• Dry Heat
  • Grilling
  • Roasting
  • Sautéing
• Moist Heat 
  • Stewing
  • Braising
  • Pot Roasting
    
• Steak Doneness
• Tenderization
• Meat Cooking Temperatures
  

Because various muscles have different composition, applying the right type of heat, or cooking method, will bring out that cut's best qualities. Generally, Dry Heat cooking methods refer to processes where no additional moisture is added to the cooking cycle. They are most commonly used for the more tender and marbled cuts of beef, like striploin, tenderloin, sirloin and rib. Moist heat methods involve the addition of moisture, usually water, to the process, which has a tenderizing effect and moistens the beef. Moist heat is usually applied to cuts from the round. A combination of dry and moist methods can be used also, especially on the medium-tender cuts of the chuck, flank, plate, brisket and shank.

• Remove steak from refrigeration and lightly season just prior to placing on grill.
• Brush steak with a small amount of oil or butter to prevent sticking. The oil will also translate the heat of the grill quickly to the meat.
• Place steak initially on the grill at a 45-degree angle on the hottest part of the grill to achieve a good sear.
• Once steak reaches two-thirds doneness (signified by juices rising to the surface), turn steak and place at a 45-degree angle on the opposite side. If well done steaks are part of multiple steaks, move them to a cooler section of the grill so completion time is the same.
• Once steak has achieved grill marks at the 45-degree angle, move to 90 degrees to create cross-hatching effect.
• Turn steak, test doneness if rare to medium rare. The steak should be ready (remove and plate). For medium and above, turn steak and grill till desired doneness is reached. Choose the best side for presentation.
• Place steak on plate. Steaks benefit from a minute or two of rest.

Done in an oven environment, heat surrounds the cut and slowly increases the internal temperature until the desired doneness is reached. Larger cuts are generally candidates for roasting and achieve high cooked yield and even doneness throughout.

• Season roast on all sides.
• Place roast on rack or on top of vegetables. Place fat side up.
• Place roast in oven and set temperature. Using low temperature techniques will increase yield and juiciness.
• Once the roast is nearly ready, test interior of roast. Avoid any bones or fat pockets. When roast reaches 10°C below desired doneness, remove, and let roast rest.
• Roast should rest a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow meat tissue to relax and re-absorb juices and the temperature will continue to rise.
• Always slice roasts across the grain not with the grain.

This method utilizes a small amount of hot oil in a pan or wok to quickly cook the meat and maintain moisture and tenderness. The advantage with sautéing is that flavour is easily enhanced when cooked with other ingredients.

• Heat pan well; add garlic, and other seasonings, if desired; add meat and sear on all sides quickly. Note – make sure the pan is not overloaded or else the meat will boil rather than sauté.
• Once meat is seared, remove from pan to prevent overcooking. Set aside and place additional oil in pan (if required) and reheat.
• Heat oil; add garlic and other seasoning, if required. Add vegetables. Sauté quickly until they start to get tender.
• Once vegetables are almost cooked, add meat and toss.
• Add sauce to dish; coat ingredients and remove from heat quickly before you overcook.
• Add sauté on to plate, garnish and serve.

Stewing

Small pieces of meat are browned and immersed in a liquid (stock, wine, etc.) often with vegetables added. The covered pot is simmered slowly until the beef is tender. Strong flavours are developed with stewed meat dishes.

• Lightly dust diced meat in seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour. Remove any pieces with excessive fat or gristle.
• Add meat to pot and brown in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Onion and garlic can be added at this time, if desired. Do not overload pot or it will prevent proper browning. Brown cubes well to build on flavor and color of the finished stew. Add additional flour at this point and brown to create a roux.
• Once meat is well browned, add selected root vegetables such as carrots, onions and celery, turnips etc. and continue to sauté. Do not add potatoes or softer vegetables at this point to avoid overcooking.
• Once vegetables have been sautéed, add tomato paste. The addition of tomato paste will add both color and flavor to the finished stew.
• Add stock (and wine if desired) to stew; stir and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add enough liquid to cover. Turn the temperature down to low, cover and simmer (the stew can also be finished in a slow oven). It is critical that the stew not boil rapidly. Bubbles should just break the surface when cooking.
• The length of time for stewing will depend on the amount of connective tissue in the cut being used. Check after 2 hours of cooking. This will provide a reference to the time remaining.
• Add delicate vegetable garnish such as peas etc. just before finishing the stew. This prevents overcooking and helps maintain the color of the garnish.
• Check and adjust seasoning of your stew and remove spice bag if used. Plate and garnish with fresh savory herbs and hearty style breads as desired.

Braising

• Season the cuts by dredging in flour and removing any excess.
• Brown meat in a small amount of oil. Garlic and onions can be added at this time, if desired. The caramelization will improve both the flavor and the color of the finished dish.
• Once meat is well browned, add root vegetables and sweeten them off.
• Once the vegetables have been sweated, deglaze pan and add stock and wine to cover one-third of the meat cut.
• Add tomato ingredients and spice bag and cover. Place in a slow oven and cook slowly until tender. The cooking process should create bubbles that only break the surface of the liquid.
• Once meat is tender, remove deglaze sauce and finish sauce. Serve with the braised vegetables and sauce component.

• Roll roast in seasoned flour. Remove excess flour.
• Brown the roast in a small amount of oil. Brown well to build both color and flavor in finished product.
• Add root vegetables and seasoning such as garlic.
• Once the roast is browned and vegetables have been sweated, deglaze with stock and wine. Add enough liquid to cover one-third of the meat.
• Cover pot roast and place in oven at 162 C (325°F). Roast slowly until meat is tender.
• Once pot roast is cooked, remove from oven and let rest. Finish sauce by deglazing and thicken, adjusting seasoning as necessary.
• Always slice across the grain. Sauce and use vegetable ingredients in sauce on finished plate.

Blue Rare – seared on the outside, red throughout.	Rare – seared and still red, 75% through the center.
Medium Rare – seared with the center still red.	Medium – charbroiled with a pink center.
Medium Well – charbroiled with a slight hint of pink.	Well Done – charbroiled with the meat completely cooked through.

• Make sure your equipment is working well, charbroiled jets should be clean and grill bars brushed and oiled to prevent sticking and flavor transfer.
• Make sure you have the broiler sections divided, a hot section for cooking rare and medium rare, a cooler section for finishing medium and medium well steaks as well as a lower heat section for finishing well done and briefly holding steaks for multiple orders.
• Steaks continue to cook after they leave the grill, take this into account when timing steaks for service.
• Bone-in steak cooks quicker than boneless, this needs to be taken into account when handling these steaks.

• Needling is a process in which the meat cut is passed through a jaccarder or needler. Small needles pass through the meat breaking the connective tissue.
• Delicating is a process mainly used for items such as Swiss steaks or cutlets whereby the steak passes through two sets of small blades which breaks connective tissue.
• Pounding will generally happen in a kitchen environment where the operator will use a meat hammer to flatten and break the connective tissue. This method is an old fashion tradition that actually can make meat tougher instead of tender.

• Papain – a natural extract found in papaya.
• Acid based ingredients – items such as wine, vinegars, lime or other citrus juice.
• Alkaline ingredients – items like soy sauce and other active ingredients.

Poultry