HEALTHY COOKING

Basic Cooking Techniques

healthy cooking

Your Healthy Kitchen Glossary

The following is a list of definitions for cooking terms you'll find in many EatingWell recipes. “Chopping Techniques” describes preparation methods and how to cut up your ingredients, and “Cooking Techniques” explains the different ways to cook them. Whether you’re a kitchen novice or a seasoned home cook, refer to this guide when you need more direction when preparing a recipe.

Chopping Techniques | Cooking Techniques

Chopping Techniques

Mince and finely chop: “Mincing” is the finest chop of all, less than 1⁄8-inch, achieved by first cutting, then rocking the knife back and forth across the ingredients, all the while rotating the blade around on the cutting board. “Finely chop” is just a little bit larger than mince.

Chop and coarsely chop: You want to wind up with about a 1⁄4-inch piece when you chop, a bit larger when you “coarsely chop.” The idea of chopping (unlike dicing) is that the ingredients don’t have to be strictly the same size when you’re done.

Dice and cube: You’re aiming for uniformity of size here, and it’s based on cooking time and texture, not looks. Most recipes that call for a “dice” or “cube” will indicate the preferred size for cooking in the time allotted (e.g., “cut into 1-inch cubes”). Ignore these sizes and you will change the cooking time.

Slice and thinly slice: “Slice” is a judgment call; a slice of apple will be thinner than a slice of steak, but if you insist on a rule of thumb, think of a slice no thinner than 1⁄4 inch. “Thinly slice,” however, means you will want to cut the food as thinly as possible. Again, this will vary by ingredient; you can slice an apple to near-transparent thinness, which is hard to do with steak.

Cooking Techniques

Simmer: Set the pan on steady, fairly low heat (thus the constant reminder to “reduce heat” before simmering); the recipe may tell you to cover or partially cover the pan. Look for some bubbles and steam in the liquid. One reminder: a covered pot will boil more quickly than an uncovered one, so watch the temperature carefully to keep the simmer low and steady.

Braise, stew: These two terms (you can use them interchangeably) are similar to “simmer,” but involve more liquid, a longer cooking time and even lower heat. Braising has traditionally been used to make tough cuts of meat tender (think pot roast).

Stir-fry: A high-heat method of searing meats, poultry, fish and vegetables, usually associated with Asian cooking. You must use oil for stir-frying, otherwise the high temperature will cause the natural sugars to burn and foods to stick to the pan—even a nonstick one.

Steam: Cook a food over moist, high heat, and you preserve many of its nutrients. You need a pot large enough to hold both the steamer basket and 1 or 2 inches of water with plenty of airflow all around the basket. The food shouldn’t sit in the water. Check the water level from time to time to make sure the pan isn’t dry, and shake the pan gently once or twice to rearrange the food, ensuring even cooking.

Roast: Roasting involves a steady, even, dry heat that cooks from the outside in. Air (and thus heat) should circulate freely around whatever’s being roasted; the oven rack should be placed in the center of the oven (unless otherwise stated in the recipe). When roasting vegetables, add a small amount of fat to the pan to sear them while they cook. When roasting meats, a rack at the bottom of the pan lifts the meat out of the fat drippings and allows the heat to circulate underneath for even cooking.

Broil: The indoor cousin of grilling sears food with high, direct heat. Preheat the broiler for at least 5 minutes; food should be placed so that it (not the pan) is 4 to 6 inches from the heat. Blot food dry before broiling for less mess. Pour off rendered fat occasionally to avoid flare-ups.

Grill: Grilling involves placing ingredients directly over the heat source. Test your grill by “feel.” Place your open palm 5 inches above the grill grate; the fire is high if you have to move your hand in 2 seconds, medium if you have to move your hand in 5 seconds, and low if you have to move your hand in 10 seconds.

Explore these other Healthy Cooking topics to learn more or check out some of our healthy recipes and menu collections: