.
Boiling
This is probably the most commonly used cooking method. The secret behind the tastiest broth is proper boiling. When bony meats are properly seasoned, boiling helps extract all these flavors to make a tasty broth.
Boiling can be used for meal preps, like making mashed potatoes, or as the main cooking method, like in preparing jollof rice.
If your child finds it hard to chew on hard vegetables like carrots, boiling them first will help.
Frying
Frying is a high-heat cooking technique useful for browning and enhancing flavors. It can also change the form of a food and give it a different taste. For example, fried eggs taste different from boiled eggs.
There are two types of frying: deep frying and shallow frying. In deep frying, a deeper vessel and a large amount of oil are used. Yam, chicken, and potato can be deep fried to make delicacies.
Shallow frying, on the other hand, uses shallow vessels and pans to make fried eggs and pancakes. Sautéing is a modified version of shallow frying.
Smoking
Smoking is cooking on low heat for an extended period. It is often used to infuse patties and meats with a rich, smoky flavor and give the meal an attention-grabbing aroma.
Unfortunately, not every food can be cooked by smoking. But it’s easy to obtain the smoky taste in any food, particularly rice. Adding a generous amount of powdered crayfish does this for you.
Conclusion
Other cooking methods include poaching, oven-cooking, air-frying, and stewing. Although these individual cooking methods could on their own help you achieve the savor and flavor profile you’re looking for, some recipes would require you to mix two or more cooking techniques to get the best results.
