3.1.3

Fat-Based Cooking Methods

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Fat-Based Cooking Methods

Frying involves heating oil or fat to a really high temperature. The amount of fat or oil used will depend on the method of frying.

Stir-frying

Stir-frying

  • Frying food in a wok or similarly large frying pan using a small quantity of oil.
  • You can stir-fry small chunks of meat (chicken, beef, pork), fish (cod) as well as noodles, tofu, vegetables and nuts.
  • Advantages:
    • Relatively healthy option - only a small amount of oil is used.
    • Very quick cooking method - this also means vegetables don't lose too many nutrients.
  • Disadvantages:
    • Food needs constant attention and moving around the pan so that it does not burn.
Shallow frying

Shallow frying

  • Frying food in a frying pan (smaller than a wok) using a medium quantity of oil or fat.
  • Good quality cuts of meat, fish, sausages and vegetables can be shallow fried.
  • Advantages:
    • Compared to stir-frying, food develops a crispier texture.
  • Disadvantages:
    • Unhealthy cooking method - uses more fat than stir-frying.
    • The fat content of the pan increases throughout the cooking process as solid fats from the food start to melt.
Dangers of frying

Dangers of frying

  • Frying involves heating fat or oil to very high temperatures.
  • When hot, the fat/oil is very flammable. Contact with the skin could cause severe burns.
Conduction

Conduction

  • When food is fried, heat energy transfers via:
    • Conduction: from the pan → fat → throughout the food.
Advantages of frying

Advantages of frying

  • When food is fried, the food absorbs some of the fat from the pan. This gives the food more flavour.
  • When some foods, such as onions, are fried, they caramelise and become sweeter.
Sweating

Sweating

  • Sweating involves frying food over a low heat using a small quantity of oil or fat.
  • Covering sweating food helps the food to retain moisture.
  • Advantages:
    • The food releases moisture - it cooks tenderly and tastes sweet once cooked.
    • Food doesn't brown.
Jump to other topics
1

Food Preparation Skills

1.1

Food Preparation Skills

1.1.1General Practical Skills1.1.2Knife Skills1.1.3Preparing Fruit, Vegetables & Using Equipment1.1.4Cooking Methods: Prepare, Shape & Combine1.1.5Sauce Making, Tenderising & Marinating1.1.6Dough & Pastry1.1.7Shaping & Finishing Dough1.1.8Raising Agents & Mixtures1.1.9End of Topic Test - Food Preparation Skills 1
2

Food, Nutrition & Health

2.1

Macronutrients

2.1.1Proteins2.1.2Proteins 22.1.3Fats2.1.4Carbohydrates2.1.5Carbohydrates 2
2.2

Micronutrients

2.2.1Fat-Soluble Vitamins2.2.2Water-Soluble Vitamins2.2.3Minerals & Water2.2.4Minerals & Water 22.2.5End of Topic Test - Macro & Micronutrients
2.3

Nutritional Needs & Health

2.3.1Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet2.3.2Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet 22.3.3Energy Needs2.3.4Nutritional Analysis2.3.5Diet Modifications2.3.6Diet-Related Problems2.3.7Diet-Related Problems 22.3.8End of Topic Test - Nutritional Needs & Health
3

Food Science

3.1

Cooking of Food & Heat Transfer

3.1.1Reasons for Cooking & Heat Transfer3.1.2Water-Based Cooking Methods3.1.3Fat-Based Cooking Methods3.1.4Dry Cooking Methods3.1.5Dry Cooking Methods 2
3.2

Functional & Chemical Properties of Food

3.2.1Proteins & Carbohydrates3.2.2Fats & Oils3.2.3Raising Agents3.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Science
4

Food Safety

4.1

Food Spoilage & Contamination

4.1.1Microorganisms & Signs of Food Spoilage4.1.2Enzymes & Signs of Food Spoilage4.1.3Food Poisoning4.1.4Bacterial Contamination4.1.5Microorganisms in Food Production
4.2

Principles of Food Safety

4.2.1Temperature Control4.2.2Ambient Foods & Food Labels4.2.3Preparing, Cooking & Serving Food4.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Safety
5

Food Choice

5.1

Factors Affecting Food Choice

5.1.1Factors Which Influence Food Choice5.1.2Food Choices5.1.3Religious Food Choices5.1.4Food Labels5.1.5Mandatory Food Labels5.1.6Optional Food Labels5.1.7Marketing Influences5.1.8End of Topic Test - Food Choice
5.2

British & International Cuisines

5.2.1British Cuisine5.2.2Japanese Cuisine5.2.3Japanese Ingredients & Dishes5.2.4Spanish Cuisine5.2.5Spanish Ingredients & Dishes
5.3

Sensory Evaluation

5.3.1Taste Receptors & Olfactory Systems5.3.2Sensory Testing Methods5.3.3Sensory Testing Methods 25.3.4End of Topic Test - Cuisines & Senses
6

Food Provenance

6.1

Environmental Impact & Sustainability of Food

6.1.1Food Sources - Intensive & Organic Farming6.1.2Food Sources - Genetically Modified Crops6.1.3Food Sources - Reared Food6.1.4Food Sources - Caught Food6.1.5Food & The Environment6.1.6Food & The Environment 26.1.7Sustainability of Food6.1.8Sustainability of Food 26.1.9End of Topic Test - Environmental Impacts
6.2

Food Processing & Production

6.2.1Primary Food Processing6.2.2Primary Food Processing 26.2.3Secondary Food Processing6.2.4Fortification6.2.5Additives6.2.6End of Topic Test - Food Processing & Production

Practice questions on Fat-Based Cooking Methods

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Advantages and disadvantages of shallow frying:True / false
  2. 2
    Advantages and disadvantages of stir-frying:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    What is sweating?Multiple choice
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Water-Based Cooking Methods

Dry Cooking Methods