Recovery time (culinary)

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Recovery time is the length of time it takes a cooking medium, such as fat or water, to return to the desired cooking temperature after the food is submerged in it. [1] [2] The term also pertains to the recovery time for ovens to return to their preset cooking temperature after being opened. [2]

Contents

By cooking medium

Boiling and blanching

Potato dumplings being boiled Knoedeltopf.jpg
Potato dumplings being boiled

Boiling water has a recovery time which occurs when food is added to it, [1] particularly large amounts of food. Methods to reduce recovery time are to use a larger quantity of water, cooking a lesser amount of food at a time, and using a stronger heat source. [1] Industrial and restaurant blanching equipment is susceptible to a recovery time, in which the blanching liquor requires time to reheat to its preset cooking temperature. [2]

Deep fryer

Deep fryers have a recovery time after food is cooked in them. [3] [4] A faster recovery time shortens the cooking time, which lessens the amount of oil absorbed into the deep fried foods. [3] This results in a superior product compared to deep fried foods that are highly saturated with oil, and also reduces the amount of oil needed to be re-added to the deep fryer. [3] [4] The use of a 1:6 ratio of food content relative to oil content has been demonstrated to minimize recovery time in deep fryers. [3]

Oven

An opened oven creates a recovery time. Oven.agr.jpg
An opened oven creates a recovery time.

Ovens have a recovery time after being opened. [5] Opening an oven door can reduce the temperature within an oven by up to 50°F [6] (30°C). Methods to reduce oven recovery time include the placement of a baking stone or pizza stone, tiles made of ceramic, or a brick insert device in an oven, all of which serve to reduce recovery time through their heat retention properties. [5] [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooking</span> Preparing food using heat

Cooking, also known as cookery or professionally as the culinary arts, is the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or safe. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire, to using electric stoves, to baking in various types of ovens, reflecting local conditions. Cooking is an aspect of all human societies and a cultural universal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French fries</span> Deep-fried strips of potato

French fries, and chips, finger chips, french-fried potatoes, or simply fries are batonnet or allumette-cut deep-fried potatoes of disputed origin from Belgium or France. They are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, drying them, and frying them, usually in a deep fryer. Pre-cut, blanched, and frozen russet potatoes are widely used, and sometimes baked in a regular or convection oven; air fryers are small convection ovens marketed for frying potatoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baking</span> Food producing method

Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread, but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferred "from the surface of cakes, cookies, and pieces of bread to their center, typically conducted at elevated temperatures surpassing 300°F. Dry heat cooking imparts a distinctive richness to foods through the processes of caramelization and surface browning. As heat travels through, it transforms batters and doughs into baked goods and more with a firm dry crust and a softer center. Baking can be combined with grilling to produce a hybrid barbecue variant by using both methods simultaneously, or one after the other. Baking is related to barbecuing because the concept of the masonry oven is similar to that of a smoke pit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep frying</span> Cooking food under hot fat

Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, traditionally lard but today most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow frying used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Normally, a deep fryer or chip pan is used for this; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used. Deep frying may also be performed using oil that is heated in a pot. Deep frying is classified as a hot-fat cooking method. Typically, deep frying foods cook quickly since oil has a high rate of heat conduction and all sides of the food are cooked simultaneously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan frying</span> Cooking technique

Pan frying or pan-frying is a form of frying food characterized by the use of minimal cooking oil or fat, typically using just enough to lubricate the pan. In the case of a greasy food such as bacon, no oil or fats may need to be added. As a form of frying, the technique relies on oil or fat as the heat transfer medium, and on correct temperature and time to not overcook or burn the food. Pan frying can serve to retain the moisture in foods such as meat and seafood. The food is typically flipped at least once to ensure that both sides are cooked properly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grilling</span> Form of cooking that involves dry heat

Grilling is a form of cooking that involves heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above, below or from the side. Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat and vegetables quickly. Food to be grilled is cooked on a grill, using a cast iron/frying pan, or a grill pan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pressure cooking</span> Cooking food under high-pressure steam

Pressure cooking is the process of cooking food with the use of high pressure steam and water or a water-based liquid, inside a sealed vessel called a pressure cooker; the high pressure limits boiling and creates higher temperatures not possible at lower pressures which allow food to be cooked much faster than at normal pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stir frying</span> Cooking technique

Stir frying is a cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into other parts of Asia and the West. It is similar to sautéing in Western cooking technique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microwave oven</span> Kitchen cooking appliance

A microwave oven or simply microwave is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce thermal energy in a process known as dielectric heating. Microwave ovens heat foods quickly and efficiently because excitation is fairly uniform in the outer 25–38 mm(1–1.5 inches) of a homogeneous, high-water-content food item.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blanching (cooking)</span> Brief scalding of food in boiling water

Blanching is a cooking process in which a food, usually a vegetable or fruit, is scalded in boiling water, removed after a brief timed interval, and finally plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water to halt the cooking process. Blanching foods helps reduce quality loss over time. Blanching is often used as a treatment prior to freezing, dehydrating, or canning vegetables or fruits to deactivate enzymes, modify texture, remove the peel and wilt tissue. The inactivation of enzymes preserves colour, flavour, and nutritional value. The process has three stages: preheating, blanching, and cooling. The most common blanching methods for vegetables/fruits are hot water and steam, while cooling is either done using cold water or cool air. Other benefits of blanching include removing pesticide residues and decreasing microbial load. Drawbacks to the blanching process can include leaching of water-soluble and heat-sensitive nutrients and the production of effluent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convection oven</span> Appliance that heats food

A convection oven is an oven that has fans to circulate air around food to create an evenly heated environment. The increased air circulation causes a fan-assisted oven to cook food faster than a conventional non-fan oven, which relies only on natural convection to circulate the hot air. Fan-assisted convection ovens are commonly used for baking as well as non-food, industrial applications. Small countertop convection ovens for household use are often marketed as air fryers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep fryer</span> Type of cooking appliance

A deep fryer is a kitchen appliance used for deep frying. Deep frying is a method of cooking by submerging food into oil at high heat, typically between temperatures of 350 to 375 °F.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey fryer</span> Apparatus for deep-frying a turkey

A turkey fryer is an apparatus for deep-frying a turkey. Fried turkey has been a popular item in the Southern United States, and has become popular in other parts of the country because of the reduced time needed to cook a turkey in a deep fryer, versus other conventional methods such as an oven or a rotisserie grill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of food preparation</span> Art form and applied science to make food ingredients palatable and fit to eat

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the preparation of food:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cast-iron cookware</span> Cookware valued for heat retention properties

Heavy-duty cookware made of cast iron is valued for its heat retention, durability, ability to maintain high temperatures for longer time duration, and non-stick cooking when properly seasoned. Seasoning is also used to protect bare cast iron from rust. Types of cast-iron cookware include frying pans, dutch ovens, griddles, waffle irons, flattop grills, panini presses, crepe makers, deep fryers, tetsubin, woks, potjies, and karahi.

A vacuum fryer is a deep-frying device housed inside a vacuum chamber. With vacuum frying it is easier to maintain natural colors and flavours of the finished product. Due to the lower temperatures applied, the formation of suspected carcinogen acrylamide is significantly lower than in standard atmospheric fryers, where the frying temperature is approximately 170 °C (338 °F). The fat absorption of the products is also reported to be lower than in atmospheric fryers. In Southeast Asia batch type vacuum fryers are mainly used for the production of fruit chips. However, these machines are only appropriate for relatively small production companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fried chicken</span> Dish of chicken pieces coated with seasoned flour or in batter and then fried

Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior of the chicken while retaining juices in the meat. Broiler chickens are most commonly used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shallow frying</span> Cooking by immersion in reduced amounts of hot oil

Shallow frying is a hot oil-based cooking technique. It is typically used to prepare portion-sized cuts of meat, fish, potatoes and patties such as fritters. Shallow frying can also be used to cook vegetables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooking oil</span> Oil consumed by humans, of vegetable or animal origin

Cooking oil is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing heat, reducing burning and uneven cooking. It sometimes imparts its own flavor. Cooking oil is also used in food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sackett, Lou; Pestka, Jaclyn; Gisslen, Wayne (15 March 2010). Professional Garde Manger. p. 95. ISBN   9780470179963.
  2. 1 2 3 Sinclair, Charles Gordon (1998). International Dictionary of Food and Cooking. p. 447. ISBN   9781579580575.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Mallikarjunan, Parameswarakuma; Ngadi, Michael O.; Chinnan, Manjeet S. (22 September 2009). Breaded Fried Foods. p. 50. ISBN   9780203492291.
  4. 1 2 Baraban, Regina S.; Durocher, Joseph F. (2 February 2010). Successful Restaurant Design. p. 150. ISBN   9780470250754.
  5. 1 2 Potter, Jeff (20 July 2010). Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food. p. 42. ISBN   9781449395872.
  6. "Dwell". April 2004: 67.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. Reinhart, Peter (18 May 2011). Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads. p. 282. ISBN   9781607741305.