Control and use of heat in home-cooked dishes

Heat refers to the amount of firepower and the length of time used in the cooking process of dishes. When cooking, on the one hand, it is necessary to identify the size of the firepower from the burning intensity, and on the other hand, the length of maturation time must be grasped according to the properties of the raw materials. Only by unifying the two can the cooking of dishes be up to standard. Generally speaking, the amount of firepower used should be determined according to the properties of the raw materials, but it is not absolute. Some dishes require the use of two or more firepowers according to cooking requirements. For example, stewed beef is cooked over high heat first and then low heat; while dry-roasted fish is cooked over high heat first, then medium heat, and then low heat. When using and mastering heat in cooking, you should pay attention to the relationship between the following factors:

1. The relationship between heat and dishes

There are many kinds of raw materials for dishes, some are old, some are tender, some are hard and some are soft. , the heat used in cooking should be determined according to the texture of the raw materials. Soft, tender and crispy ingredients are usually cooked quickly over high heat, while hard and tough ingredients are usually cooked over low heat for a long time. But if the texture and characteristics of the raw materials are changed through preliminary processing before cooking, then the heat usage will also need to be changed. For example, cutting the raw materials finely, draining the oil, boiling water, etc. can shorten the cooking time. The quantity of raw materials is also related to the heat. The smaller the number, the firepower will be relatively weakened and the time will be shortened. The shape of raw materials is also directly related to the use of heat. Generally speaking, when cooking large pieces of raw materials, due to the small heating area, it takes a long time to mature, so the heat should not be too strong. The small-shaped raw materials can be cooked quickly because of their large heating area.

2. The relationship between heat and transmission method

In cooking, fire transmission is the decisive factor in the qualitative change of cooking raw materials. The conduction method is carried out by three heat transfer methods: radiation, conduction and convection. Heat transfer media is divided into medium-free heat transfer and media-based heat transfer, such as water, oil, steam, salt, sand heat transfer, etc. These different heat transfer methods directly affect the use of heat in cooking.

3. The relationship between heat and cooking techniques

Cooking techniques are closely related to the use of heat. Techniques such as stir-frying, stir-frying, cooking, and deep-frying are mostly used to cook over high heat. Techniques such as roasting, stewing, boiling, and braising use low heat for a long time. However, according to the requirements of the dishes, the use of heat in each cooking technique is not static. Only by comprehensively using various factors in cooking can we use the heat correctly.

4. Examples of the use of heat in home-cooked dishes

Heat plays a vital role in cooking. You may still have some questions about what kind of dishes should be cooked at what heat. Let’s illustrate the application examples of three types of heat.

● Dishes cooked over low heat

For example, beef stew is cooked over low heat. Before cooking, cut the beef into square pieces and blanch it in boiling water to remove the blood and impurities. At this time, the fiber of the beef is in the contraction stage. Move to medium heat, add supplementary ingredients, cook for a while, then move to low heat, and cook over low heat to gradually stretch the shrinking fibers of the beef. When the beef is almost cooked, add the seasonings and simmer until it is cooked. The stewed beef produced in this way will be delicious in color, flavor and appearance. If cooked over high heat, the beef will appear irregular in shape. In addition, there will be a lot of beef residue in the soup, causing the broth to be turbid, and it is easy to be overcooked on the surface and still chewy on the inside. Therefore, for dishes with large pieces of raw material, use low heat.

● Medium heat is suitable for fried dishes

When frying raw materials with batter on the outside, use medium heat and gradually add oil for better results. . Because if high heat is used during frying, the raw materials will immediately become charred, resulting in peppers that are raw on the outside and raw on the inside. If you use low heat, the raw materials will become de-pasted after being put into the pot. For some dishes, such as crispy chicken, the ingredients are put into the pot over high heat, fried to create a harder shell, and then moved to medium heat to fry until crispy.

● High heat is suitable for stir-fried, stir-fried and rinsed dishes.

Generally, the main ingredients of dishes cooked over high heat are crispy and tender, such as fried mutton with green onions. Shabu-boiled mutton, fried tripe, etc. When the water is boiled, it must be boiled in and out, so that the rinsed food will be crispy and tender. The reason is that dishes cooked over high heat can heat the main ingredients quickly and shrink the fibers rapidly, making it difficult for the water in the meat to leach out, making it crispy and tender when eaten. If the fire is not strong and the firepower is insufficient, the water in the pot cannot boil and the main ingredients cannot shrink in time, and the main ingredients will be cooked. Another example is stir-fried mutton with green onions. It looks simple, but some people make stir-fried mutton with green onions. Either they produce a lot of soup or they are too chewy to chew. How can the dishes be cooked well? First, the meat must be cut well, and the meat must be cut into thin slices using the top knife method. Secondly, the fire must be high and the oil must be hot. Put the wok on high heat, add oil and heat until smoke comes out, then add the meat and stir-fry until it changes color. Immediately add the onions and seasonings and simmer for a while. When the onions change color, remove from the pan immediately. It needs to be cooked quickly, otherwise it will cause too much water and unable to chew.

However, the current general household gas stoves can only produce small, medium and large fires, which cannot meet the requirements of strong fire. To use medium-low heat to stir-fry dishes cooked over high heat, firstly, the domestic oil should be increased appropriately, secondly, the heating time should be slightly longer, and thirdly, less raw materials should be put in at one time, so as to achieve better results. .

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