Cooking
Cooking is the preparation of food, especially through heat, to improve its safety, digestibility, flavor, or texture.
Maillard reaction: A set of reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars that produces browning and complex aromas. This reaction creates browned flavors in seared meat, toasted bread, and roasted foods.
Braising: A cooking method that browns food before slowly simmering it in a small amount of liquid. Its combination of dry and moist heat tenderizes tough cuts while building flavor.
Water activity: A measure of the water available in a material to support chemical reactions and microbial growth. Available water affects how quickly food spoils and how cooking changes its texture.
Raw foodism: A dietary practice that avoids or limits foods heated above a chosen temperature. It rejects heat as a routine means of preparing food, unlike conventional cooking.
Caramelization: The thermal decomposition of sugars that produces brown color and new flavors. Sugar-rich foods develop characteristic color and flavor as they caramelize during cooking.
Sous vide: A method that cooks sealed food in a precisely controlled water bath. Precise low-temperature heating gives consistent doneness and limits moisture loss.
Food microbiology: The study of microorganisms that inhabit, alter, or contaminate food. Understanding microbes clarifies when cooking makes food safer and when it cannot.
Curing: The preservation of food using salt, sugar, nitrite, or other curing agents. Curing can preserve and flavor food without cooking it through heat.
Protein denaturation: A change in a protein's structure that can alter its shape, solubility, and function. Heat unfolds food proteins, changing the texture of eggs, meat, and fish.
Deep frying: A method that cooks food while submerged in hot oil or fat. Hot oil rapidly transfers heat and forms a crisp exterior.